The idea of a community of democracies has risen dramatically on the agenda this past year. We are witnessing concrete first steps on both sides of the Atlantic. Consider the following quotes:
President Biden committed to “organize and host a global Summit for Democracy to renew the spirit and shared purpose of the nations of the free world. It will bring together the world’s democracies to strengthen our democratic institutions, honestly confront nations that are backsliding, and forge a common agenda.”
Prime Minister Johnson has invited Australia, India and South Korea to join the G7 Summit this year “delivering the prime minister’s ambition to work with a group of like-minded democracies to advance shared interests and tackle common challenges.”
Secretary of State Blinken co-authored an essay in which he wrote: “Our alliances are out of date in one key respect: The United States has European allies and Asian allies, but no institution links the Asian and European democracies. As China’s Belt and Road initiative draws Asia, Europe and the Middle East closer together in ways that serve Beijing’s interests, the democracies also need a global perspective — and new institutions to forge a common strategic, economic and political vision.”
The French and German Foreign Ministers have called for a “transatlantic ‘New Deal’ to adapt our partnership to global upheavals and in line with the depth of our bonds, common values and shared interests.”
A document of the European Commission calls for a US-EU Summit early in 2021 because “[t]he EU-US partnership needs maintenance and renewal if the democratic world is to assert its interests against authoritarian powers and closed economies.”
NATO Secretary-General Stoltenberg said: “I strongly believe that NATO also should be a platform to help create a community of like-minded democracies and that is the reason why we’ve been reaching out to our partners in the Asia-Pacific.”
Former NATO Secretary-General Rasmussen wrote: “In 2021 the US and its allies have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reverse global democratic retreat and put autocracies like Russia and China on the back foot. That will happen if major democracies unite in the pursuit of freedom.”
