The rise of the middle powers

The rise of the middle powers

From The Foreign Desk by Monocle

May 16, 2026 · 38 min

About this episode

The episode discusses the emergence of middle powers as smaller nations form alliances and trade deals in response to the instability of great powers.

As great powers become increasingly unstable and unpredictable, smaller nations are building alliances and trade deals. Guests including Canada’s prime minister, Mark Carney, consider whether we have entered the age of the middle power. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

People in this episode

Guest: Mark Carney

Topics covered

  • middle powers
  • international relations
  • alliances
  • trade deals
  • great powers

Keywords

  • middle powers
  • Canada
  • Mark Carney
  • alliances
  • trade deals
  • great powers
  • international relations

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Canada

More episodes of The Foreign Desk

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The Foreign Desk podcast page.