27/10/2026
International law is alive. And its vitality is crucial for all of us.
(Op-ed by François Alabrune, French Candidate for a position of judge at the International Court of Justice for the 2027-2036 term)
The scope of international law is often reduced to regulating the use of force in conflicts. As violations multiply, its detractors claim it is weakened, or even moribund. Yet international law is alive. And its vitality is crucial for all of us.
International law is alive. It has developed significantly in a multitude of areas, all of which share the common characteristic that they can only be addressed through the cooperation of all States and through international rules. This is the case, for example, with the prohibition of chemical weapons: no Nation can guarantee its own security alone in the face of threats that know no borders.
The vitality of international law owes much to its interpreters, in particular international and regional courts. These bodies - such as the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, the European Court of Human Rights, the Court of Justice of the European Union, the Caribbean Court of Justice, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights... - serve the vitality of international law in two ways.
On the one hand, a rule takes on meaning when there are mechanisms in place to identify its violations. On the other hand, by interpreting legal texts in an dynamic perspective, judges contribute to their practical application as well as to their resilience.
The advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice on Obligations of States in respect of Climate Change on 23 July 2025 is an illustration of this vitality. And a demonstration that international law is neither abstract nor static. Spurred by the Small Island States of the Pacific, it has brought the concerns of the most vulnerable peoples to the heart of the international legal debate. The Court has addressed human concerns regarding health, access to water, adequate food, and a healthy environment by clarifying the legal obligations incumbent upon States with regard to climate change.
The vitality of international law is crucial for all of us, as international law makes a tangible contribution to peace. By governing the relations of States and other actors of the international community, it enables their peaceful coexistence. It enables peoples to resist the rule of the strongest. Even for the strongest, it serves as a vehicle for stability and cooperation.
There can be no selective application of rules, depending on the context or the politics of the moment. International law and multilateralism remain the indispensable foundations of a lasting peace and of the ability of States to address together the common challenges facing humanity.
As a lawyer and also as a diplomat, I am deeply convinced that all States, without exception, need international law.
(François Alabrune, a diplomat and lawyer, is candidate for the position of judge at the International Court of Justice for the 2027–2036 term, with the support of France and the Francophonie. The ICJ is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, competent for the peaceful settlement of disputes between States and for issuing advisory opinions on questions of international law.)
