Geopolitical challenges are gaining renewed momentum in our increasingly fragmented world. The resurgence of power politics, the use of force and coercive diplomacy, and transactional relations driven by narrow interests rather than shared values are weakening the multilateral system established after the Second World War. As international norms erode and multilateral institutions are sidelined, the logic of “might over right” reasserts itself, accompanied by the revival of regional spheres of influence. These developments pose mounting risks to global and regional security, fuelling instability and making conflicts more complex and harder to resolve.
In this context of profound transformation, it is imperative to reaffirm that the global order should be firmly anchored in respect for international law. The rule of law must remain the guiding principle not only within States but also in relations between them. A rules-based international system provides predictability and accountability, protects sovereignty, and creates the conditions for durable peace and security. European democracies, acting with unity and determination, have both the responsibility and the strategic interest to ensure that respect for international law remains at the centre of global governance.
Within this broader effort, the Council of Europe has a distinct role to play. As the continent’s leading organisation for human rights, democracy and the rule of law, it embodies the concept of democratic security: the understanding that lasting peace is inseparable from the protection of democratic institutions, fundamental rights and legal certainty.
The Parliamentary Assembly should recommend to the Committee of Ministers that the Council of Europe develop a coherent action to ensure that the respect for international law is not only an abstract commitment but the foundation of the global order.
Similarly, the Assembly should promote this vision in its relations with national parliaments and other international parliamentary assemblies.