Between Sovereignty and Normative Power: Reassessing EU–ASEAN Relations with Sukmawani Bela Pertiwi

How has ASEAN evolved beyond economics, and what does this mean for democracy, human rights, and its partnership with the European Union? In this episode, Sukmawani Bela Pertiwi breaks down the political development of ASEAN, its core principles of sovereignty and non-interference, and how these shape the region’s engagement with Europe. This podcast is part of The European Dialogue series. You can listen on Spotify, YouTube, or SoundCloud. Links below. Drawing on Bela’s extensive experience in Southeast Asian studies and EU–ASEAN cooperation, this conversation explores how regionalism, values, and political diversity intersect — and what space the EU really has to promote human rights in a region where sovereignty is strongly protected. Key Topics Covered: ✅ The historical origins and evolution of ASEAN ✅ How ASEAN approaches democracy and human rights across diverse political systems ✅ The current state of EU–ASEAN relations — beyond trade and into politics ✅ Why the EU’s “normative power” is often limited in Southeast Asia ✅ The softer, hybrid forms of engagement the EU uses to support long-term human rights change 🌐 Visit our website to join webinars, read blogs, and listen to more podcasts! www.eu-values.eu/ 📲 Follow us for more insights: Instagram 👉 www.instagram.com/euvalues.eu/ LinkedIn 👉 www.linkedin.com/company/eu-values-network/ Bluesky 👉 bsky.app/profile/euvaluesnetwork.bsky.social Spotify 🎧 👉 open.spotify.com/show/4bmecvWt1As2M4cRBsyW6i SoundCloud 👉 @euvaluesnetwork #ASEAN #EUASEAN #humanrights #democraacy #euvalues #regionalism #southeastasia #foreignpolicy #politicalscience