New German Coalition to Pursue European Army

Germany lays out its ambitions for the next four years, including a plan to ‘strive for an ever closer associate of European forces, which can evolve into a parliamentary European army.’

Germany wants to create a new European army, according to one of the latest documents to come out of its coalition agreement. The coalition paper on foreign affairs and defense, published November 19 and approved by the coalition panel led by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, calls for Germany to face “up to its international responsibilities” and “stand ready if contributions to the resolution of crises and conflicts are expected.”

The paper explains that in order to “be prepared for the mission of the future,” the EU must work together. Wherever “useful and possible” there should be “a sharing of national military capabilities in the EU … as well as … a greater division of labor,” the report said—adding that the same thing applies to NATO.

But its most striking statement was: “We strive for an ever closer association of European forces, which can evolve into a parliament-controlled European army.”