As national political parties remain dominant actors in EU politics, this study examines their positions on enlargement across the 27 member states.

Although enlargement is officially central to the Union’s geopolitical strategy, this research reveals that it remains a low priority for national political parties, largely absent from electoral campaigns and party programmes. Furthermore, the prevailing consensus among mainstream parties on a merit-based approach often masks significant divergences.

This policy brief examines how party positions are influenced not only by ideology, but also by security concerns, historical and regional dynamics, institutional reforms debates and economic competition, particularly regarding agriculture and the labour market.

Ultimately, the policy brief warns that in the current context, enlargement risks being reduced to a mere transactional geopolitical tool and a step toward an intergovernmental Union, rather than being treated as a long-term investment in European security, democracy and prosperity.