EU CANDIDATE STATUS: STRUGGLING CONDITIONALITY IN A GEOPOLITICAL ENVIRONMENT : A CASE STUDY OF GEORGIA’S EU CANDIDATE PROCESS IN 2023

In recent years, the European Union's enlargement policy has undergone a significant transformation, shifting from a primarily meritocratic approach to one increasingly driven by motivations other than being solely meritocracy-based. This shift is particularly evident in the case of Georgia, which was granted candidate status by the EU in 2023, despite major concerns over its domestic political reforms. Russia´s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has acted as a catalyst, reshaping the EU's foreign policy priorities, particularly in terms of security and regional stability. The research examines through an originally created theoretical model if and how this external security threat but also member states’ domestic interests and a candidate country’s democratic performance has prompted the EU to adjust its approach to enlargement, with Georgia, along with Ukraine and Moldova, becoming central to this strategy. This shift is analysed within the framework of liberalist and realist international relations theory, examining whether the EU's enlargement decisions are now more influenced by strategic concerns than by a strict adherence to democratic and institutional standards. Through this case study, the thesis contributes to the ongoing academic debate on EU foreign policy, providing a model for understanding future enlargement strategies.