Policy Voices | Overcoming polarisation: Enlargement and the EU's defence

A podcast series by Debating Europe, Friends of Europe’s citizen engagement unit.

Building social cohesion. Restoring democratic trust. Bridging divides.

As Europe faces rising polarisation – on politics, climate, technology, and trust in public institutions – decision-makers are under growing pressure to respond with solutions that are effective, inclusive, and forward-looking.

Overcoming polarisation: paths to common ground is a podcast series that cuts through the noise to explore the drivers of division and the pathways to unity. Produced by Debating Europe, part of Friends of Europe, this series brings together a wide range of voices – policymakers, civil society leaders, business innovators – highlighting findings from our latest research project, Voices for Choices.

Each episode focuses on core issues like economic inequality, digital disruption, and climate anxiety, offering actionable insights and policy-relevant perspectives. The aim? To move beyond analysis and spotlight scalable solutions that strengthen democratic resilience and rebuild trust across European societies.

If you’re a policymaker, funder or stakeholder committed to bridging divides and shaping Europe’s future, this podcast is for you.

Listen now. Engage with the voices shaping tomorrow’s common ground.

In this episode, we’re discussing the EU’s enlargement, with a particular view to the Western Balkans, and how that can serve to strengthen the block if done right. 

Former host Catarina Vila Nova sat down with Nathalie Tocci, director of the Istituto Affari Internazionali in Rome, to discuss the faultlines keeping EU states from agreeing on enlargement and EU citizens’ lack of knowledge about many of the candidate countries.

Host Sabina Șancu is speaking with Valbona Zeneli, Senior Fellow for Peace, Security and Defence here at Friends of Europe, and non-resident fellow at the Atlantic Council, about “enlargement fatigue”, external influences on the Western Balkan countries, and the steps these countries still need to take in order to create prosperity.

You can find out more about Debating Europe‘s insights through their latest report, Voices for Choices.

If you want to comment on this episode you can send us an e-mail: press@friendsofeurope.org

Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.