Meet the brand-new European Political Community
Forty-four European leaders meet in Prague
![Mandatory Credit: Photo by MARTIN DIVISEK/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock (13440196c)People stand in front of closed Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, 05 October 2022. Prague Castle will host Leaders meeting within the European Political Community on 06 October and an Informal EU Summit on 07 October.Informal EU Summit previews in Prague, Czech Republic - 05 Oct 2022](https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1424,quality=80,format=auto/media-assets/image/20221008_EUP503.jpg)
When Emmanuel Macron, France’s president, called in a speech to the European Parliament on May 9th for the creation of a “European political community” (EPC), to bring together European countries both within the EU and outside it, even the French hardly dared to hope that it would take shape less than six months later. Mr Macron fizzes with ideas about Europe, not all of which come to fruition. This one has at least got off the ground: on October 6th, at Prague castle, 44 leaders of countries from Ireland to Azerbaijan will gather for the forum’s first meeting. Few can tell for certain what this new confab is or might become, but all seem minded to give it a chance.
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