The debate on global governance points to shifts in the type and nature of regulation as well asin the set of actors involved. The article introduces a novel way of conceptualizing the changes,namely a move towards post-political forms of regulation (see also Garsten and Jacobsson, 2007).Drawing on Chantal Mouffe’s notion of ‘the post-political vision’, the article argues that manycontemporary forms of regulation are premised on consensual relationships as the basis forregulatory activity. These regulatory practices tend to narrow down the conflictual space, therebyexerting a form of soft power. Moreover, in the post-political forms of regulation, unequal powerrelations tend to be rendered invisible. The empirical cases discussed are voluntary regulatoryarrangements, more specifically the Open Method of Coordination of the EU (OMC) and CSR(Corporate Social Responsibility) initiatives.