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The Triangle of Power
How the world broke—and how we can still save it
The liberal world order that emerged after World War II—and expanded triumphantly following the Cold War—is unraveling. Multilateral cooperation is giving way to multipolar rivalry and conflict. Global norms are eroding. What comes next will define the rest of the century, so the search is on for a new global framework—a rebalancing of power.
In The Triangle of Power, Finnish President Alexander Stubb argues that we are living through a hinge moment in history, akin to 1918, 1945, or 1989. A new international system is taking shape, driven by three major the Global West, the Global East, and the Global South. At the center is the escalating competition between the United States and China, as both try to forge bilateral deals and regional alliances, but it is the Global South that will ultimately determine whether the future tilts toward cooperation or fragmentation.
Drawing on decades at the front lines of diplomacy and blending personal insight with political and academic experience, Stubb delivers a passionate call for values-based realism and dignified foreign policy—and warns that unless the West learns to listen, it will lose its place in the world it once built.
The liberal world order that emerged after World War II—and expanded triumphantly following the Cold War—is unraveling. Multilateral cooperation is giving way to multipolar rivalry and conflict. Global norms are eroding. What comes next will define the rest of the century, so the search is on for a new global framework—a rebalancing of power.
In The Triangle of Power, Finnish President Alexander Stubb argues that we are living through a hinge moment in history, akin to 1918, 1945, or 1989. A new international system is taking shape, driven by three major the Global West, the Global East, and the Global South. At the center is the escalating competition between the United States and China, as both try to forge bilateral deals and regional alliances, but it is the Global South that will ultimately determine whether the future tilts toward cooperation or fragmentation.
Drawing on decades at the front lines of diplomacy and blending personal insight with political and academic experience, Stubb delivers a passionate call for values-based realism and dignified foreign policy—and warns that unless the West learns to listen, it will lose its place in the world it once built.
210 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 13, 2026
About the author
Alexander Stubb
19 books58 followersCai-Göran Alexander Stubb (Finland Swedish pronunciation: [ˈkɑi ˈjœːrɑn ɑlekˈsɑndær ˈstʉbː], born 1 April 1968) is a Finnish politician who has been the 13th president of Finland since 2024. He previously served as Prime Minister of Finland from 2014 to 2015.
Rising in politics as a researcher specialised in the affairs of the European Union, he was elected to the European Parliament in 2004 as a member of the National Coalition Party. In 2008, Stubb was appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs. In 2011, he was elected to the Finnish Parliament for the first time as an MP with the second-highest vote count in the election. He was then appointed Minister for European Affairs and Trade in the Cabinet of Jyrki Katainen.
Rising in politics as a researcher specialised in the affairs of the European Union, he was elected to the European Parliament in 2004 as a member of the National Coalition Party. In 2008, Stubb was appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs. In 2011, he was elected to the Finnish Parliament for the first time as an MP with the second-highest vote count in the election. He was then appointed Minister for European Affairs and Trade in the Cabinet of Jyrki Katainen.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
February 27, 2026
Håller absolut med Stubb om hans resonemang om olika maktstrukturer och hur relationen mellan dessa förändrats över tid. Däremot tycker jag att han underskattar betydelsen av välfärdspolitik i de olika länderna och de klyftor som globaliseringen faktiskt ger upphov till. Detta har fött andra typer av politiska lösningar som i förlängningen påverkar de vägval som främst länderna i väst gjort. När detta sedan förstärks genom sociala medier blir detta en bidragande orsak till många länders vägval. Hade varit intressant att få hans åsikt om politisk kommunikation via sociala medier kontra möten med väljare irl som jag anser är att föredra.Sedan så krävs det också politiker som faktiskt bottnar i sina väljares vardag i de förslag som ges!
April 29, 2026
I have to say that this book is the best book that gives an overview of the current world order today. Taken from a view of a liberal-reformist of the international order, it is a fresh breath of air given the common arguments from bipolarity and multipolarity in the future of the world order. I am glad that Stubb and Carney, in general, have adopted a values-based realism approach to their respective foreign policy, and it will prove useful for their nation-states. Truly, we need to reform the Liberal International Order, because if not, then it will collapse, and there will be conflict in the future to fill the residual gap from its removal
May 4, 2026
Stubb
Why can't the US have politicians like this? Perhaps because Stubb is in the 'conservative' party in Finland and the lunatics have taken over the GOP in the US? (Honestly, I had to look up his party affiliation after reading this - I assumed he was in the Democrat or SPD equivalent - it just goes to show that US politics doesn't map onto other civilized countries.)
Why can't the US have politicians like this? Perhaps because Stubb is in the 'conservative' party in Finland and the lunatics have taken over the GOP in the US? (Honestly, I had to look up his party affiliation after reading this - I assumed he was in the Democrat or SPD equivalent - it just goes to show that US politics doesn't map onto other civilized countries.)
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews