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PRESIDENT CATHERINE CONNOLLY has warned that the world is drifting towards a “might is right” approach to global affairs, as she delivered her first address abroad at a major international summit in Barcelona.
Speaking at the ‘Meeting in Defence of Democracy’, which brought together left-leaning leaders from Europe, Latin America and Africa this morning, President Connolly said the principles underpinning international law and human rights were being steadily eroded.
“How have we moved from the crystal-clear language of the UN Charter championing human rights to the crystal-clear language that now champions ‘might is right’?” she said.
Connolly told delegates that democracy itself was “under attack”, and warned that the language of rights and international law had been “hollowed out and replaced by the language of dominance”.
She said this shift had taken place over decades, through a failure by states to hold each other to account.
“We played our part by valuing stability over accountability, and consensus over candour,” she said.
Connolly pointed to mounting pressure on international institutions, including the undermining of the United Nations system, sanctions imposed on judges of the International Criminal Court, and threats against UN officials.
“Acquiescence has allowed the institutions of the United Nations to be undermined by some and treated with contempt by others,” Connolly told the summit.
“It has allowed sovereign nations to be invaded or threatened with invasion; has allowed vital UN organisations to be decimated; has allowed UN Special Rapporteurs to be sanctioned and threatened with arrest; has allowed sitting judges of the International Criminal Court to be sanctioned simply for fulfilling their judicial mandate.”
While she did not name specific countries, her remarks seemed to reference the sanctioning of ICC judges by the US government, and perhaps the alleged threats of German officials to arrest UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese last year.
“In the face of this onslaught, we have an obligation to stand together to defend the very institutions established to uphold human rights,” Connolly added.
The Barcelona gathering, co-chaired by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, comes amid growing concern about the rise of authoritarian and far-right movements globally.
Leaders who attended the summit included South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa, Colombia’s Gustavo Petro and European Council President António Costa were also in attendance.
Opening the summit, Sánchez said “democracy cannot be taken for granted” and called for reform of the United Nations, arguing the organisation had been sidelined in recent global conflicts.
Connolly echoed those concerns, stressing the importance of multilateral cooperation.
“Multilateralism is not a luxury, it is a necessity,” Connolly said in her address.
She also backed efforts to reform the UN, saying political “leadership, resilience, and courage” would be needed to strengthen international institutions.
Ireland, she said, is “uniquely placed to offer a valuable perspective as a neutral, post-famine, post-colonial republic”, and remains committed to a strong UN-led system.
Connolly also reiterated her concerns about what she has previously described as the “normalisation of war”.
Speaking to reporters ahead of the summit, she said she would continue to use her role to advocate for peace.
“I’ve said repeatedly, I can never accept the normalisation of war, and I will use my voice at every moment that I have to articulate a different vision and work as hard for peace,” Connolly said.
“We have to ask ourselves, how could we get to this point that we need a conference in defence of democracy,” she added.
President Connolly has just spoken at the summit in Defence of Democracy, where she condemned the change in global diplomancy "that now champions 'might is right'".
— Andrew Walsh (@AndyBreathnach) April 18, 2026
Here she is meeting Spain's PM Pedro Sánchez earlier @thejournal_ie pic.twitter.com/y4n2XNMNDZ
The President is expected to hold a series of bilateral meetings with fellow leaders during the visit, including Mexico’s president Claudia Sheinbaum, Colombia’s President Lula da Silva and South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa.
She’s also attending an event with members of the Irish community in Barcelona later this evening.
Her address marks her first overseas speech since taking office, and follows recent comments in which she warned against escalating global conflict and called for renewed commitment to diplomacy and international law.
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