The current issue of Global Studies Quarterly (2025) contains a seminal paper by Diana Panke, Lukas Feld and Pavel Tverskoy that addresses the question of how states respond to increasing regional regime complexity. Regional regime complexity arises when different Regional International Organisations (RIOs) claim overlapping areas of policy competences. The article analyses the extent to which states cope with this complexity by withdrawing from RIOs.

The study shows that a high degree of regional regime complexity makes withdrawal of regional member states more likely. Less powerful states are particularly susceptible to these dynamics due to their limited ability to shape and subsequently implement RIO policies. Richer and more powerful states, on the other hand, have the necessary ressources to navigate even high regional regime complexity. The article combines quantitative analyses with qualitative case studies to provide sound insights into current challenges to multilateral cooperation and regional governance.

Research on the exits of states from regional organisations at the Centre for International Relations is funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG). Further information on the DFG project "Should I stay or should I go?" can be found here.

To the article: https://doi.org/10.1093/isagsq/ksae078