President Connolly: ‘Democracy is under attack’
Speaking at the In Defence of Democracy conference in Barcelona, President Catherine Connolly told the world that democracy is “under attack”, making reference to the UN Charter which sets out the principle of sovereignty, with peace and human rights at its core.
The conference, the attendees of which included Brazilian President Lula da Silva and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, took place in April 2026 and marked the President’s first foreign trip since her election in November 2025.
Speaking to delegates, President Connolly stated that Ireland is “uniquely placed” to offer its perspectives on colonialism due to the country’s history. “Ireland is a small country that remains deeply committed to a strong, UN-led multilateral order. We joined the UN in 1955 and are very proud of our uninterrupted record of peacekeeping since 1958.”
She continued: “We believe that multilateralism is not a luxury, it is a necessity. It is how we uphold international law. It is how we protect human rights. It is how we respond to the crises that no country can face alone – climate change, displacement, poverty, and the normalisation of war – all of which are inextricably linked. It is the only way to implement the sustainable development goals.”
Speaking implicitly on the Gaza Genocide and the US’s bombing of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Connolly said that international law has been “hollowed out and replaced by the language of dominance”.
“Each time a violation was absorbed without consequence, the threshold for the next one was raised,” she said.
“That acquiescence has allowed the institutions of the United Nations to be undermined by some and treated with contempt by others. It has allowed sovereign nations to be invaded or threatened with invasion.”
The forum was the fourth of its kind to be held. It was organised by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez with the aim of nourishing democratic values in an era of increasing challenges such as disinformation and radicalism.
Connolly’s attendance has sparked debate in the Irish media landscape, with an editorial in the Irish Independent welcoming Connolly’s intervention in defending international law.
However, The Irish Times wrote an article criticising the President, citing ‘un-named sources’ within the Department of Foreign Affairs who expressed “concern” that the President met the Spanish Prime Minister, rather than the King of Spain.
The President’s first foreign trip is to be followed by a visit to the United Kingdom, where Connolly is expected to meet the British king, Charles III.
President Connolly also visited the North in February 2026 in a visit marred by a confrontation led by DUP MP Gregory Campbell, who saw fit to remind her “you’re in our country” before criticising her for “numerous references to Derry, but not a single reference to Londonderry” in a speech.
