As the tenth anniversary of the Brexit vote approaches, renewed debate about Britain’s relationship with the European Union is perhaps inevitable. A steady drip of stories has suggested that closer ties between the UK and EU may once again be under consideration, with speculation over rejoining the customs union appearing every week since the Budget. Health Secretary Wes Streeting went further just before Christmas, arguing in favour of the move. The economic case for deeper cooperation may be compelling, but even for those who hope this is a prelude to something bigger, it is worth asking a more fundamental question: what kind of European Union would Britain be re-entering?

One answer can be found among the generation now beginning to shape European politics from below. In November, the youth wing of the European People’s Party (EPP) – known as YEPP – gathered in Stockholm to debate the future of Europe. The conference, titled Building a Better Future Together, was opened by Swedish prime minister Ulf Kristersson alongside other senior figures from the centre-right.

The UK must be realistic about the state of the EU now

At first glance, the conference’s tone was optimistic. Speakers praised European unity, reiterated support for Ukraine and highlighted the EU’s ability to manage multiple crises. Yet Kristersson struck a more sobering note. Considering the European Council, he observed that its longest-serving leader was Hungary’s Viktor Orbán – a reminder that, in the post-Merkel era, authority within the EU has become more diffuse. The bloc, he argued, remains a modest geopolitical player beyond its immediate neighbourhood: marginal in the Middle East, unable to stand up to China and........

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