Donald Trump has established a new international body, the 'Board of Peace', with its inaugural meeting held in Washington, aiming to implement his vision for Gaza's future and global peace. This initiative has drawn significant concern from traditional global powers, including Washington’s allies, who fear it represents an attempt to bypass the more democratic United Nations, replacing it with a 'fee-paying members’ club' governed by the discretion of a single individual. The body's scope has been significantly widened by Trump, who has ambitiously declared it 'the most consequential international body in history'.

The composition of the Board of Peace has fueled controversy, with many of its founding member countries reportedly run as military regimes or dictatorships, while others joined primarily to appease Trump. The attendance at the first meeting, chaired by Trump, remains partially unclear, though several governments, such as Italy and Greece, opted to send observers as a workaround to direct participation.

Analysis by the democracy watchdog Freedom House provides a stark overview of the political rights and civil liberties in several confirmed attending nations. From the Middle East, Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly represents a country scored 18/100 as 'Not Free'. Freedom House reports tightly restricted civil liberties and press freedoms in Egypt, where 'security forces engage in human rights abuses with impunity' and President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has governed 'in an increasingly authoritarian manner' since his 2013 coup, with 'meaningful political opposition virtually nonexistent'.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, representing a nation also rated 'Not Free' (33/100), was designated by Trump as a member of a proposed Gaza Executive Board operating under the main body. Freedom House notes that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has 'consolidated power through constitutional changes and the imprisonment of political opponents, independent journalists, and members of civil society'.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar attends on behalf of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israel's Freedom in the World Index score is complex: Israel itself is rated 'Free' (73/100), while the West Bank and Gaza are categorized as 'Not Free' (22/100 and 2/100, respectively). Freedom House highlights Israel's parliamentary democracy, but presents a 'dire situation for Palestinians under Israeli occupation'. In Gaza, the Israeli military's strategy has led to 'mass displacement and loss of life', and in the West Bank, the Israeli occupation involves 'restrictions on Palestinians’ political rights and civil liberties, and expanding Jewish settlements'.

In Asia, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet represents a nation scored 23/100 as 'Not Free'. Freedom House states that Cambodia's political system has been dominated by the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) and its former leader Hun Sen for over three decades, with power undemocratically transferred to his son, Hun Manet. The CPP government uses 'intimidation, politically motivated prosecutions and violence to maintain pressure on the opposition, independent media, and civil society'.

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, whose country is rated 'Partly Free' (56/100), has been a key member and offered troops for a Gaza humanitarian mission. While Indonesia has made 'impressive democratic gains since the fall of an authoritarian regime in 1998', challenges persist, including 'systemic corruption, discrimination and violence against minority groups … and the politicised use of defamation and blasphemy laws'.

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, representing a 'Not Free' nation (23/100), will attend, with Freedom House bluntly assessing that 'parliamentary and presidential elections are neither free nor fair', media is state-controlled or government-friendly, and 'freedoms of speech and assembly remain restricted and punished, and corruption is endemic'.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif represents a 'Partly Free' country (32/100). Freedom House acknowledges regular elections under a multiparty system, but notes that 'the military exerts enormous influence over government formation and policies, intimidates the media, and enjoys impunity for indiscriminate or extralegal use of force'.

Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev leads an 'authoritarian state' (12/100 'Not Free'), despite some reforms, with 'few signs of democratisation' and no legal opposition parties, according to Freedom House. Vietnamese Communist party general secretary Tô Lâm represents Vietnam, a 'one-party state' (20/100 'Not Free'), where 'freedom of expression, religious freedom, and civil society activism are tightly restricted', and authorities have increasingly cracked down on social media dissent.

Among European attendees, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama leads a 'Partly Free' nation (68/100). Albania, a founding member, decided against permanent membership due to a $1 billion price tag. Freedom House points to competitive elections but 'corruption and bribery remain major problems'.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a close ally of Trump, represents a 'Partly Free' country (65/100). Freedom House accuses his government of implementing 'anti-migrant and anti-LGBT+ policies, as well as laws that hamper the operations of opposition groups, journalists, universities, and nongovernmental organisations'.

Kosovan President Vjosa Osmani, the only woman among the founding members, represents a 'Partly Free' country (60/100) with 'credible and relatively well-administered elections'. However, 'many public institutions are undermined by entrenched corruption, though there are signs that a new generation of politicians are moving to confront corrupt practices'.

From South America, Argentine President Javier Milei represents a 'Free' nation (85/100), celebrating a 'vibrant representative democracy'. However, under Milei, a close Trump ally, government officials have been accused of 'indoctrinating students with leftwing ideology' in universities, according to Freedom House.

The inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace in Washington, attended by European Commissioner Dubravka Šuica, has ignited 'deepening outrage' in several European capitals. Member states like France, Spain, Belgium, Ireland, Slovenia, Portugal, Germany, Sweden, and Lithuania voiced strong objections in Brussels, criticizing Šuica's trip as uncoordinated with EU governments and potentially breaching EU treaties, given the Commission is not entitled to set foreign policy. Critics argued that as Commissioner for the Mediterranean, Šuica is a political representative, making her presence inappropriate, and that a civil servant would have been a more fitting choice. The fact that the EU itself is not a member of the Board of Peace was also highlighted to discourage her travel, with one diplomat stating, 'Member states were up in arms'.

Despite this, the EU executive defended Šuica's participation as a way to remain 'closely engaged on all aspects relating to the peace process and the reconstruction in Gaza'. Only Hungary and Bulgaria had expressed a wish to join as sitting members, with Bulgaria later caveating its intention to join as a 'non-voting member'. Many other member states have signaled they would send diplomatic representatives as observers, including Germany, which reportedly sent a lower-ranking official.

Major European powers continue to distance themselves from the Board, driven by fears that Trump aims to 'supplant the United Nations with a parallel institution centred around the broad concept of “global peace”'.

Beyond the Board of Peace, Europe faces other significant challenges. Georgia's former President Salome Zourabichvili has warned that Georgia's path to EU membership is on 'thick ice' due to 'capture of the state by Russia', distancing it from the European path. Meanwhile, political jockeying has commenced for the European Central Bank (ECB) presidency amid rumors that Christine Lagarde might step down before her mandate expires in October 2027. This potential early departure, possibly timed before the French presidential elections in April 2027, could allow current leadership in Europe’s top two economies to influence the appointment of her successor. Speculation over replacements is high, with Pablo Hernández de Cos and Klaas Knot named as potential candidates. Spain has already voiced its ambition for 'a leadership role within Europe’s main economic institutions'.

The importance of international cooperation and governance is also underscored by the new procedure drafted by EU lawmakers to select the host country for the future European Customs Authority, a decentralised agency set to be operational in 2028. This move comes as the 'business of customs management and trade surging in importance since US President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on countries worldwide', making the selection a politically sensitive contest among member states like Spain, France, Poland, and The Netherlands. The detailed procedure aims for impartiality and balance in choosing the host, involving independent selections by the European Parliament and Council.

These developments reflect a dynamic global landscape where traditional alliances and international institutions are being re-evaluated and challenged. The concerns surrounding Trump’s Board of Peace, coupled with internal European political and economic shifts, highlight a period of significant international recalibration and emerging governance structures. The 'Europe Today' show and newsletter continue to track these crucial developments, providing analysis on the stories shaping the EU and beyond, including issues of European immigration and other pressing news like the diesel export halt between Hungary/Slovakia and Ukraine, and the investigation into a French far-right activist's murder.