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After distinguishing between two important orientations in contemporary cosmopolitanism, one interested in the problems of distributive justice, another more concerned with the democratic principles that should regulate the global political order, the author focuses on the latter and asks two questions: To what extent is it realistic to envisage a world political order no longer grounded on the Nation-State and the defense of its sovereignty ? What place and role belong to the Nation-State in such an order? In response to the first question, the author contends that the models of cosmopolitan association presently suggested by some political philosophers (Habermas, Held) can be defended realistically against the supporters of the westphalian international order. However, in response to the second question, the author considers that both radical and moderate variants of cosmopolitanism cannot without difficulty adequately take into consideration the possible place and role of the Nation-State within a post-westphalian order.