Call for Tenders: Booklet “A Militarised Union” – 2nd Edition

About the Rosa-Luxemburg-Stiftung

The Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung (RLS) is one of the six major political foundations in the Federal Republic of Germany, tasked primarily with conducting political education both at home and abroad. The foundation is affiliated to Die Linke, a democratic socialist party in the German parliament.

Since its founding in 1990, the foundation’s work has adhered to the legacy of its namesake, German socialist leader Rosa Luxemburg, and stands for democratic socialism with an unwavering internationalist focus. The foundation is committed to a radical perspective emphasizing public awareness, education, and social critique. It stands in the tradition of the workers’ and women’s movements, as well as anti-fascism and anti-racism.

Based on the firm belief that social change requires a reflective confrontation with today’s capitalist society as a whole, the foundation strives to develop alternative concepts and approaches for a comprehensive process of social transformation enabling the creation of a more united and just society. Education and training in democratic socialist politics, analysis, information, and policy advice are therefore the foundation’s basic tasks, which we pursue and implement at the regional, national, and international levels.

Context

Attempts to reshape the European Union (EU) are nothing new, yet since 2014 the process of militarisation has advanced with notable speed. Instruments such as the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO), the Coordinated Annual Review on Defence (CARD), and the European Defence Fund (EDF) form the institutional backbone of this development, while new mechanisms have broadened and entrenched its reach.

The first edition of “A Militarised Union” (2021) provided a comprehensive yet accessible introduction to these dynamics. Since then, Europe’s political and security landscape has changed dramatically. Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has not only triggered a wave of rearmament across the continent but also established the EU as a direct financier of arms deliveries through the European Peace Facility. In parallel, joint procurement schemes, increased defence-industrial subsidies, and the “ReArm/Readiness 2030” agenda have institutionalised a new era of EU military integration.

The debate on “strategic autonomy” has been at the heart of this shift. What began as a discourse on reducing dependency on NATO and the United States has increasingly turned into a justification for massive public investments in Europe’s arms industry. The launch of the European Defence Industrial Strategy (EDIS) in 2024 represents a milestone in this process: it sets out plans for a permanent EU defence market, increased joint procurement, and structural support for the defence sector, aligning industrial, budgetary, and foreign policy priorities with military objectives.

Looking ahead, the forthcoming negotiations on the EU’s next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF, post-2027) are likely to hardwire these changes into the Union’s long-term budget. Proposals to expand the EDF, to institutionalise permanent defence facilities, and to redirect funds from social, environmental and cohesion spending demonstrate the extent to which militarisation threatens to hollow out the EU’s original promises of peace, solidarity, and social justice. What is presented as “security” risks becoming an austerity-driven reallocation of resources from public needs to private profit.

Against this backdrop, the second edition of A Militarised Union seeks to update and critically expand the analysis of these developments. It will highlight their long-term consequences for peace, democracy, and social justice in Europe, and present progressive alternatives to the prevailing security paradigm. The booklet will be published in 2026, with the potential for translations into additional languages.

Format and Scope

The Rosa-Luxemburg-Stiftung Brussels Office calls for tenders from individual authors or institutions to contribute to the writing of this booklet. Applicants may propose:

• A single topic within a chapter,
• Multiple topics or a whole chapter, or
• The entire booklet.

The text should:

• Be written in English or German (applications can also be submitted in these languages).
• Be accessible to a non-specialist audience, while maintaining analytical precision.
• Provide 10,000–12,000 words in total (approx. 40 pages; individual chapters 3,000–5,000 words).
• Proposals for integrating graphics and advice on the graphic presentation or highlighting of content.
• Adhere to RLS referencing and style guidelines (to be provided).

The final publication will include text, glossary, preface, executive summary, and graphic design/layout (handled separately).

Content Overview (Proposed)

Chapter I: Context and Drivers

• A Militarised EU in Transition (historical overview)
• ReArm Europe Plan / Readiness 2030
• Militarised Language – Reclaiming the Language of Peace

Chapter II: Structures, Money and Power

• Militarising the EU Budget: MFF and Defence Facilities
• Institutions Behind the Shift
• Inside the Military-Industry Complex

Chapter III: Impact and Risks

• Militarising the Borderlands: Migration, Mobility, and Surveillance / Militarised Borders and External Action
• Democratic Deficits & Civil Society Lockout
• Greenwashing Security: How Militarisation in the EU is Fueling the Climate Crisis
• Trade Unions and the Militarisation of Industry and Labour

Chapter IV: Alternatives

• Feminist Critique of EU Security
• Peace Road Map

Applicants may apply for specific chapters or propose additional relevant perspectives.

Requirements
We are looking for authors who meets the following criteria:

• Have proven expertise in foreign, security, peace, or EU policy.
• Be able to write in an accessible, critical, and appealing style for a broader audience.
• Be familiar with debates within the European left and progressive spectrum.
• Share the values of the Rosa-Luxemburg-Stiftung.

Deliverables

• Draft topic(s) according to the proposed timeline.
• Willingness to collaborate with editors and participate in the distribution phase (e.g. book launch, debates).

 Timeline

Submission deadline for abstract                  29. September 2025 extended 05. October 2025

Feedback to authors                                         10. October 2025

Deadline for the first draft(s)                           17. November 2025

Submission of the final draft(s)                       15. December 2025

Layout and print                                                  January 2026

Launch Event                                                       Spring 2026

 Application

Interested contractors are invited to submit their proposals, including:

1. A short abstract (max. 500 words) outlining the proposed topic, approach, and relevance. If several topics are to be covered, the word limit needs to be exceeded.
2. A CV or (individual or institutional profile)
3. At least two samples of relevant past work (in English or German)
4. A financial offer

Please send your proposal to Erorppn.gevkn@ebfnyhk.bet AND vasb.oehrffry@ebfnyhk.bet until

05 October 2025, 10:00 pm CEST.

Subject line: [Your Name/Institution] – Tender: A militarised Union 2nd Edition

Selection Criteria
The selection will be based on the following criteria:

• Cost-effectiveness/price (50%)
• Suitability of the proposal (25%)
• Relevant experience (25%).

Each of these criteria will be assessed through the candidate’s CV, Abstract, and if needed with an interview process.

RLS BXL_Call_Booklet 2nd edition_extendedPDF-Datei (159,65 KB)