THIS DAWN — The 56th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF), held from 19–23 January 2026, unfolded against a dramatically shifting global backdrop that many leaders described as paradigm‑breaking.
The gathering of over 60 heads of state and government, along with CEOs and civil society figures, saw intense debate over geopolitical realignments, economic sovereignty, and the erosion of the post‑World War II rules‑based international order.
At the centre of these discussions were three speeches — by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz — each articulating in different ways that the familiar global order built around liberal multilateralism has fractured and will not be restored in its old form.
Mark Carney: Declaring the End of the Old Order
Mark Carney’s address on 20 January became one of the most talked‑about speeches of Davos 2026. The Canadian prime minister departed from the customary diplomatic balance typical of WEF addresses, delivering a stark diagnosis of the global political environment:
- He framed the current moment as a “rupture in the world order,” not merely a transition — asserting that the credibility of a rules‑based international system that many middle powers once took for granted has all but evaporated.
- Carney warned that great powers now operate with few constraints, often leveraging economic integration, tariffs, supply chains, and financial infrastructure as instruments of coercion rather than mutual cooperation.
- He urged middle powers (countries outside the core great powers) to stop relying on the old order and instead build new, flexible coalitions of shared interests and values. His memorable line encapsulated this message: “If you are not at the table, you are on the menu.”
- Carney explicitly asserted that “the old order is not coming back”, encouraging nations to accept this reality and work pragmatically to construct a more resilient and equitable framework for international engagement.
His speech was widely interpreted as a response to the assertive foreign policy stance by the United States under President Donald Trump, particularly regarding threats over Greenland and trade coercion, which have strained traditional alliances.
Emmanuel Macron: A World “Without Rules”
French President Emmanuel Macron’s address similarly echoed concerns about the erosion of established norms and international law:
- Macron warned of a shift towards a world “without rules,” where power and unilateral action replace cooperation and legal frameworks.
- Though framed as a defence of multilateralism and the rule of law, his rhetoric underscored the fragility of these principles in the face of increasing geopolitical contestation — particularly amid tensions with the United States over Greenland and tariff threats.
- Macron’s speech linked this world without rules to ongoing conflicts, economic imbalances, and the broader trend of unilateral assertions of power by major states.
- He called for enhanced cooperation among European nations and with other global actors to uphold lawful and cooperative international engagement, reinforcing that respect and predictability are necessary for stability.
Macron’s address thus positioned France and Europe as defenders of multilateral norms, even as he acknowledged the stark reality that those norms are under unprecedented strain.
Friedrich Merz: Great Power Politics and European Response
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz delivered his speech on 22 January, articulating a view of the global landscape that harmonised with Carney’s and Macron’s assessments, though framed through a European strategic lens:
- Merz argued that the world has entered an era of “great power politics,” where power — military, economic, and geopolitical — increasingly dictates outcomes on the global stage.
- He acknowledged that the international order of the past three decades has been shaken, with Russia’s war in Ukraine, China’s strategic ascent, and shifts in U.S. foreign policy reshaping global dynamics.
- Emphasising that Europe must not be passive in the face of these shifts, Merz called for deeper defence integration, economic competitiveness, and political unity among European partners.
- While not dismissing transatlantic relations outright, he warned that Europe must invest in its own strength and cannot rely solely on external powers.
Merz’s remarks reflected both recognition of the systemic shift away from a stable rules‑based order and a strategic European response aimed at safeguarding sovereignty and security within this new geopolitical environment.
A New Geopolitical Context Beyond Davos
Collectively, the speeches by Carney, Macron, and Merz underscored several broad themes at Davos 2026:
1.The Post‑War Order Is Not Returning. Speakers framed the familiar liberal international order — built on the notion of predictable multilateral cooperation — as fundamentally altered and unlikely to re‑emerge in its prior configuration.
2.Great Power Rivalry Is Ascendant. Multiple leaders referenced competitive dynamics among major states, including the United States, China, and Russia, as central drivers of the new environment.
3.Middle Powers and Regional Actors Must Adapt. There was strong emphasis on the need for middle powers to forge new coalitions and pursue strategic autonomy rather than depending on outdated alliances or structures.
4.Europe Seeks Strategic Agency. European leaders, notably Macron and Merz, pressed for stronger European capacity — economic, technological, and military — as a means to navigate and shape the emerging world landscape.
5.Economic and Technological Dimensions. Alongside geopolitical rhetoric, broader debates at Davos included economic resilience, AI‑driven change, and global growth prospects — reminders that the evolving order is as much economic and technological as it is political.
Conclusion: A World in Transition, or a New Structure Emerging?
Davos 2026 may be remembered not simply as a forum of elite dialogue, but as a moment when many global leaders acknowledged publicly that the international system, as understood since the late twentieth century, has irrevocably changed.
Speeches by Carney, Macron, and Merz articulated a consensus that old assumptions about stability and cooperation are dissolving and that what follows will be shaped by new coalitions, strategic autonomy, and a contested balance of power.
Whether this represents the death of the old world order or the birth of a more plural and resilient structure — one perhaps less anchored in a single model of global governance — remains to be seen.
However, what appeared unmistakably clear at Davos is the recognition that the world as it was will not return, and nations must now navigate a new reality with clear‑eyed strategy rather than nostalgic reliance on bygone certainties.
