Rumors of the liberal international order’s demise are greatly exaggerated.

In her new blog post, Tanja A. Börzel argues that despite U.S. retrenchment, populist backlash, and global tensions, core institutions are holding strong. Membership in the WTO, IWC, and UN bodies is growing—not shrinking. States are adapting: 58 countries joined the MPIA to preserve trade dispute resolution, even as the WTO Appellate Body remains stalled.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine triggered global sanctions and UN condemnation—proving that norms still matter. And while democracies face internal challenges, only Hungary and Poland have seen systemic backsliding—and reform is underway.

Far from collapsing, the LIO is evolving. The EU’s new trade deals with Mercosur and India aren’t a rejection of multilateralis—they’re a push for its renewal.

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