New York/London, 8 January 2026 – The post-war global order is fragmenting into spheres of influence as strongman leadership and transactional relationships replace multilateral cooperation, according to FGS Global's Radar 2026 report released today.
FGS Global’s Radar is based on 175 in-depth interviews with senior global leaders and policy experts from the worlds of business, politics, academia and media and wide ranging, nationally representative polling of approximately 20,000 people across the US, Canada, the member countries of the European Union and Japan.
We are in a Rewired World reshaped by the collapse of multilateral consensus and the rise of strongman leadership over weakened institutions. US-China competition is intensifying across trade, technology and space while traditional alliances fracture. At the same time, AI-driven disruption is accelerating change, populist disruptors are challenging established systems and influence is atomizing as mainstream media and political parties lose ground.
The implications of this increasingly atomized, altered world create challenges and opportunities when it comes to building and defending reputation.
"The early international events of 2026 are a clear signal of how the world now works," said Alex Geiser, CEO of FGS Global. "Our Radar report provides leaders with an indispensable guide to navigating this rewired world, where volatility and disruption remain constant, but the landscape is now more clearly defined."
"Our research shows the traditional advantages like scale and incumbency are eroding rapidly. What's replacing them? The ability to sense fragmented realities before competitors, pivot strategy as democratic mood swings accelerate and earn legitimacy and reputation in atomized media environments. The most adaptive organizations won't just weather 2026 – they'll use it to pull ahead.”
Some of the key findings include:
Across the 27 countries polled, 69% of the public believe that “strong leaders around the world have increasingly more influence on global events than international institutions do.”
Across the US, Canada, Europe, the UK and Japan, 73% believe that “life will be harder for the next generation,” while 76% say that “my country feels divided.”
Nearly three-quarters (74%) believe that “the political system serves the interests of a rich and powerful elite rather than ordinary working people.”
The study identifies a “K-shaped economy,” in which high-income earners and technology sectors thrive while lower-income groups struggle; half of the public believe that even as economies grow, “the benefits will be felt only by those who are already well off.”
A broad consensus expects market turbulence, with more than half believing there is over a 50% chance of a significant equity market correction and 58% expressing pessimism about the risk of a global financial crash.
While expert interviews highlight optimism about AI’s potential to boost productivity and efficiency, overwhelming majorities of the public support strict regulation (83–87% across markets), and 68% favor higher taxation of AI companies.
More people now trust AI engines (34%) than politicians (22%), and 61% say that mainstream news cannot be trusted. To download the full FGS Global Radar 2026: A Rewired World, visit https://fgsglobal.com/radar.
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Notes to Editors
About FGS Global Radar 2026
FGS Global Radar 2026 is based on 175 in-depth interviews with senior leaders and policy experts from business, politics, academia and media, alongside nationally representative polls of approximately 20,000 people across the US, Canada, all EU member countries, UK and Japan.
Interviewees included Rene Haas (CEO, ARM Holdings), Emma Tucker (Editor-in-Chief, The Wall Street Journal), Christian Sewing (CEO, Deutsche Bank), Roland Busch (President and CEO, Siemens AG), Darrell Hacket (CEO, BMO Financial Corp), Sean Connolly (President and CEO), Conagra Brands, Rodney Davis (Former Member of Congress and Head of Government Affairs, US Chamber of Commerce), Tim Davie (Director-General, BBC), Lord David Cameron (Former Prime Minister), Jonathan Reynolds MP (Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury), and Baroness Shriti Vadera (Chair, Prudential plc), among many others.
Full Report Release
To download the full FGS Global Radar 2026: A Rewired World click here.
About FGS Global
FGS Global is a leading strategic communications and advisory firm, helping clients navigate complex stakeholder landscapes across business, policy, and reputation challenges.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Elizabeth Baker ebaker@fgsglobal.com