A Tale of Two States: Explaining the Divergent Outcomes of the EU Soft-Transformative Power in Albania and Georgia
Journal: YSU Journal of International Affairs
Year: 2025

Although the EU has recently shifted toward a more “geopolitical” approach, it has long relied on its normative and transformative soft power to drive political and economic reforms in aspiring member states. However, the success of this approach has varied considerably, particularly between the Western Balkan candidates and the states recently granted candidate status—Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova. This article compares the EU’s success in exercising soft power in Albania with its struggles in