Analysis

The Golden Age of Multilateralism Is Over

And it cannot be revived by China, Europe, post-Trump America, or the global south. September 12, 2025, 2:40 PM Comment icon View Comments ( )

An illustration shows the seal of the United Nations with a shadow across it. Laurel leaves fall onto the ground from the seal as a person sweeps them up.

Multilateralism matters. As a growing number of issues become increasingly global, international cooperation is simply a must. Nonetheless, the multilateral system established at the end of World War II, with the founding of the United Nations and other organizations, is now unraveling in front of our eyes. This calls for a serious debate about why the system is unraveling, whether it can be saved, and what may replace it if not.

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