Die Legende von der europäischen Armee

The author contends that a European Army is a 'legend' lacking conceptual depth and political feasibility. The text argues that such an entity would require an unacceptable loss of national sovereignty and constitutional changes in member states like Germany and France. Furthermore, it suggests that proponents use the idea to undermine parliamentary oversight of military actions. Instead of a unified army, the author advocates for enhanced security cooperation, the use of 'soft power', and the maintenance of democratic controls.

• The creation of a European Army is deemed practically impossible because it would require EU member states to integrate their national security and defense decision-making powers, leading to a loss of sovereignty that states have consistently refused.
• Implementing a European Army would necessitate fundamental legal and constitutional changes in several countries, including amendments to the Basic Law in Germany and the abolition of the core of the presidential constitution in France.
• The author suggests that the push for a European Army by politicians like Ursula von der Leyen is a strategic move to facilitate the easier deployment of German soldiers abroad by relativizing the 'parliamentary reserve' (Parlamentsvorbehalt).
• A unified European Army is viewed as a threat to the EU's status as a 'civilian power' and its ability to exercise 'soft power', potentially transforming the union into a traditional great power.
• As an alternative to a single army, the document proposes a flexible stabilization strategy involving civilian and military cooperation, the creation of purpose-bound joint forces, and partnerships with entities like the African Union.

APA

Bütikofer, F. S. R. (2015). Die Legende von der europäischen Armee. Green European Journal. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/die-legende-von-der-europaischen-armee/

Chicago

Bütikofer, Frithjof Schmidt, Reinhard. Die Legende von der europäischen Armee. Green European Journal, 2015. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/die-legende-von-der-europaischen-armee/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Bütikofer |first1=Frithjof Schmidt, Reinhard |title=Die Legende von der europäischen Armee |publisher=Green European Journal |date=18 May 2015 |url=https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/die-legende-von-der-europaischen-armee/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{btikofer2015die, author = {Bütikofer, Frithjof Schmidt, Reinhard}, title = {{Die Legende von der europäischen Armee}}, publisher = {Green European Journal}, year = {2015}, month = may, url = {https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/die-legende-von-der-europaischen-armee/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }