The EU’s capacity to coalesce into a single geopolitical actor is limited on many fronts. However, as Jan Lepeu explains, sanctions have become an effective foreign policy instrument which, beyond serving explicit objectives, also contribute to the European Union’s international standing.

In this article, Robert Schuman Centre Visiting Fellow and Adviser to the European Parliament’s Research Service Wilhelm Lehmann comments on the uncertain future of the EU’s Spitzenkandidaten system.