Von der Leyen blindsides EU with Canada associate member pitch

Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed making Canada an EU "associate member" without consulting member states first, prompting quick pushback from Ottawa downplaying the idea. The unilateral move highlights tensions over EU enlargement strategy and the Commission's unilateral decision-making on major geopolitical questions.

Byte's take

Von der Leyen just invented a new EU status on the fly—and nobody asked permission.