The post-1991 liberal international order is no longer eroding gradually; it is fragmenting under sustained geopolitical pressure. The defining feature of this shift is not simply the rise of new powers, but the weakening of the institutional and normative frameworks that once constrained them. Rules, institutions, and symbols that underpinned the global system are increasingly contested or ignored.
The war in Ukraine remains the most visible rupture. More than four years into the conflict, it has evolved from a territorial dispute into a structural confrontation between revisionist and status quo powers. Similarly, the conflict in Gaza has exposed the limits of international humanitarian law enforcement, as major powers selectively interpret or disregard legal frameworks. At the institutional level, the authority of international bodies has weakened. The International Criminal Court and International Court of Justice, once seen as pillars of global governance, are increasingly politicised.
In Europe, two examples have been especially resonant. Washington's visa ban on former EU commissioner Thierry Breton and other European figures was widely read as an attempt to intimidate Europe over digital regulation, while US sanctions on the ICC have shown how legal and technological dependence can be exploited at once. The suspension of ICC prosecutor Karim Khan's Microsoft account after the sanctions shock further reinforced European concerns that privately owned digital infrastructure can become an instrument of geopolitical coercion.
Reports of technology companies restricting access to services or accounts linked to sanctioned entities or institutions highlight a broader trend: private infrastructure is becoming an extension of geopolitical power. Cloud services, payment systems, and communication platforms are now tools that can be selectively weaponised. This dynamic reflects a deeper structural shift.
The symbolic damage extends beyond institutions. Images of aggressive ICE operations and the student-led protests that followed have travelled globally, contributing to a broader erosion of US soft power among younger audiences in particular. In that sense, the weakening of the liberal order is not only legal or institutional; it is also moral and visual.
The liberal order was built on the assumption that globalisation would align economic incentives with political stability. Instead, globalisation has created interdependencies that can be exploited. Sanctions, export controls, and financial restrictions have become central instruments of statecraft. The United States, historically the guarantor of this order, is increasingly contributing to its transformation. Policies that restrict access to markets, technologies, or even physical presence for foreign officials reflect a more transactional and security-driven approach.