23 November 2025

Europa Universalis 5: Personal Unions, Explained

By newsgame

Even by Grand Strategy standards, Europa Universalis 5 is not an easy game to get to grips with, both for veterans of the franchise and newcomers to the genre. One of the many mechanics puzzling players is Personal Unions in EU5. This guide will explain what they are, how they are formed, and what nations can do when they find themselves in a Union.

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What Are Personal Unions In Europa Universalis 5?

Personal Unions can be seen as the result of Marriage Unions. For example, if a male ruler and a female ruler marry and produce an heir, that heir can go on to rule both nations. However, rather than becoming a single nation, a Personal Union is formed.

At first, a Personal Union in EU5 is little more than a defensive alliance, both coming to one another’s aid in the event of an attack. However, the longer Unions last and the more Centralization Policies that are enacted, the more the two nations will become almost as one.

Don’t confuse Unions with vassals; partners in a Union are independent.

How To See Personal Unions In Europa Universalis 5

Europa Universalis 5 - How to see Personal Unions

To see Personal Unions in EU5, go to the Diplomacy panel (F5). On the Relations tab, go to the Organizations subtab. The bottom part of the window will list all existing International Organizations, but to see yours, look next to the purple square with a wreathed globe.

An example name of a Personal Union would be Franc-Comtois-Artois Union. Clicking such a name will bring up the Union window, and players might want to pin this by clicking the star.

Union Integration Levels In Europa Universalis 5

In the overview tab of the Union window, a Union Integration Level will be given, starting out at 0.

The Union Integration Level describes how centralized the Personal Union is through Laws and Policies. Every member that is present when a centralizing policy is enacted has its level increased.

When the final centralization policy is enforced, all Junior Partners that have the same level as the Union get unified by the Senior Partner, essentially annexing them.

Members that join later will need to catch up in levels to be integrated via the Parliament.

Establish Seniority To Have Senior & Junior Partners In Europa Universalis 5

Once a Union has existed for at least 5 years, players can try to enact the Union Foundation, which is a Foundation Law found within the Personal Union window.

If this passes a vote by the members after a number of months, a Seniority will be established. Read the vote to see who will become the Senior Partner.

After Seniority is established, the Senior Partner will now appear yellow, while the Junior Partners remain blue when looking at the Union.

The Personal Union will now have a Parliament tab within the window, which has its own backing and the ability to be called. Both partners will also gain new Casus Belli relating to the Union.

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Union Policies In Europa Universalis 5

Now that a Seniority has been established, players can start enacting Union Policies one by one. They cost Prestige and Legitimacy to enact, and Unions must exist for specific lengths of time before they can be applied.

The Centralization Policies are as follows;