The show must go on: The EU's quest to sustain multilateral institutions since 2016

Multilateralism is in crisis. States increasingly contest, undermine and even withdraw from international organisations other multilateral institutions. Challenges emanate not only emerging powers but also established Western states civil society. No actor the EU more intimately entangled with multilateralism. This article therefore reviews to what extent how has actively sustained institutions since 2016. It identifies three types of mechanisms: defence, reform extension Based on interviews senior officials member states, finds that proven be rather successful temporarily defending existing However, it largely failed extend new areas. In doing so, contributes our understanding as a foreign policy processes crisis