20.4.26
Intro to The Journal’s report by a retired Swedish trade union official who worked at the ICTU for a while and is now living in Ireland:
“Irish President Catherine Connolly met with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. She attended the important international meeting in Barcelona to defend democracy.
A meeting in which Mexican President Claudia Scheinbaum also attended, as well as Brazilian President Lula da Silva and several other progressive leaders. An important gathering that can shape the introduction to a force against Trump and the United States’ aggressive imperialist policies and threats to democracy.
The Irish right-wing government is not in favour of President Connolly’s choice of this meeting as her first visit abroad since she was elected. But the rest of us think it’s good that our progressive president is standing up for the message of peace and solidarity that she went for election.
Read more about her speech and the Barcelona meeting. And while I read about this important meeting in Irish media, I note the silence of the Swedish media. It can almost be called censorship to avoid reporting on such an important international meeting. But it is a consequence of the fact that Sweden is today one of the EU’s most right-wing countries, with an increasingly directional political debate. Sad.”
IRISH TIMES:
President Connolly warns of global shift to ‘might is right’ in first overseas speech
During her address, President Connolly made several critical remarks which seemed to point the finger at western powers.
LEFT-WING LEADERS ASSEMBLE
President Connolly warns of global shift to ‘might is right’ in first overseas speech
During her address, President Connolly made several critical remarks which seemed to point the finger at western powers.
2.18pm, 18 Apr 2026
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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.
Summit on democracy
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.
‘Normalisation of war’
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.
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 Gustavo Petro 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.
April 18, 2026
Irish Times
Unease within Government and among officials at Connolly’s visit to Spain
President arrives in Barcelona today, but is not meeting Spain’s head of state or visiting Madrid on first foreign trip
President Catherine Connolly has triggered official and political unease over her first overseas trip, which will see her attend a conference organised by left-leaning heads of government in Spain, without meeting its head of state.
Connolly will today address the Defence of Democracy conference in Barcelona. It is organised by Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez, who will meet Connolly in the Catalan city, and Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
However, multiple sources told The Irish Times that there is unease both among civil servants in the Department of Foreign Affairs and other departments, and at political level, over the choice for her first overseas trip.
One Government source, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the preference of officials was that Connolly visit the UK for her first overseas trip – which would have been seen as an “appropriate” choice.
“[The Department of Foreign Affairs] would have much preferred the first [visit] be to the UK and state-head to state-head type visit,” said a Government source.
Left-leaning
Other Coalition figures said the issue was less that she was going to Spain first, but rather the details of the trip and the nature of the conference she is attending, which will feature left-leaning heads of state and government, and is organised by Sánchez and Lula, who are prominent critics of US president Donald Trump.
That Connolly will visit Barcelona, rather than Spanish capital Madrid, and will be received by the prime minister rather than her counterpart – the king of Spain – has also ruffled feathers. Government sources also pointed to the fact it is not being attended by the UK and the US.
There was a flurry of concern in Dublin that Connolly could sign declarations arising from the conference which could run contrary to Government policy. A spokesman for the President said, however, that she would not join any declarations “which may refer to executive matters”.
It is not believed to have caused major ructions between the Áras and the Coalition, which would have had to approve her plan to travel outside the State, but various sources described “unease” and “surprise” at the trip among officials and politicians.
A Government spokesman said the visit was consistent with Connolly’s constitutional position and “is supported by the Government”. The conference will “provide a valuable opportunity for the President to meet with some other heads of State or Government,” he said.
A Minister likened the trip to events from Michael D Higgins’s term as president, saying: “We’ve been here before.”
Political courage
In remarks released by the Áras before her departure, Connolly said she was “honoured” to give her first address as President abroad at “this critically important event”. She will make a speech emphasising the importance of multilateralism and the obligation on states to stand together to defend international law, the United Nations and institutions established to uphold human rights.
“At a time when voices calling for war and military might are dominant, it is timely and fitting that we gather under an initiative championed by two leaders who have shown the political courage this moment demands,” she said, referring to Lula and Sánchez.
They, she said, “deserve our recognition, and our gratitude, for placing the defence of democracy at the centre of the international agenda”.
She added that Ireland was “uniquely placed” to offer a valuable perspective as neutral, post-famine, postcolonial republic. “At this crucial moment we must work with all those who share our views to deepen international co-operation and to nurture and develop conditions for lasting peace.”
Connolly will meet bilaterally with leaders from Mexico, Colombia, Uruguay and Barbados, as well as potentially South Africa, in addition to giving her address
Irish Political Review 