Maximilian Schlenker is a master’s student in International Relations & Diplomacy at Leiden University. His interests center on European foreign policy, peacebuilding and -keeping, and the role of international institutions in addressing global challenges. He has practical experience in political communications, public advocacy and consultancy, and publishes analyses on international affairs. He is keen on fostering engagement with abstract topics of national and supranational character.
By early 2026, the European Union began speaking in a new tone, calling for a revision of its doctrine, institutions, and decision-making amid rising global contestation. In response to a shifting international order, the EU must pursue ‘principled flexibility’: defending core multilateral rules,…
How do advisory opinions matter politically if they are formally non-binding, and who is their real audience in contemporary disputes? The article argues that advisory opinions shape behavior by shifting the costs of non-compliance onto allies, donors, and international institutions rather than c…
