In this wide-ranging chapter, Ria Oomen-Ruijten offers a critical yet constructive reflection on the European People’s Party’s (EPP's) evolution during a period of institutional consolidation and political expansion, particularly between 1989 and 1999. Drawing on her experience within the European Parliament, she examines how the EPP's pursuit of size—'big, bigger, biggest'—sometimes came at the cost of ideological coherence. She discusses the shifting balance between the EPP and its Group, the tensions surrounding the admission of parties such as the British Conservatives and Forza Italia, and the complex dynamics of expansion into Central and Eastern Europe. Oomen-Ruijten also reflects on institutional reforms, such as the introduction of the European political party statute, and the EPP’s navigation of major treaty changes and enlargement. While recognising the value of becoming Europe’s leading political force, she urges the party to refocus on its Christian Democratic roots, social market values and civic engagement—arguing that long-term influence is best preserved not through numbers alone, but through steadfast adherence to core principles.