For decades, the global order established after the Second World War appeared immutable. Its institutions, norms, and power hierarchies were presented as universal, permanent, and morally grounded. Yet beneath this carefully constructed façade, discontent has been steadily building, particularly across the Global South. Today, that unease is no longer subtle. It is cultural, political, and increasingly strategic.

The unexpected global resurgence of a protest song by African singer Fakoli offers a telling metaphor. Written more than two decades ago and sung in French, the language of Africa’s former colonisers, the song condemns exploitation, imposed borders, stolen resources, and silenced voices. Its renewed popularity is not about music alone. It reflects a collective recognition that the injustices of colonialism did not disappear; they merely evolved into more sophisticated forms. What resonates with millions today is not nostalgia, but awareness.

At the centre of this awakening lies a fundamental contradiction within the existing international system. While it claims to uphold democracy, equality, and the rule of law, its most powerful institution, the United Nations Security Council, operates on principles that are anything but democratic. Five permanent members retain veto power, allowing a single state to override the will of the overwhelming majority of the world’s........

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