Luuk van Middelaar runs the Brussels Institute for Geopolitics, advancing a provocative agenda for European strategic autonomy. His proposals include revamping the European Defense Agency and creating common debt mechanisms to fund continental rearmament. The Dutch scholar draws on Machiavellian principles, arguing Europe needs swift decision-making rather than rigid rule-based governance.

Van Middelaar's intellectual framework emerged from his doctoral work critiquing Alexandre Kojève's Hegelian influence on French thought. He contends that Europe's post-Cold War complacency ended with Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine and concerns about Atlantic alliance stability. His think tank pushes for economic security measures including a digital euro and coordinated defense spending.

The practical implications extend beyond policy circles. European defense contractors could consolidate around new integration frameworks, while financial markets watch for unified debt instruments. However, the author notes significant gaps in van Middelaar's vision, particularly regarding decarbonization and Middle Eastern conflicts.

Critics argue his reactive 'politics of events' lacks coherent long-term strategy. European electorates support greater autonomy but may resist an open-ended arms race. The debate reveals fundamental questions about whether EU integration remains an elite-driven project without popular mandate.