A new 47-nation club uses 90-minute meetings to bypass red tape
By stripping away the teleprompters and formal scripts, European leaders are reviving a centuries-old diplomatic style to solve crises in less time than a standard lunch.
When 47 heads of state gather for the European Political Community, they intentionally leave their armies of aides at the door. This forum was designed by Emmanuel Macron to prioritize strategic autonomy—the idea that European nations should handle their own security without relying on outside superpowers. Unlike the bloated schedules of the G20, these summits utilize a strict 90-minute format that forces leaders to skip the prepared speeches and move straight to bargaining. By rotating meetings to non-capital cities like Yerevan, the group decentralizes power and creates a neutral space where smaller nations have an equal voice in continental security.