International Criminal Justice: A Decisive Moment

Can international criminal justice be a factor in bringing about peace?

The implementation of the provisions of the Rome Statute has already gone through several phases. As the International Criminal Court brings cases against high-profile individuals and intervenes in ongoing major conflicts such as Ukraine and Palestine, the positions of states—both party and non-party to the Statute—are evolving. The coming years must bring clarity regarding the positions of the states parties, the methods of the Court, and its place in the international legal architecture.
Marc Perrin de Brichambaut was a judge at the International Criminal Court from 2015 to 2024.
Article published in French only in Politique étrangère, Vol. 89, No. 4, Winter 2024.
Find out more
Discover all our analysesTrump 2: Challenges for the US Military Posture - Politique étrangère, Vol. 90, No. 1, Spring 2025
The distribution of operational leverage points in US strategy has changed significantly over the past two decades, with a sharp reduction. Donald Trump's distancing and repeated criticism of traditional US alliances threaten to undermine the entire architecture of the US presence in the world, beyond the concrete, real and, in particular, industrial impasses of America's military posture.
Ukraine: A Year of Uncertain Peace - Politique étrangère, Vol. 90, No. 1, Spring 2025
During his election campaign, Donald Trump promised to settle the war in Ukraine in 24 hours. As the American president settles into the White House, different options are emerging for the future of this conflict. Some are more likely than others, but none can be ruled out. European countries appear increasingly divided over Russia, and the European Union risks paying a high price if it fails to come up with a solid common strategy.

France Contested in Overseas Territories - Politique étrangère, Vol. 90, No. 1, Spring 2025
New Caledonia, Mayotte: France's overseas territories were severely shaken in 2024. Beyond explanations of the economic situation, the place of these overseas territories in French policies and strategies is once again being called into question.
Are France's overseas territories the remnants of an outdated colonialism? Or, on the contrary, are they supports for an extended French presence that the opening-up of the world makes indispensable, and barriers raised here and there against the appetites of new powers? In any case, what policies should the Hexagone pursue in these regions, to promote better development and more effective integration into their environment? And is the legal status of these overseas territories untouchable?
The Roots of a Quarter-Century of Violence Lie to the East of Congo (Kinshasa)
Almost thirty years after the genocide of the Tutsis in Rwanda, the entire region remains unstable. After Paul Kagame came to power, 1.5 million Hutus fled to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. For the Rwandan president, they represented an unacceptable threat. There then followed the First and Second Congo Wars, the consequences of which are still apparent. The recent attacks perpetrated by the M23 rebels are a new episode in this tragic story.