Contestations of the Liberal International Order: A Populist Script of Regional Cooperation

Populist leaders often engage in regional and international institutions despite focusing on nationalism, identity, and popular sovereignty, which undermines the Liberal International Order (LIO). This Element explores the counter-intuitive inclination towards institutional cooperation in populist foreign policy and compares the strategies of populist leaders from Hungary, Venezuela, and the Philippines. It identifies an emerging populist script of regional cooperation based on notions of popular sovereignty, allowing them to contest the LIO without resorting to unilateral nationalism.

\n Format: Paperback / softback
\n Length: 75 pages
\n Publication date: 23 September 2021
\n Publisher: Cambridge University Press
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The notion that the populist emphasis on nationalism, identity, and popular sovereignty undermines international collaboration and contributes to the crisis of the Liberal International Order (LIO) has been widely debated among observers. Despite this, populist governments continue to engage in regional and international institutions, raising questions about their counter-intuitive inclination towards institutional cooperation. This Element aims to unpack this inclination and discuss its implications for the LIO.

Straddling Western and non-Western contexts, the study compares the regional cooperation strategies of populist leaders from three continents: Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, former Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, and Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. By examining these leaders' approaches, the study identifies an emerging populist script of regional cooperation based on notions of popular sovereignty.

Populist leaders employ regional cooperation as a means to contest the LIO and established international organizations without resorting to unilateral nationalism. They leverage regional institutions to advance their political interests, challenge the dominance of Western powers, and secure economic and security benefits. This approach allows populist leaders to appeal to their domestic constituencies while also maintaining a degree of international legitimacy.

However, the populist script of regional cooperation also carries implications for the LIO. It can undermine the principles of cooperation, multilateralism, and international law, as populist leaders prioritize their national interests over collective goals. Additionally, the emergence of populist regimes can create tensions and instability in regional and international relations, as they often challenge the established order and promote nationalist rhetoric.

In conclusion, the study of populist foreign policy highlights the complex dynamics between nationalism, identity, and popular sovereignty on the one hand, and international collaboration and the LIO on the other. While populist governments continue to engage in regional and international institutions, their approach to cooperation raises questions about the sustainability and viability of the LIO. It is important to monitor the evolving dynamics between populist leaders and international institutions to better understand the future of global governance.

\n Weight: 144g\n
Dimension: 225 x 229 x 9 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9781009015974\n
Edition number: New ed\n