Populism’s Challenge to International Institutions: The Case of UN Peacekeeping

Abstract How does populism affect states’ support for international organizations? While populism has long posed challenges to global order and multilateralism, a recent surge has introduced new obstacles to cooperation. We examine a specific relationship: the impact of right-wing populism on state contributions to UN peacekeeping, a major international activity that depends fundamentally on support from member states. We argue that governments led by right-wing populist executives contribute smaller proportions of their assessed dues to peacekeeping operations (POs). Such leaders will deride the sovereignty costs of participation, supporting the activities of global “elites,” and expending resources beyond the national interest. They are also likely to oppose foreign interventions with humanitarian goals in locations perceived as culturally or ethnically distant. By contrast, we do not expect left-wing populism to significantly affect contributions. We also argue that this effect is conditional, where right-wing populists are less able to reduce contributions when constrained by stronger democratic institutions. Empirical tests using country-year data on contributions to 50 UN POs from 1991 to 2019 support both arguments. These findings underscore how the rise of right-wing populism can undermine state support for multilateral institutions, with clear implications for UN POs that depend on sustained commitments from member states.