Former NATO Chief Proposes 'Democracies-7' Alliance, Taiwan Could Benefit
Anders Fogh Rasmussen, former NATO Secretary General and Chairman of the Alliance of Democracies Foundation, proposed the creation of a "Democracies-7" (D7) alliance of democratic middle powers, including Canada and others, at the 9th Copenhagen Democracy Summit. He expressed hope that this initiative would usher in a new generation of democratic multilateralism, from which Taiwan, as a mature democracy, would benefit.
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- 📰 Published: May 13, 2026 at 20:50
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Former NATO Secretary General and Chairman of Denmark's Alliance of Democracies Foundation, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, proposed the establishment of the "Democracies-7" (D7) alliance, centered around democratic middle powers like Canada, at the 9th "Copenhagen Democracy Summit." He stated his hope that this would initiate a new generation of democratic multilateralism, from which Taiwan, as a mature democracy, would benefit.
Rasmussen, who also served as Prime Minister of Denmark, stated in his opening address at the Copenhagen Democracy Summit that over the past decade, the world has seen an increase in autocratic societies, technological revolutions reshaping power, and the United States distancing itself from the international order it helped build. He warned that the cumulative effect of these three trends poses an existential crisis.
He noted that the world order familiar for the past 80 years, connected through democracy, led by the US, and maintained by institutions like NATO, brought unprecedented peace, progress, and prosperity compared to his grandparents' generation.
Rasmussen observed that the current world order is fracturing, with the US no longer willing to play a leading role. He stated that the deep connections of the transatlantic alliance are no longer intact and waiting for repairs is not feasible.
Therefore, he believes the current task is to build future mechanisms. He proposed the creation of an alliance of democratic middle powers, named Democracies-7, or D7, comprising the EU, the UK, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand. This alliance would focus on cooperation in areas such as free trade, combating democratic backsliding, emerging technologies, defense, global investment, and critical raw materials. He asserted that the survival of democratic nations should not be controlled by autocratic states.
Rasmussen highlighted that while these countries are not superpowers, the combined Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the D7 economies accounts for 30% of the global total, giving them significant economic power, military capability, and influence that cannot be ignored. He envisioned this alliance of democratic nations as flexible and inclusive, capable of incorporating democratic polities from around the world. The aim is to create a new generation of "democratic multilateralism" and cooperate with countries like India, Brazil, and Taiwan on shared issues.
At a press conference, Rasmussen expressed his hope that Canada would serve as the first rotating chair. He clarified that the D7 would not be in competition with the United States and that future cooperation would be possible if the US improves its democratic standing.
Speaking to CNA, he stated that the D7 builds partnerships with democracy as its core, including Taiwan, and that China would not be a member, thus leaving cooperation with Taiwan open.
He mentioned visiting Taiwan multiple times and described it as a well-developed democracy. He believes Taiwan would benefit from stronger alliances among democratic nations.
Lu Yeh-chung, Vice President of the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy, also attended the Copenhagen Summit. He noted that discussions about D7 have gained traction internationally, primarily due to the significant signs of democratic decline in the US and the desire of middle powers to unite and consolidate democracy. He agreed that the D7 should have an open relationship with the US, focusing on complementarity rather than competition.
He stated that consensus among major countries to move in this direction should be beneficial for the entire liberal international order and could alleviate democratic decline.
Lu added that as a democratic nation in the Indo-Pacific region, Taiwan should support the D7 concept because united democratic nations are stronger against authoritarian states. Furthermore, if the identity of "middle powers" is gradually realized within the D7, Taiwan, with its national strength, might be internationally recognized as a middle power in the future, enabling it to contribute more to the international community.
Rasmussen, who also served as Prime Minister of Denmark, stated in his opening address at the Copenhagen Democracy Summit that over the past decade, the world has seen an increase in autocratic societies, technological revolutions reshaping power, and the United States distancing itself from the international order it helped build. He warned that the cumulative effect of these three trends poses an existential crisis.
He noted that the world order familiar for the past 80 years, connected through democracy, led by the US, and maintained by institutions like NATO, brought unprecedented peace, progress, and prosperity compared to his grandparents' generation.
Rasmussen observed that the current world order is fracturing, with the US no longer willing to play a leading role. He stated that the deep connections of the transatlantic alliance are no longer intact and waiting for repairs is not feasible.
Therefore, he believes the current task is to build future mechanisms. He proposed the creation of an alliance of democratic middle powers, named Democracies-7, or D7, comprising the EU, the UK, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand. This alliance would focus on cooperation in areas such as free trade, combating democratic backsliding, emerging technologies, defense, global investment, and critical raw materials. He asserted that the survival of democratic nations should not be controlled by autocratic states.
Rasmussen highlighted that while these countries are not superpowers, the combined Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the D7 economies accounts for 30% of the global total, giving them significant economic power, military capability, and influence that cannot be ignored. He envisioned this alliance of democratic nations as flexible and inclusive, capable of incorporating democratic polities from around the world. The aim is to create a new generation of "democratic multilateralism" and cooperate with countries like India, Brazil, and Taiwan on shared issues.
At a press conference, Rasmussen expressed his hope that Canada would serve as the first rotating chair. He clarified that the D7 would not be in competition with the United States and that future cooperation would be possible if the US improves its democratic standing.
Speaking to CNA, he stated that the D7 builds partnerships with democracy as its core, including Taiwan, and that China would not be a member, thus leaving cooperation with Taiwan open.
He mentioned visiting Taiwan multiple times and described it as a well-developed democracy. He believes Taiwan would benefit from stronger alliances among democratic nations.
Lu Yeh-chung, Vice President of the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy, also attended the Copenhagen Summit. He noted that discussions about D7 have gained traction internationally, primarily due to the significant signs of democratic decline in the US and the desire of middle powers to unite and consolidate democracy. He agreed that the D7 should have an open relationship with the US, focusing on complementarity rather than competition.
He stated that consensus among major countries to move in this direction should be beneficial for the entire liberal international order and could alleviate democratic decline.
Lu added that as a democratic nation in the Indo-Pacific region, Taiwan should support the D7 concept because united democratic nations are stronger against authoritarian states. Furthermore, if the identity of "middle powers" is gradually realized within the D7, Taiwan, with its national strength, might be internationally recognized as a middle power in the future, enabling it to contribute more to the international community.
FAQ
What is the proposed D7 alliance?
The D7, or Democracies-7, is a proposed alliance of democratic middle powers, including the EU, UK, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand, aimed at fostering cooperation in areas like free trade, combating democratic decline, emerging technologies, defense, and global investment.
Why was the D7 alliance proposed?
The proposal stems from concerns about increasing global authoritarianism, the reshaping of power by technological revolutions, and the US distancing itself from the international order it helped establish, creating an existential crisis for the existing world order.
How might Taiwan benefit from the D7 alliance?
According to Rasmussen, Taiwan, as a mature democracy, would benefit from stronger alliances among democratic nations. Since China would not be a member, cooperation with Taiwan within the D7 framework is considered open.