Should Europe have its own army?
With NATO under strain and European defence spending at its highest since the Cold War, The Continental asks its readers: is a unified European military force an idea whose time has finally come?
The question has circled European politics for decades, surfacing reliably whenever the continent faces a security shock, and then disappearing just as quickly. But something feels different in 2026. With the United States increasingly focused on the Indo-Pacific, and traditional security guarantees looking less certain than at any point since the Berlin Wall fell, Europe's defence debate has moved from think-tanks to cabinet tables.
We want to know what you think. Should the EU develop a unified military force, with its own command structure, budget and strategic doctrine? Or does that risk fragmenting NATO, duplicating resources, and giving cover to those who want to weaken the alliance? Share your view below, and read what your fellow readers think.
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