Signal Thirty-four countries exert substantial influence abroad, up from six

Summary

This signal measures how far states now reach into one another's affairs. Some 34 countries are judged to hold substantial influence within another country, compared with just six in the 1970s. Relations between neighbours are also souring, as 59 countries saw their ties with neighbouring states worsen in 2025 while only 19 saw improvement. UNDP describes this as a clear deterioration relative to 2008. The pattern fits its wider picture of great-power rivalry and security fears pulling states inward and fragmenting multilateralism. It raises the question of whether a spread of unilateral action could reshape global norms and weaken the rules-based order.