The Rhetoric of Rearmament: Balancing Geopolitical Ambition with Social Welfare in Europe

In this paper, we discuss:

• Why Europe’s rearmament ambitions are colliding with fiscal constraints and competing social spending priorities.
• How governments face difficult trade-offs between higher defence spending, increased taxes, greater borrowing, and welfare cuts.
• Why the UK’s defence strategy has been criticised for lacking a credible funding and implementation plan.
• How public support for stronger security coexists with limited appetite for significantly higher defence spending.
• Why sustaining Europe’s long-term rearmament agenda will require balancing geopolitical objectives with social cohesion.

Download PDF: Rearmament in Europe – June 2026