Recalibrating Europe’s Security: Building Partnerships in an Era of ‘Wrecking-Ball Politics
The 2026 Munich Security Conference report observes that “the world has entered a period of wrecking-ball politics.” Indeed, the era of Western predominance, dependable alliances and capable multilateral institutions has given way to shifting balances of power and deepening uncertainty.
Few actors face this shift as acutely as the European Union (EU). Having helped construct the postwar order that is currently “under destruction”, and having derived immense benefit from it, the EU now finds the ground shifting beneath the very arrangements on which its influence rested. The central challenge for the EU is not how to defend a familiar system but how to remain secure and relevant in an unfamiliar one, with the ability to shape what lies ahead.
This paper addresses four important areas in which Europe must revise outdated assumptions to navigate the new emerging order: critical economic depende cies, European defence, democracy in the age of AI and international alliances.
This paper resulted from a workshop at the 14th Genshagen Forum for Franco-German Dialogue (June 11 and 12, 2026) with the topic ““Building a New Security Architecture Without the US”.”.
Marie Krpata, Research Fellow with the Study Committee on Franco-German Relations (Cerfa) at the French Institute for International Relations (Ifri)
Sarah Bressan, Head of Futures and Strategic Foresight at the Global Public Policy Institute (GPPi), Berlin
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Genshagen Forum for Franco-German Dialogue. Genshagen Foundation, Berlin
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Recalibrating Europe’s Security: Building Partnerships in an Era of ‘Wrecking-Ball Politics
Marie KRPATA
Research Fellow, Study Committee on Franco-German Relations (Cerfa), Ifri
The Study Committee on Franco-German Relations (Cerfa)
The Study Committee on Franco-German Relations (Cerfa) was created in 1954 by an inter-governmental agreement between the Federal Republic of Germany and France, in order to raise awareness of Germany in France and analyze Franco-German relations, including in their European and international dimensions. In its conferences and seminars, which bring together experts, political leaders, senior decision-makers and representatives of civil society from both countries, Cerfa develops the Franco-German debate and stimulates political proposals. It regularly publishes studies through two collections: Cerfa notes and studies as well as Franco-German visions.
Cerfa maintains close relations with the network of German foundations and think tanks. In addition to its research and debate activities, Cerfa promotes the emergence of a new Franco-German generation through original cooperation programs. This is how in 2021-2022, Cerfa led a program on multilateralism with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Paris. This program is aimed at young professionals from both countries interested in the issues of multilateralism in the context of their activities. It covered a wide range of themes relating to multilateralism, such as international trade, health, human rights and migration, non-proliferation and disarmament. Previously, Cerfa had participated in the Franco-German future dialogue, co-led with the DGAP from 2007 to 2020, and supported by the Robert Bosch Foundation and the Daniel Vernet group (formerly the Franco-German Reflection Group) which was founded in 2014 upon the initiative of the Genshagen Foundation.
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