"Middle powers" was the phrase of Davos 2026. Mark Carney, Canada's Prime Minister, made the term central to his keynote address. It appeared 625 times across the forum's coverage.
Why It Resonated
The US-China binary was breaking down. Countries like India, Indonesia, Brazil, and Saudi Arabia weren't just picking sides—they were creating their own lanes.
Previous vocabulary didn't fit. "Emerging markets" sounded patronizing. "Developing nations" implied a hierarchy with Western endpoints. "Middle powers" suggested agency.
Carney's Platform
Carney didn't just coin a phrase—he commanded attention while doing it:
- 14,296 quotes — 4th most-covered figure at Davos
- 89.7% positive — Among the best sentiment of any major leader
- 1.9% negative — Almost no hostile coverage
This combination of volume and sentiment gave the "middle powers" frame weight.
The Middle Powers in the Data
Leaders from "middle power" nations received some of the best coverage:
- Prabowo Subianto (Indonesia) — 100% positive, 1,787 quotes
- Mette Frederiksen (Denmark) — 93.3% positive, 3,248 quotes
- Mark Carney (Canada) — 89.7% positive, 14,296 quotes
Note: Prabowo's perfect score is based on 1,787 quotes—a meaningful sample, but smaller than top-tier figures.
Why Europe Cared
This attention wasn't charitable. Europe needs trading partners outside the US-China corridor. Middle powers offer markets, resources, and diplomatic leverage.
Beyond the Buzzword
These countries aren't waiting for permission from Washington or Beijing. They're cutting deals, building infrastructure, and setting their own terms.
Whether "middle powers" persists as vocabulary matters less than whether the underlying shift persists.