At the beginning of 2026, this concern was strongly expressed at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney warned that the old rules-based international order was losing its strength. His message was clear: countries that are not global superpowers can no longer remain passive observers. They must either compete for the favour of larger powers or work together to create a more balanced and resilient alternative.
This question is becoming especially important as France hosts the 2026 G7 Summit in Évian-les-Bains. The summit arrives at a moment when the global economy is no longer defined only by cooperation or traditional competition. Increasingly, it is shaped by confrontation, strategic pressure and the use of economic strength as a political tool.
For this reason, the 2026 G7 may become more than another annual meeting of the world’s leading industrial democracies. It may become a test of whether advanced economies can adapt to a more fragmented world — and whether middle powers can gain a stronger voice in shaping the future of global governance.
The G7 at a Turning Point
The Group of Seven brings together Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States, with the European Union participating in its work. Traditionally, the G7 has served as a platform for coordination among major advanced economies on financial, political, trade, security and development issues.
G7 is an intergovernmental forum of major advanced economies that discusses global economic policy, security, diplomacy, trade, development and international coordination.
However, the environment in which the G7 now operates has changed dramatically. The world is facing multiple overlapping crises: war in Europe, instability in the Middle East, pressure on global supply chains, competition over critical minerals, cyber threats, organised crime, migration pressures and growing mistrust between major economic blocs.
France has made it clear that its G7 presidency is focused on restoring the group’s original purpose: dialogue among major powers in order to address the central economic and political challenges of the time. Yet this ambition is difficult to achieve in a world where global trust has weakened and power politics has returned to the centre of international affairs.
The central question is no longer simply what the G7 will discuss. The deeper question is whether the G7 can still help build consensus in a world where consensus itself is becoming harder to achieve.
France’s Agenda: From Crisis Management to Global Rebalancing
Reducing Global Imbalances
France’s 2026 G7 presidency places particular emphasis on reducing global imbalances. These imbalances are not only economic. They are also technological, political, social and strategic.
The French agenda includes several major areas of work: resolving geopolitical crises, supporting Ukraine, protecting children in the digital environment, fighting organised crime and illegal financial flows, strengthening global governance, securing value chains, improving digital tools and rethinking development partnerships.
This reflects a broader reality: the global economy is no longer only about growth rates, trade volumes or investment flows. It is also about resilience, sovereignty, technological control, demographic stability, access to resources and trust between nations.
In this context, the G7 must deal with a difficult contradiction. On the one hand, it represents some of the most powerful economies in the world. On the other hand, it can no longer solve global problems alone. Emerging economies, regional powers, middle powers, developing countries and private-sector actors all play an increasingly important role in shaping outcomes.
Global governance refers to the institutions, rules, norms and cooperative mechanisms through which states and non-state actors address issues that cross national borders.
This is why the influence of middle powers is becoming one of the most important questions in global affairs.
Why Middle Powers Matter Now
Middle powers are countries that may not dominate the world individually, but together they can influence the direction of international politics, trade, security and development. They often act as bridge-builders between major blocs, defenders of multilateral institutions, regional stabilisers and promoters of pragmatic cooperation.
Middle power is a term used in international relations to describe a state that is not a superpower but still has significant diplomatic, economic, regional or strategic influence.
In an age of great power rivalry, their role becomes even more important.
When the largest powers are locked in confrontation, middle powers can help create alternative channels of dialogue. They can form flexible coalitions around shared interests. They can defend smaller economies from excessive dependency. They can promote fairer rules in technology, trade, finance and security. They can also bring practical experience from regions that are often overlooked in global decision-making.
The rise of middle powers does not mean the decline of the G7. Instead, it means the G7 must become more open, more flexible and more connected to the wider world.
A future global order cannot be built only by the strongest states. It must also include countries that understand vulnerability, interdependence and the need for balance.
A New Type of Cooperation
Flexible Coalitions for a Fragmented World
The next phase of global cooperation will not look like the previous one. It will be less ideological and more practical. It will be based not only on universal declarations, but also on strategic partnerships around concrete issues.
Countries may cooperate on climate resilience even if they disagree on trade. They may work together on digital safety while competing in artificial intelligence. They may coordinate on food security, critical minerals, education, healthcare, migration or infrastructure without belonging to the same political bloc.
This is the logic of flexible global cooperation: different coalitions for different challenges.
For middle powers, this approach creates new opportunities. They can join forces where their interests align. They can reduce dependency on any single great power. They can invest in regional partnerships. They can strengthen their own economic resilience while contributing to global stability.
In this sense, the future may not be defined by one dominant international order, but by a network of overlapping partnerships.
Business, Education and Civil Society as Global Actors
Another important shift is that governments are no longer the only actors shaping the global order. Business leaders, universities, innovators, family enterprises, cities, foundations, women’s networks and youth organisations are becoming increasingly important.
Economic diplomacy is no longer limited to ministries and embassies. It now includes entrepreneurs, investors, educators, scientists, technology companies and civic leaders.
This is especially important for middle powers. Countries that do not have the military or financial strength of superpowers can still build influence through education, innovation, entrepreneurship, technology, culture and human capital.
The countries that invest in people — in skills, leadership, creativity, science, entrepreneurship and values — will be better prepared for the next global era.
Therefore, the conversation about global order should not be limited to defence, trade and diplomacy. It must also include the development of human potential.
The Real Question for the 2026 G7
Can the Old Order Be Rebuilt?
The 2026 G7 Summit in Évian-les-Bains may not produce one grand solution to the world’s problems. The challenges are too complex, and the divisions are too deep.
But the summit can still be important if it helps redefine the purpose of international cooperation.
The key question is not whether the old order can be fully restored. It probably cannot. The real question is what kind of new order can be built — and who will participate in building it.
Will the future be shaped only by confrontation between major powers? Or will middle powers, emerging economies, business leaders and civil society help create a more balanced system?
Will globalisation become a battlefield of pressure and dependency? Or can it become a new architecture of responsible cooperation?
Will countries retreat into protectionism and suspicion? Or will they build strategic partnerships based on resilience, fairness and mutual benefit?
The Power of the Countries in Between
The world is moving from a period of assumed stability to a period of strategic uncertainty. In this new reality, middle powers cannot afford to wait for larger powers to define the future on their behalf.
Their strength lies in cooperation, credibility, regional knowledge, diplomatic flexibility and the ability to build bridges where others build walls.
The 2026 G7 Summit may therefore become a defining moment — not because it will solve every crisis, but because it may reveal whether the world is ready to move beyond outdated assumptions.
The future international order will not be built by power alone. It will be built by those who understand that influence in the 21st century depends on resilience, cooperation, innovation and human potential.
Middle powers are no longer secondary players. They may become the architects of a more balanced global future.
Sources used for factual grounding: the official French G7 presidency pages on the Évian 2026 summit and priorities, France Diplomatie’s page on France’s 2026 G7 presidency, and WEF/official Canadian records of Mark Carney’s Davos 2026 address. elysee.fr #100NewsTV
We think you might also like these articles:A New Pause Between the United States and China: Why the World Has Received Not Peace, but a Temporary Architecture of Managed Rivalry
Eduard Rubin: G2 or what did SI say to Trump in metaphors?
Two Global Centres of War — Ukraine and Iran: What Force Decides When Diplomacy Sleeps