Title: Challenge to the Nation-State’s Sovereignty: The Influence of International and European Law in Today’s Globalized World
Author: Cristian Talesco
Affiliation: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Issue: Peace & Stability – Volume 7 Issue 1
Publisher: Yonsei University Press
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ABSTRACT
This essay aims to investigate the relationship between nation-state sovereignty and law in today’s globalized world. It will do so by bringing about two specific examples: the influence of international and human rights law on national legal order in Libya and Syria and secondly, the European Union (EU) and its new legal order which prevails over the national law of the member states. The first part will be addressed by bringing about examples from Libya and Syria. In Libya, international law has prevailed in breaking the right of Khadafi to use force against civilians. On the other hand, in Syria, international law has failed to protect civilians because of the deadlock at the UN Security Council. Moreover, international law did not prevent Syria from enacting emergency laws which resulted in the arbitrary arrest or detention of people.