A common EU foreign policy would have to reconcile national independence

Should the European Union have a unified foreign policy and a common foreign minister?

Further integration may require one, but divergent national policies and stronger national forces could make agreement harder rather than easier.

The European Union already has a high representative for foreign affairs, while member states retain their own policies. Further political integration may require a more unified foreign-policy authority. National positions can still diverge from the collective line, and stronger national defence capabilities may make governments more confident in pressing their own preferences. France's tradition of an independent foreign policy makes shared authority especially contentious unless the arrangement reflects French priorities. A common minister could clarify representation, but it would not remove the underlying disagreements among member states.