Populism and International Relations
Populism is flourishing, in Europe and elsewhere: a populist holds power today in Argentina and perhaps tomorrow in the United States. What does its spread say about our societies? And how is it shaping them, where populists rule? Do their economic policies stand any chance of success? Do their foreign policies have a greater impact on the world around them or at home? If “Trump 2.0” comes to be, will he have a free hand? If so, what can we expect?
Does the tragedy in Gaza leave any room for hope? Can the two-state solution, the only rational one, still be implemented? The challenges are daunting: redrawing a geography fractured by colonization; establishing a credible Palestinian voice that can engage in a long negotiation; seeking acceptance in Israeli society; and rallying a range of foreign powers to take concrete action and push for the only remaining solution.
Beyond Ukraine and Gaza, Africa has been serving as a playing field for rival powers of all stripes: while France retreats and the US hesitates, Russia is advancing and several other states are making their presence felt—Turkey, Iran, the Gulf states, Hungary, even Ukraine. The range of opportunist strategies keeps growing, but is there a common geopolitical rationale underlying them all?
In the interview that opens this issue of Politique étrangère, Thierry de Montbrial analyzes an international scene in which the major instruments conceived in recent decades to foster global governance have been undermined. In particular, he considers the effects of the war in Ukraine and the uncertain destiny of the European Union.
This issue is available in French only: Populismes et relations internationales
Global Governance, Ukraine, and the European Union: Quo Vadis?, by Thierry de Montbrial
POPULISM AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Populism and the Far Right: What Exactly Do We Mean?, by Jean-Yves Camus
The Diversity and Failures of Economic Populism, by André Cartapanis
What Is a Populist Foreign Policy?, by Sandra Destradi
US Institutions and the “Trump 2” Hypothesis: The Lure of Authoritarianism, by Lauric Henneton
Argentina in the Era of “Mileism”, by Florian Vidal
ISRAEL-PALESTINE: THINKING ABOUT PEACE?
Israel-Palestine: One Solution, Two States, by Élie Barnavi
Israel-Palestine: The Question of Geography, by Michel Foucher
CURRENT AFFAIRS
The Red Sea: A New Geopolitical Era, by Cyrille P. Coutansais
Africa: The New Great Game, by Thierry Vircoulon
Myanmar: Military Victory Unattainable, Negotiated Peace Unlikely?, by Christian Lechervy
BAROMETERS
Paris 2024: The Geopolitics of the Olympic Games, by Jean-Baptiste Guégan
Syria: “Post–Civil War” Reprisals and the Persistence of the Past, by Myriam Benraad
BOOK REVIEWS
Editor: Marc Hecker
L’enchevêtrement des crises au Sahel. Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Jean-Pierre Olivier de Sardan
Le djihad de la vache. Pastoralisme et formation de l’État au Mali, Giovanni Zanoletti
Read by Alain Antil
Backfire. How Sanctions Reshape the World Against U.S. Interests, Agathe Demarais
Read by Michel Makinsky
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Populism and International Relations
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The war in Ukraine has underlined the importance of multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) in modern conflict, especially a war without clear air superiority and hence a reduced potential for air-launched deep strike. In 2022, the European MLRS fleet was split between a variety of Western platforms developed at the end of the Cold War and specialized in precision strikes.
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One of the decisive strategic factors in the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war is the mass use of aerial, maritime, and terrestrial autonomous capabilities, which are transforming the face of the battlefield. Nevertheless, many of these drones are still remotely piloted, operated, or supervised, testifying to the fact that the autonomization of military capabilities is still at an embryonic stage.
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