LONDON

The Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats Group (S&D) in the European Parliament sharply criticized European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday, warning that questioning the role of international law risks weakening global stability.

“The remarks by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stating that Europe can no longer act as a guardian of the existing international order are unacceptable," the group said in a statement on the US social media company X’s platform.

“At a moment when international law is under unprecedented pressure, questioning its centrality sends a dangerous signal to those who openly seek to undermine it. These words must be clarified and corrected without delay,” it said.

The S&D said the international system is under severe strain, pointing to “Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine, the devastation in Gaza and the war launched by the US and Israel against Iran” as examples of the UN Charter being challenged.

Earlier Wednesday, in her address to lawmakers, von der Leyen repeated her assertion that there should be "no tears shed" for Iran, which has been under US-Israeli attacks since Feb. 28, accusing it of decades of repression against its own population.

The group warned that Europe must remain committed to international law.

“International law is not an body_abstract ideal. It is the foundation of peace, security and cooperation between nations,” the statement said, adding that Europe’s political project was built on the conviction that “power must be constrained by law.”

The S&D also stressed that “coherence matters. Europe cannot rightly condemn (Russian President) Vladimir Putin for violating international law in Ukraine while remaining silent when (US President) Donald Trump and (Israeli Prime Minister) Benjamin Netanyahu disregard those same rules. International law cannot be invoked selectively depending on who the violator is.”

Referring to the conflict involving Iran, the group said: “Military action carried out without the legitimacy of the United Nations deepens instability across the Middle East and undermines the very norms that protect civilians and preserve global security.”