Populists at the G20 and G7: informal cooperation in turbulent times

This contribution aims to unravel some of the specific features of the crisis of multilateralism, drawing evidence from informal cooperation in the G-format of the G7/8 and G20. In doing so, it will reassess the debates over the efficacy and legitimacy of these informal bodies, in light of domestic developments such as the rise of populism, anti-elitism and anti-cosmopolitanism and their still not entirely clear impact on the conduct of foreign policy and the resilience of global cooperation. By relating both theoretically and empirically domestic and global trends, this analysis will highlight features of the changing nature of (informal) global cooperation, the legitimacy gaps it needs to confront and the new ways in which domestic politics may be affecting global governance. Overall, the chapter provides an overview of recent summits highlighting how populist dynamics have played out in recent summits of the G7 and G20, highlighting some of the key features of the ever elusive notion of populism in foreign policy.