Farzana Baduel / Oct 2025
Image: Shutterstock
For decades Britain has enjoyed outsized influence in global affairs, not because of military power or economic clout, but through soft power. The BBC World Service, the British Council, the Premier League, and our universities have projected Britain’s voice to every corner of the world. Yet just as other European countries are scaling up their soft power strategies, the UK appears to be scaling down.
The result is stark: while others invest in their global reputations, we risk allowing ours to dwindle away.
France: cultural diplomacy with teeth
France has long understood that language and culture are tools of power. The Institut Français maintains more than 800 offices in 131 countries, promoting French culture and language. TV5Monde, a state-supported international channel, broadcasts in French to more than 370 million households worldwide. France also funds Agence Française de Développement, aligning aid with its cultural diplomacy.
President Emmanuel Macron has been explicit: culture and soft power are central to France’s global role, particularly in Africa, where he has pledged to “rebuild ties” through education and cultural exchange. Paris invests heavily in scholarships, museums, and French-language digital content. The strategy is clear and deliberate: project influence by investing in culture.
Germany: credibility through education and media
Germany treats soft power as a national priority. The Goethe-Institut, with 158 institutes in 98 countries, receives around €239 million annually from the federal government. Its remit extends from teaching German to fostering cultural dialogue and digital literacy.
Meanwhile, Deutsche Welle, Germany’s international broadcaster, is state-funded at over €400 million a year, with output in 32 languages. During Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, DW became a trusted counterweight to Kremlin disinformation across Eastern Europe. Berlin’s commitment demonstrates an understanding that trusted journalism is not a luxury, but a foreign policy asset.
Scandinavia: niche power through values
Even smaller European states deploy targeted soft power strategies. Denmark has linked its reputation to climate leadership, investing in green energy expertise and branding itself as a sustainability hub. Its embassies work closely with Danish businesses on green transition projects abroad.
Sweden, historically, has leveraged its tradition of neutrality and human rights advocacy. The Swedish Institute runs programmes on democracy, equality and innovation, building a reputation for values-driven leadership.
These examples show that scale is less important than strategy. With limited budgets, smaller states still manage to punch above their weight by focusing on niches that align with their values and industries.
Britain: cutting into muscle
By contrast, the UK is making cuts that risk hollowing out its global influence. The BBC World Service, long considered the gold standard in international broadcasting, faces 130 job losses and service reductions. The British Council, responsible for cultural relations and education in more than 100 countries has seen a 2% budget cut that could force closures in 60 locations. Foreign aid has been reduced from 0.7% to 0.5% of GNI, undermining one of Britain’s strongest tools for soft power projection.
This retreat is economically short-sighted. Soft power is not sentimental, it is strategic. South Korea’s investment in cultural exports shows why. By nurturing K-Pop and Korean drama, Seoul has created a global phenomenon that boosts tourism, exports and foreign investment. France and Germany grasp the same logic: cultural and media funding is economic policy. Britain, by contrast, appears to treat its most powerful assets as expendable.
The digital frontier
Soft power is also evolving. Traditional media, publishing and even universities face disruption from social media and AI. Europe is responding. The EU has positioned itself as a global regulator on digital rights, from GDPR to the new AI Act, shaping not only European markets but global norms. France has invested in AI research centres, while Germany backs start-ups in ethical tech.
Britain, despite having world-class creative industries, lacks a coherent digital soft power strategy. If the next TikTok, Instagram or AI storytelling tool is created in London, it could transform Britain’s influence. But without deliberate investment, that opportunity will pass us by.
Lessons from Europe
From France’s Institut Français to Germany’s Goethe-Institut, Europe offers clear lessons:
- Scale matters less than consistency. France spends year after year on its cultural diplomacy, reinforcing its influence in Africa and Asia.
- Media credibility is priceless. Deutsche Welle’s investment paid dividends during the Ukraine crisis, showing how trusted voices counter disinformation.
- Niches work. Denmark’s green branding and Sweden’s human rights advocacy show how smaller states can project global relevance.
Britain has the same opportunities. Our arts sector, Premier League, universities, theatre, and creative industries are admired across the globe. The BBC and British Council remain unparalleled assets. Yet we are undermining them precisely as our European neighbours invest in theirs.
A call for strategy
The Foreign Policy Centre’s report offers sensible proposals: establish a central soft power unit in the Cabinet Office to coordinate strategy; fully resource the new UK Soft Power Council; and strengthen partnerships with the creative industries. To this, I would add a digital pillar, a call for support for British innovation in platforms and content creation that shape the new global commons.
Crucially, we must reframe soft power as a patriotic imperative. Backing the BBC, maintaining foreign aid, funding the arts and supporting universities are not optional extras. They are investments in Britain’s global role, as strategic as any aircraft carrier.
Britain at a crossroads
In my work advising governments worldwide, I have seen how highly they regard Britain’s soft power. Other nations study our model of public service broadcasting, admire our cultural exports, and value our universities. They often treasure them more than we do ourselves.
Britain can continue to be a soft power leader, but only if it stops hollowing out the very institutions that give it voice. France, Germany, and Scandinavia are showing what coherent strategy looks like. Britain should pay attention, before it throws away its greatest comparative advantage
