Normative power refers to the capacity to influence other actors in international relations not through material interests or coercive force, but through the assumption that certain norms and values; such as human rights, democracy, and the rule of law are legitimate and universal. This type of power is essentially ideational, operating through the force of ideas, principles, and ethical justifications. Normative power manifests itself in political decision-making and international interactions through dialogue, persuasion, partnership, and processes of socialization. As exemplified by the European Union, normative power actors not only defend their own values but also seek to universalize them through their foreign policies. In this context, the legitimacy (acceptance of the principles), consistency (application without contradiction in both internal and external policies), and sustainability (ability to endure across generations) of normative power are considered key criteria.

• Manners, I. (2009). The concept of normative power in world politics. DIIS Brief. Danish Institute for International Studies. https://pure.diis.dk/ws/files/68745/B09_maj_Concept_Normative_Power_World_Politics.pdf
• Manners, I. (2002). Normative power Europe: A contradiction in terms? Journal of Common Market Studies, 40(2), 235–258.
• Lucarelli, S., & Manners, I. (Eds.). (2006). Values and principles in European Union foreign policy. Routledge.