The structural roots of Italy’s expanding foreign military deployments

Over the last decade, Italy’s foreign military deployment (FMD) policy has shifted, increasing the country’s commitments, expanding its scope of action, and extending its presence into regions where it was previously absent. What explains this change? We argue that Italy’s renewed military activism has structural roots. Washington’s retrenchment strategy amidst great power competition is driving Rome into closer alignment with the US. Thus, Italy’s FMD changes can be interpreted as a reaction to its major ally’s shifting grand strategy. A structural framework is crucial for making sense of this transformation and understanding its implications and inherent risks.