R09: * Protecting International Law Against Empires: to Infinity and Beyond

The Federation of Young European Greens (FYEG) and its members organisations
recognise imperialism did not end with the formal dismantling of colonial
empires. Today, imperial domination is exercised through military occupation,
economic coercion, debt dependency, control over knowledge and technology, and
the monopolisation of global commons, including outer space.

International law exists to protect everyone, people and states, especially in
an asymmetric geopolitical landscape where many small actors are challenged by
few powerful empires. Many promoted the illusion that modern empires would
balance their influence, resulting in peace. However, reality is different:
while superpowers will not engage in direct confrontation, they express violent
imperialistic attitudes against their neighbours.

In their eyes, international law is not valid within their regional spheres of
influence, where they play by their own rules.

This crisis directly challenges core Green values: peace, democracy, climate
justice, feminism, and anti-racism. Imperialism disproportionately harms
marginalised communities, including women, racialised groups, and young people,
while concentrating power in the hands of states and corporations. The urgency
to act is therefore both global and European.

Clear contemporary examples illustrate these dynamics.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 represents a blatant act of territorial
annexation that violates international law and sovereignty, denying Ukraine’s
right to exist and aiming for a subordinate regime, while interfering with
democratic processes across Europe.

Imperialism is also exercised through economic warfare and destabilisation. The
United States intensified sanctions against Cuba through “maximum pressure 2.0”,
demonstrating how economic coercion punishes sovereignty and constrains
democratic choice. Similarly, the kidnapping and extraterritorial detention of
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in 2026 highlights risks posed by unilateral
interventions bypassing international legal processes.

Israel's strikes on Iran, with US support, and the invasion of Lebanon,
including sieges and attacks on healthcare and civilian areas, constitute
violations of international law and possible war crimes. The ongoing assault on
Gaza, which UN bodies and genocide scholars deemed genocide in 2025, exemplifies
imperial violence through occupation, collective punishment, and denial of
Palestinian self-determination.

China, far from being a peaceful superpower, has extended sovereignty over Hong
Kong, pressures Taiwan toward annexation, and commits human rights violations
such as the persecution of Uyghurs.

The pattern is clear: modern empires seek to delegitimise international law and
multilateral institutions, presenting themselves as the only legitimate
providers of security. This reflects a system where power is concentrated among
a few states and corporations, benefiting dominant actors while harming smaller
states, marginalised communities, and future generations.

For young people, this system undermines democratic participation, economic
justice, climate stability, and peace. Existing policies have failed because
they allow selective application of international law and prioritise
geopolitical interests over justice and accountability.

Europe plays a key role globally but often subordinates itself to these systems,
as seen in energy dependence and extractive economic relations. Neocolonial
practices persist, while human rights are inconsistently applied. Protecting
international law also means protecting AFAB and marginalised communities
globally.

This urgency extends beyond Earth. The increasing commercialisation,
militarisation, and privatisation of space risks reproducing extractive and
colonial logics beyond planetary boundaries, threatening both ecological
integrity and global equity. Control over knowledge, data, infrastructure, and
critical technologies has emerged as a central axis of imperial power.
Monopolisation of digital platforms, satellite systems, and surveillance
infrastructure enables a small number of states and corporations to exert
outsized influence over populations, markets, and political processes. This
concentration of power deepens global inequalities and erodes democratic
accountability.

Such monopolisation raises serious concerns around surveillance, democratic
oversight, and the privatisation of a shared global commons. Space exploration
and infrastructure development are increasingly driven by geopolitical
competition and private accumulation rather than collective benefit.

This expansion is fuelled by techno-optimist narratives that frame space
exploration as humanity’s escape route from ecological collapse. The belief that
humans will be able to escape Earth before it becomes uninhabitable is a
betrayal of our role as a steward species.

We reaffirm that outer space is the common heritage of humankind. Any attempts
to colonise, militarise, or privatise celestial bodies or orbits constitute a
dangerous extension of imperial expansion and must be collectively resisted.

In line with this analysis, we call on FYEG, its Member Organisations, and the
wider Green political family to:

We call on governments, European institutions, international organisations, and
the Green political family to move beyond rhetorical commitments and take
concrete action to dismantle imperial systems in all their forms. Immediate
steps must be taken to enforce international law, strengthen multilateral
institutions, and ensure accountability for violations.

We must demonstrate political leadership and solidarity to reimagine solutions
beyond current globalisation models—not isolationism, but international
solidarity. As Young Greens, we commit to addressing injustices on Earth,
resisting narratives that frame space exploration as a substitute for ecological
responsibility, and challenging colonial mindsets wherever they arise.