The Inquiry17 Jun 2025

Are we closer to a European army?

During a speech to the Spanish parliament earlier this year, the country’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez claimed there’s one thing that would guarantee lasting peace in Europe.

His idea is the creation of a new army drawn from the 27 countries whose governments already work together as members of the European Union.

The concept isn't a new one - and NATO already exists, the military alliance which includes EU member states and other European countries.

But talk of a new military force is reappearing as the continent becomes more vulnerable to threats. Its ally the US is increasingly unreliable and unpredictable too.

Other European leaders are also backing the idea

This week we’re asking - “Are we closer to a European army?”

Contributors:

Dick Zandee, Senior Research Fellow and Head of the Security and Defence Programme at the Clingendael Institute

Dr Ulrike Franke, Senior Policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations

Oana Lungescu, Distinguished fellow with the Royal United Services Institute and former NATO spokesperson

Prof. Dr. Sven Biscop, Director of the Europe in the World Programme at Egmont.

Presenter: Charmaine Cozier

Producer: Daniel Rosney

Researcher: Maeve Schaffer

Editor: Tara McDermott

Technical Producer: Toby James

Production Coordinator - Tammy Snow

(Image Credit: FREDERICK FLORIN/AFP via Getty Images)

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(609)

Can China’s polar silk road change global trade?

Conflict in the Middle East continues to disrupt global shipping routes including the Strait of Hormuz and the Strait of Malacca. China is now turning to Russia for support in developing an alternativ...

15 Sep 24min

Can Africa take control of its digital future?

Just under 20 years ago Kenya pioneered the use of mobile money. Since then, other countries in Africa have carved out a share of the digital market for themselves, from gaming in Morocco to artificia...

8 Sep 24min

Should rivers have personhood?

River systems around the world are under stress from various factors ranging from pollution, to agriculture, to extractive industries. In some parts of the world there are regulations to help protect ...

1 Sep 23min

How has the Cockroach Janta Party changed India’s politics?

In July 2026, tens of thousands of students took to the streets in India’s capital, demanding reforms to education. The protests followed the leak of medical entrance exam papers but quickly grew to r...

25 Aug 24min

Can elections restore Moroccans’ faith in their country?

In September, Morocco’s citizens will go to the polls for the country’s general election. Morocco is a constitutional monarchy, with a multi-party-political system. A new head of government will be ap...

18 Aug 24min

Is daylight saving time working?

The House of Representatives has voted to make daylight saving time permanent in the United States. If the measure is approved by the Senate and becomes law, most Americans would no longer spring forw...

11 Aug 24min

Is Indigenous education at risk?

New Zealand’s government is making big changes to its education system. The aim is to reverse declining student achievement and give more opportunities to disadvantaged children. The subjects of readi...

4 Aug 24min

Can we live with extreme heat?

Extreme heatwaves are becoming more frequent across the globe, not only in countries used to cooler climates, but also in those already familiar with significantly hotter temperatures. Intense heat c...

28 Jul 24min