Global Digitalization and the Crisis of International Democratic Legitimacy

This article presents a theoretical analysis of global digitalization as a factor contributing to the crisis of international democratic legitimacy. The aim of the study is to identify the mechanisms through which digital technologies-particularly artificial intelligence, algorithms, digital platforms, and blockchain-transform the institutional foundations of global governance and affect the legitimacy of the international order. The research employs methods of institutional and discursive analysis, as well as content analysis of political communications by key international actors. The study characterizes the main threats of digitalization to the international democratic order: the erosion of transparency, the delegitimization of traditional international institutions, the spread of digital authoritarianism, and algorithmic manipulation. At the same time, it identifies the potential of digital tools to strengthen legitimacy through e-democracy, open data, digital diplomacy, and ethical governance. The theoretical significance of the study lies in the formulation of the concept of multi-level digital legitimacy, which integrates state, intergovernmental, and non-state digital actors into global governance processes. The practical relevance is defined by the applicability of the results in developing policies for digital sovereignty, ethical AI regulation, and the institutionalization of new forms of digital participation. The scientific novelty of the article lies in the systematic integration of political theory, institutional analysis, and technological critique within the context of global transformations. Future research directions include digital citizenship, algorithmic representation, and new models of global co-regulation of digital processes. This article is theoretical in nature.