European left parties have, over the last couple of decades, become increasingly critical of political developments in the European Union, particularly as a response to the austerity policies that followed the financial crisis of 2007–08 and the subsequent euro crisis. These were accompanied by high and sustained unemployment and promises of a social pillar that never materialized. All the while, the neoliberal economic integration continued at its fullest and contributed to the increased power of market forces over social development.

The Canadian government is vowing to join other rich countries, including the U.S., to block a proposal from developing countries that would promote equal access to vaccines and medical equipment necessary to address the COVID-19 pandemic.