European leaders responded negatively to Donald Trump's request, the former President of the United States, to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC). This came amid broader pressures from the U.S. government to undermine the credibility of this international institution.
Ireland's Support for the International Criminal Court
Micheál Martin, the Prime Minister of Ireland, declared his support for the International Criminal Court in his speech at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, stating that Ireland strongly opposes efforts to weaken this institution. Referring to the war in Ukraine, he emphasized that Russia must be held accountable for its actions and added: "There is no amnesty for war crimes... For this reason, Ireland is a steadfast supporter of the International Criminal Court."
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Response from the Prime Minister of the Netherlands
Mark Rutte, the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, also defended the International Criminal Court on the same day, stating in remarks that did not explicitly mention Trump or the United States that this institution is under attack and asked: "How can anyone be against pursuing the worst crimes?" He continued: "I believe there is only one response, and that is to say: 'Hands off the ICC' and all those other institutions that protect the international legal order." His remarks were met with cheers and applause from the audience.
The International Criminal Court is recognized as the highest judicial body in the world, with its jurisdiction stemming from the Rome Statute, a treaty that came into force in 2002 and has been joined by 125 countries. The United States and Israel, as non-member states of this agreement, do not recognize the court's jurisdiction.
Global Reactions to Trump's Request
The Trump administration has consistently criticized the International Criminal Court, claiming that this institution has overstepped its bounds and should not have jurisdiction over American citizens. His request for the formal withdrawal of member countries from this institution was made during his speech at the United Nations on Tuesday. He stated: "We do not support an out-of-control entity called the International Criminal Court and will never allow American military personnel or anyone else to be investigated or tried in an anti-American court that has no jurisdiction over us."
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas quickly responded to Trump's request, stating: "We will certainly not do that." He described the International Criminal Court as an important institution and added that this is one of the areas where the policy differences between Europe and the United States need to be considered.
Consequences of Withdrawal from the International Criminal Court
In the General Assembly, the only country that responded positively to Trump's request was Nauru. David Adeang, the President of Nauru, stated that the country would formally withdraw from the Rome Statute due to the "increasing lack of significance" of the International Criminal Court. Experts say that withdrawal from the International Criminal Court is a complex and lengthy process that takes at least a year.
Alongside Nauru, five other countries have also taken steps to withdraw from the International Criminal Court. These countries include Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali, Venezuela, and Chad. Additionally, Hungary officially sought to withdraw from the International Criminal Court last year under the leadership of Viktor Orbán, but his successor, Péter Márki-Zay, reversed this decision and referred to Hungary's commitment to this institution.
