United Nations reform remains difficult despite calls from global leaders

Political scientist Janko Bekić has commented on the ongoing debate regarding United Nations reform, noting that while the topic has been discussed for decades, implementation remains difficult. He highlighted Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as a prominent voice calling for reform, specifically targeting the structure of the UN Security Council. Bekić noted that the current permanent members and their veto powers, which have remained unchanged since the end of World War II, act as a primary barrier to reform because any changes would require consensus among those same members.

Bekić also analyzed Donald Trump’s perspective on the UN, noting that Trump’s approach differs from calls for structural reform. Trump emphasized administrative and budgetary changes, citing a 15 percent reduction in the UN budget and a decrease in bureaucracy as successes of his administration. Furthermore, Bekić described Trump’s vision of the American role as a blend of sovereignty and interventionism, reminiscent of the George W. Bush era and the Monroe Doctrine, asserting that the U.S. intends to maintain hegemony in the Western Hemisphere.