G7 summit

Next week, leaders from some of the world’s biggest advanced economies will meet in Évian, France, for this year’s G7 summit. 

Rewind, what actually is the G7?
The G7 (Group of Seven) is basically a forum for the US, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Canada, plus the EU. It’s where leaders get together to talk about big global issues – from the economy and trade to security and climate. It’s not a formal organisation with powers to make laws or enforce decisions. Think of it more as a high-level meeting space where some of the world’s biggest economies try to stay on the same page.

Why does it matter?
For a long time, the G7 has been one of the main places where major economies coordinate during global crises – whether that’s financial shocks, wars or energy crunches. But its influence is being questioned more now. As The Week notes, there’s been less of a united front lately, largely down to differences in opinion between the US and other member states. Even so, what comes out of these meetings still matters as it can shape markets, signal policy direction and set the tone for global cooperation.

What will be the hot topics this year?
As reported by the World Economic Forum, France says it wants to use its G7 presidency to rekindle the “original spirit” of the group. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to announce plans to restrict social media use for under-16s in the UK, as part of a wider push to tackle online harms. Alongside that, discussion on ongoing conflicts, tech and support for developing countries is expected.

So what’s next?
The summit probably won’t end with dramatic breakthroughs. But it will give a pretty clear snapshot of how the world’s biggest economies are trying to navigate a more fragmented and unpredictable moment.