From Bandwagoning to Balancing: Middle Powers and the Reconfiguration of Global Order

Rising powers in the Global South have increasingly sought to redefine their roles in international politics amid intensifying multipolar competition. Traditionally overshadowed by Western dominance, these states now occupy an intermediary position between major and minor powers—often termed “middle powers.” Their growing economic potential and diplomatic activism have opened possibilities for greater collective influence through coalition-building and multilateral initiatives. Platforms such as MIKTA (Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea, Turkey, and Australia) illustrate how cooperative frameworks among middle powers can advance shared agendas on sustainable development, governance, and global reform. Yet, despite shared aspirations, deep structural, economic, and ideological divergences continually challenge the formation of a cohesive Global South bloc capable of exerting independent strategic agency.