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Europe is living through a moment of profound disruption from within and from the outside, which has transformed the rule of law from a foundational principle into an active battleground. Growing security pressures are driving unprecedented investment in defense, while technology is increasingly being weaponised against democratic institutions. At the same time, the enlargement process is testing the credibility and consistency of the EU's own standards, while negotiations over the next EU budget grow increasingly tense due to conflicting national priorities. Amid competing pressures and interests, the rule of law risks becoming a bargaining chip, sacrificed for political convenience rather than upheld as a shared commitment. How the EU and its Member States respond, not only rhetorically but through concrete political and institutional choices, will shape the future of the continent for decades to come, with consequences far beyond Europe itself.