Across the world national and international institutions are under increasing pressure from both citizens, who may no longer feel that they respond to their needs, and political leaders (particularly, but by no means exclusively, from authoritarian states) pursuing more narrow political agendas. At an international level this programme will look at the future of the European Union, Council of Europe, the OSCE, NATO, the international financial institutions and the United Nations where the benefits of multilateralism are being challenged by forces of nationalism and isolationism, and the institutions themselves are facing growing challenges from states seeking to blunt their effectiveness. At a national level it will look at the challenges of supporting improved governance standards and institutional reform in fragile democracies, semi-authoritarian governments and authoritarian regimes at a time when established institutions are under strain even in long-standing democracies. It will examine the extent to which the principles of liberal democracy are under threat around the globe.