Is the old world order ending? The new alliances reshaping the world | DW News

Is the US-Led Liberal Order Breaking Down?

The report examines whether the post–World War II, US-led liberal order is breaking down and what may replace it.

A Changing Global Landscape

The report points to conflicts, energy pressures, trade tensions and supply-chain shocks, alongside what it describes as a retreat from US leadership under Donald Trump. It says new partnerships are emerging as countries respond to this shift.

BRICS Seeks a Different Order

At a summit in New Delhi, leaders including China’s Xi Jinping, Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Iran’s Masoud Pezeshkian joined host Narendra Modi. Their declaration called for changes to global institutions and finance, and promoted a more multipolar, less US-centered system.

Canada Turns Toward Europe

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is pursuing a closer relationship with the EU, describing Canada and Europe as sharing values and complementary strengths. The report presents this as a notable move amid strained US–Canada trade relations.

Why the Old Order Is Under Pressure

Foreign-policy analyst Charles Kupchan argues that the transition is dangerous and driven by two major shifts:

• Power is moving from the West toward Asia and the Global South.
• The digital era is weakening the social contract built around industrial-era economies.

In Kupchan’s view, economic insecurity and anger at established politics have helped fuel populism.

Trump as Symptom and Accelerant

Kupchan says Trump has tapped into longstanding frustration, including the effects of automation and free trade on working Americans and the erosion of the US political center. He also argues that Trump is accelerating the dismantling of the existing order and alienating allies, though he sees NATO and the wider US alliance network as still intact.

Different Approaches to Alignment

Kupchan distinguishes Canada’s effort to work with Europe—which he says aims to preserve the liberal order—from countries seeking alternatives to it. He points to India’s “multi-alignment”: working with different powers depending on the issue rather than committing exclusively to either the US or China.

A More Regional but Still Interdependent World

Kupchan expects power to become more dispersed, giving regional actors greater influence. He cautions that spheres of influence should be based on attraction rather than coercion, while arguing that global cooperation must also be strengthened. His proposed approach is a “concert system” of steering groups inspired by the 19th-century Concert of Europe.

Presenters and Contributors

• DW presenter, not named in the subtitles
• Charles Kupchan, Georgetown University professor and Council on Foreign Relations senior fellow