Link to downloadable PDF: Working paper on The End of Multilateralism as we know it? Assessing Current Trends in International Security

By Malte Brosig (WITS), John Karlsrud (NUPI), Cristiana Maglia (NUPI), Yf Reykers (UM)

The weakening of the liberal, rules-based international order poses significant challenges for the EU, which has traditionally supported it. Geopolitical tensions, the rise of emerging powers like China, and the anti-globalist stance of the second Trump administration threaten multilateral institutions. This shift is forcing the EU to reconsider its role, moving from a normative power to a more geopolitical stance. The EU faces dilemmas in navigating these changes, balancing its interests with the increasing fragmentation of global governance, and adapting to the rise of informal, flexible arrangements such as ad hoc coalitions.