'New phenomenon of dangerous rhetoric': World leaders embrace proud disregard for international law
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Gavin Lee is pleased to welcome Philippe Bolopion. Executive Director of Human Rights Watch. He describes a seismic shift in the conduct of war, marked not merely by violations of international humanitarian law, but by an unprecedented openness in asserting, even embracing, such violations. What distinguishes this moment is not the erosion of norms alone, but the normalisation of dismissing international law and lacking empathy for civilians' suffering.
Across the globe, there is an emerging pattern of discourse that shows little regard for the laws of war and the protection of innocent life. This signals a deeper structural weakening of the rules-based international order, devised over decades, to mitigate harm to civilians.
In this context, the role of legal frameworks becomes increasingly contested, as major powers challenge the rule of law, while smaller states hesitate to assert any collective pressure.
The result is a widening gap between norms and operational realities. And so we all now lay witness to a global trend toward authoritarianism and the fragmentation of shared legal standards. Will international law remain a living instrument or simply be relegated to the annals of history as a symbolic relic?
