The Legitimacy of the G20

This chapter addresses the question of whether the G20 is legitimate. It argues that the existence of an institution that exercises the two functions of the G20 would in principle be desirable from the perspective of justice, as such an institution could play a role in addressing external effects of national policies in other countries and help reduce the shortcomings associated with the fragmented and often technocratic nature of global governance. However, focusing mainly on the group’s decision-making procedures, the chapter argues that the design of the G20 has serious shortcomings, such as the exclusion of non-members, power imbalances within the group, a lack of transparency, and the predominant role of executive bodies in decision-making. As there are feasible institutional alternatives to the G20 in its current form that are more just, the chapter concludes that the G20 should not be regarded as legitimate.