In the second round of election to the French National Assembly on July 7, the left-wing alliance, the "New Popular Front", secured a surprising victory with 182 seats, preventing the far right, which had taken a commanding lead in the first round, from controlling the French parliament. However, with no party gaining an absolute majority — the majority mark being 289 — France now has a "hung parliament", a state of political limbo.

The French election results reflect the broader political trend in the West: the rise of right-wing forces, deepening political divisions, and the fragility of the conventional party structure. Over the past decade, Western countries have witnessed transformative events reshaping their political landscapes. In 2016, Donald Trump became the unexpected winner in the United States' presidential election, marking the onset of extremism and populism in US politics.

Similarly, the Brexit referendum in 2016 prompted the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union, shaking the foundation of European integration. In Germany, the five-year-old Alternative for Germany became the third-largest party in the Bundestag, the country's parliament, in 2017. And on Jan 6, 2021, the Capitol was stormed by a partisan mob of fervent supporters of Trump in what many considered an attempted coup.

Toward the end of last year, the far-right Dutch Party for Freedom unexpectedly won the parliamentary elections, further reflecting the European trend of increasing political extremism. And the apparent assassination attempt on Trump in Pennsylvania recently highlighted the deep political division in the US.

These events represent the drastic changes in global politics, exacerbated by the surge of the right wing before and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Globalization and technological advancements have boosted economic growth but also widened disparities, marginalizing many lower — and middle-class voters, many of whom tend to support extreme political groups in the hope that they will arrest their declining fortunes.

Besides, mass migration has intensified cultural conflicts and social tensions, as cultural differences are exploited by the far-right groups to stoke nationalism and xenophobia. The proliferation of divisive views and the politicized content on social media have accelerated the dissemination of extremist ideas, deepening societal divisions.

The political polarization in Western countries has made policymaking more difficult and intensified social conflicts. The rise of the far right and populism poses serious challenges to the existing political order, while the internal instability and policy uncertainty in Western countries have heightened tensions globally, making global cooperation more difficult.

Countries worldwide face unprecedented challenges, including the climate crisis, economic inequality, regional conflicts and food insecurity. And many less-developed countries are struggling to import enough food to feed their people, exacerbating the hunger and malnutrition crises.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned in February that climate change and the food crisis are serious and mounting threats to global peace and security. He said: "Without action, the situation will deteriorate. Conflicts are multiplying. The climate crisis is set to spiral as emissions continue to rise. And acute food insecurity has been increasing year on year. The World Food Programme estimates that over 330 million people were affected in 2023."

Given these multifaceted global challenges, no country can thrive in isolation.

The World Meteorological Organization has officially confirmed that the global average temperature for the most recent 10-year period, from 2014 to 2023, is likely to be the warmest on record — about 1.2 degrees Celsius above the 1850-1900 average.

So the major Western powers, as pivotal players in the international community, must transcend their domestic political divisions and bolster global cooperation, and work together to reform the global governance system to promote fairness, equity and justice, in order to address common challenges such as climate change.

Yet the political developments in Western countries have made it increasingly difficult to forge effective collective response mechanisms. With just six years remaining to achieve the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainability, the urgency for action has never been greater.

Against this background, the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind, proposed by the Chinese top leader in 2013, has assumed greater importance and has been recognized by the international community.

The concept emphasizes cooperation, mutual benefit and common development, and the need to foster inclusive and sustainable global governance. Only through concerted efforts can countries build a more stable, secure and sustainable future. Countries across the world should strengthen dialogue, foster mutual understanding and align common interests to bridge the divides and establish a new type of international relations.

In this process, visionary leadership and robust international cooperation are indispensable. Governments, international organizations and civil society must work together to address these pressing issues. Building resilience to future crises, ensuring equitable access to resources for all and promoting sustainable development are more than necessary. That, as China advocates, would require all countries to commit to multilateralism, and adhere to international laws in global initiatives.

In today's turbulent times, solidarity and cooperation among countries, grounded in the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind, will be crucial for shaping a more inclusive and resilient global order.

The author is a writer with China Daily.

songping@chinadaily.com.cn

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