The Europe of Soldiers

This article sheds light on the limits of the institutionalization of the comprehensive approach among the military when they are involved in Europeancrisis management operations. Based on an analysis of EUFOR Chad/CAR,two contrasted observations stand out. European soldiers react positively tothe comprehensive approach, as it provides them with new professional andsocial skills when they interact with one another and with the other actors of theEuropean security field. For the military, the comprehensive approach functionsas a norm that contributes to shaping the EU’s role as a crisis managementactor. However, the comprehensive approach’s implementation leads to anassemblage of diverse practices, and some of its principles are rejected by themilitary, when the latter clash with the conduct of operations on the ground.