The 2025 Holberg Debate: 'Is Collective Security Dead?'

At the 2025 Holberg Debate, Mary Kaldor, Boris Johnson, Stephen Walt and Stephen Sackur (moderator) met to discuss current conditions for collective security and global stability. As war returns to Europe, global institutions falter, and great power rivalry intensifies, the foundations of collective security are under strain. Is liberal internationalism—often seen as a framework for global cooperation, but also criticized for legitimizing interventionist policies—now obsolete? On the panel: 𝗕𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘀 𝗝𝗼𝗵𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗻, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (2019 – 2022), Leader of the Conservative Party (2019 – 2022), Foreign Secretary (2016 – 2018), and Mayor of London (2008 – 2016). 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗞𝗮𝗹𝗱𝗼𝗿, Professor Emeritus of Global Governance and Director of the Conflict and Civicness Research Group, London School of Economics and Political Science. 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗪𝗮𝗹𝘁, Robert and Renée Belfer Professor of International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School of Government. Moderator: 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗦𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘂𝗿, presenter at Times Radio, formerly presenter of BBC's HARDtalk (2005 – 2025). The Debate took place on 9 December, 2025, in the University Aula in Bergen, Norway. More information: holbergprize.org.