Former European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker offers a firsthand account of the European People’s Party’s (EPP’s) evolution, from its founding in 1976 to its transformation into Europe’s dominant center–right force. Reflecting on his own journey within the party—from a young delegate to European Commission President—Juncker explores the long-running debate over ideological expansion. He recounts the tensions between maintaining the EPP’s Christian Democratic roots and the pragmatic need to welcome conservative and pro-European forces, especially in the wake of EU enlargement. While acknowledging missteps, he argues that broadening the EPP’s reach was politically necessary, but warns against drifting too far from its core values.