The Current Column

EU Enlargement in the Western Balkans

Speed Must Not Be a Substitute for Democracy

Mross, Karina
The Current Column (2026)

Bonn: German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS), The Current Column of 29 June 2026

The EU should welcome the Western Balkans – but only if democratic standards are fulfilled. Speed cannot substitute for democracy.

Recent calls by Friedrich Merz and Emmanuel Macron for a rapid EU enlargement in the Western Balkans have sent an important signal. In view of geopolitical tensions and Russia’s influence in South-Eastern Europe, the European Union (EU) needs credible enlargement prospects. Yet precisely because so much is at stake, accelerating accession primarily for geopolitical reasons would be a mistake. If the EU relaxes its accession criteria today for strategic purposes, it risks the next Orbán tomorrow.

The EU must not lower its standards

EU enlargement is a success story. It has promoted prosperity, fostered democracy and defused conflicts. The EU should keep the door open for the countries of the Western Balkans and work towards their timely accession. However, it must not do so by relaxing its own standards. Democracy, the rule of law and the fight against corruption are the cornerstone of European integration. They are not mere bureaucratic hurdles.

If these requirements are watered down prior to a country’s accession, this can have disastrous consequences. Member states are given a say in key decisions of the EU, including a right of veto on many foreign policy issues, such as sanctions. At the same time, the options available to Brussels for enforcing compliance with democratic standards and implementing measures to promote them are considerably lower once a country has joined the EU. Experience with Hungary shows how difficult it is to mount an effective response to democratic backsliding in member states. Once the greatest incentive for reforms – accession itself – has disappeared, it becomes more difficult to exert leverage.

Autocratisation is often ignored

It is particularly problematic that several countries of the Western Balkans have seen democratic setbacks rather than progress in recent years. Nevertheless, the debate on accession focuses primarily on geopolitical issues. In the case of Serbia, it is dominated by the recognition of Kosovo, relations with Russia and regional stability – or by economic interests. The state of democracy often takes a back seat. This is dangerous because such trajectories can be difficult to reverse.

Serbia has indeed undergone far-reaching democratic backsliding over the past decade. International democracy indices and observers have documented the deterioration of rule of law and democratic standards. Under President Aleksandar Vučić, political power has become increasingly concentrated in the hands of the executive. Judicial independence has been undermined, the freedom of media curtailed, state institutions politicised and control mechanisms eroded. Nevertheless, the ruling party, SNS, continues to be an associated member of the European People’s Party (EPP), the group of European conservative parties in the European Parliament.

The integrity of elections has also come under increasing scrutiny. Election observers regularly report imbalanced media coverage, pressure on public officials and favoured treatment of the governing party during the election campaign. Media close to the government dominate the debate, while critical journalists face pressure.

The consequences are clearly visible. Last year saw sustained mass protests against the government, some of which were met with violence. Many demonstrators explicitly regard themselves as pro-European. They are demanding greater democracy, independent institutions and new elections.

Credibility is at stake

The EU needs to be careful for these very reasons. Rapprochement without substantial democratic reforms would send the wrong signal. It would indicate to authoritarian governments that geopolitical considerations are more important than democratic standards.

The effect on the population would be equally disastrous. Many democratically minded citizens in Serbia and other states in the region are watching the EU with an increasing sense of disappointment, as European governments have only too often overlooked or relativised authoritarian tendencies as long as the government in question was seen as a stable partner. Yet stability without democracy remains fragile.

Enlargement needs democratic principles

The EU should work to advance enlargement, provide more support to accession candidates and offer credible accession prospects. At the same time, it must insist that the Copenhagen criteria are met in full. Among other things, the criteria require accession candidates to demonstrate stable, democratic institutions, inclusive, free and fair elections, political competition, separation of powers, the rule of law and an independent judiciary. Complete compliance with the Copenhagen criteria is therefore not merely a formal requirement, but instead the guarantee that new member states fully support the democratic values and rules that are the foundation of the EU.

A successful enlargement policy should not be measured against how quickly new members are admitted but against whether the EU upholds its values, remains democratic and continues to function effectively. Only then can enlargement strengthen the EU. To anchor the Western Balkans firmly within Europe, the focus should not be on speed alone, but equally on ensuring that the democratic foundations for a common future are in place.