Politics is often defined as “the pursuit of… and competition for political power” (Djeudo, 2013: 54). This suggests the idea that power is of fundamental importance regarding politics and therefore it is in every state's interest to pursue power. Therefore, since international law is an obstacle to the pursuit of power, it has no role in foreign policy. However, I would argue that, contrary to popular belief, international law is not an “unnecessary distraction” as it helps pursue soft power. In today's international politics, soft power is favored over hard power and therefore I would even say that international law is a necessary tool in foreign policy. To better facilitate the discussion, I would like to establish some perimeters. In this article, soft power is defined as “the ability to obtain what one wants by attracting and persuading others to adopt one's goals” (Nye, 2003) while hard power is defined as “the ability to use the stick and the carrot of economic policies and military force to make others follow your will” (Nye, 2003). Therefore, soft power focuses on building positive relationships with other states, while hard power can be considered more antagonistic and harsh, which is contrary to what international law stands for. In this sense, international law supports the expansion of soft power more than that of hard power. I would also like to borrow the United Nations (UN) international law definition, according to which “international law defines the legal responsibilities of States in their conduct with each other and in the treatment of individuals within state borders” (Global United Nations, n.d.). Arguably, international law hinders the pursuit of hard power as it presents obstacles that aim to curb aggression and… middle of paper… economic sanctions and poorer relations are more dire than commonly perceived. and could hinder the expansion of both a state's soft power and hard power. It would therefore be prudent to adhere to international law, or at least appear to do so. This therefore highlights the importance of international law in foreign policy and the pursuit of both hard and soft power. In essence, I would say that, contrary to common perception, international law is of fundamental importance for foreign policy. This is because, although international law curbs the expansion of hard power, it promotes the pursuit of soft power. In today's international arena, soft power prevails over hard power and therefore, I would argue that international law is more important than ever. Therefore, it is certainly not “an unnecessary distraction from the pursuit of power on the international stage”.”.