This summer, as the global stage has been dominated by contentious issues ranging from trade tariffs under US President Donald Trump to mounting geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, one of the world’s oldest and most influential multilateral institutions quietly marked a significant milestone. The Group of Seven (G7) celebrated the 50th anniversary of its founding-a half-century since the world’s leading industrialized democracies first convened to coordinate their economic policies in 1975.

While the G7 may not always dominate headlines as loudly as flashier summits or dramatic geopolitical flashpoints, its legacy is substantial. In many respects, it stands as a pillar of the post-World War II international order, alongside institutions like NATO and the United Nations. These institutions have helped sustain one of the longest periods of relative peace, prosperity, and cooperation in the Western world’s modern history. Yet, the G7’s half-century has also been punctuated by internal disagreements, shifting global power dynamics, and questions about its relevance in a multipolar world.

The G7 began as a modest forum for the world’s most advanced industrial economies-initially the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, and Japan-to discuss macroeconomic policy coordination amid the volatile economic climate of the 1970s. The oil shocks, stagflation, and changing trade balances necessitated cooperation among the largest global economies to stabilize growth and prevent further economic crises.

Over time, the G7 evolved far beyond its original economic remit. By the 1980s, the group was already involved in coordinating Western strategies toward the Soviet Union during the Cold War. The inclusion of Russia between 1997 and 2014, during the G8 era, reflected a brief moment of cooperation with Moscow after the Cold War’s end. However, Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea and subsequent destabilization of Ukraine led to its suspension, and the club........

© Blitz