Georgia pushes for OSCE chair but EU closes ranks against bid

Georgia is stepping up its bid to chair the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), seeking to use the institution to push back against its growing international isolation. But the EU is standing in its way, the Brussels-based publication Rapporteur writes.

Georgia’s bid comes as the OSCE remains deadlocked over who should take over the chairmanship in 2027.

Cyprus is so far the only official candidate and received broad backing from EU countries, but diplomats said that Turkey is blocking its candidacy.

Rapporteur asked whether the EU still backs Cyprus for the 2027 chairmanship and whether it is discussing an alternative candidate or another way out of the deadlock. The EU foreign affairs spokesperson Christian Wigand offered little room for interpretation, answering simply “Yes” to the first question and “No” to the second.

The next major deadline is the OSCE Ministerial Council in Lugano on 3-4 December, when the organisation’s members will gather for the final major meeting of Switzerland’s 2026 chairmanship.