Can Like-Mindedness Sustain Order? Legal Diplomacy and Strategic Alignment in EU Foreign Policy

As multilateralism erodes and global governance becomes increasingly fragmented, the European Union (EU) has embraced like-mindedness as a guiding principle in its external legal and diplomatic engagement. While widely invoked in EU discourse, the concept lacks analytical precision. This article develops a realist-constructivist framework to conceptualize like-mindedness as both a normative identity marker and a strategic filter for cooperation. Focusing on sectoral agreements with advanced middle powers – such as digital partnerships, climate compacts, and collaboration on critical raw materials (CRMs) – the article demonstrates how the EU operationalizes like-mindedness through modular legal frameworks that balance values with interests. These flexible arrangements promote regulatory alignment, supply chain security, and geopolitical resilience without requiring full multilateral consensus. Case studies from East Asia, South America, and the Indo-Pacific illustrate how legal diplomacy enables differentiated integration with strategic partners amid normative divergence and institutional ambiguity. The article argues that, when grounded in defined principles and linked to strategic objectives, likemindedness can sustain the EU’s external action and legal influence in a multipolar world.