The World Justice Project has just made available its 2025 Rule of Law Index covering the great majority of the globe's states. The Press Release which follows below in full, concludes that "Global Rule of Law recession accelerates as Authoritarian trend deepens, WJP Index finds decline in judicial independence and shrinking civic space signal heightened risk to democracy worldwide."
The WJP Rule of Law Index provides data on eight factors: Constraints on Government Powers, Absence of Corruption, Open Government, Fundamental Rights, Order and Security, Regulatory Enforcement, Civil Justice, and Criminal Justice. Scores range from 0 to 1, where 1 signifies the highest possible adherence to the rule of law. This year, the Index covers 143 countries and jurisdictions, with Qatar integrated for the first time.
The regional press releases may be accessed HERE.
Key Findings the methodology provides a useful framework for interpreting these findings) also follow below
Additional useful links: The Index at a glance What we measure How we measure Who uses the Index Contact Past reports
UNDER EMBARGO UNTIL OCTOBER 28
Global Rule of Law Recession Accelerates as Authoritarian Trend Deepens, WJP Index Finds
Decline in judicial independence and shrinking civic space signal heightened risk to democracy worldwide
WASHINGTON (October 28, 2025) – The global rule of law recession has
accelerated, according to the new WJP Rule of Law Index® 2025. A stark
68% of countries declined in their rule of law in 2025, compared to 57% in
the previous year.
The WJP Rule of Law Index is the world’s leading source of original,
independent rule of law data for 143 countries and jurisdictions.
“The steady deterioration in the rule of law had slowed in recent years. This
year, however, we see a sharp reversal: more countries are declining, and
fewer are improving.” said Alejandro Ponce, WJP’s Executive Director.
The disparity between rule of law improvements and declines is widening.
In the last year, countries that improved saw an average score gain of
0.52%; meanwhile, countries that deteriorated saw an average decline of
twice that: 1.07%. This difference highlights that while building resilient
rule of law institutions can be a long and iterative process, dismantling
them can happen rapidly.
A rise in authoritarianism is driving the rule of law recession
An expansion of authoritarian trends – namely a reduction in civic space
and weakening checks and balances – has been the primary force behind
this downturn, with deep declines in factors measuring Constraints on
Government Powers, Open Government, and Fundamental Rights.
Three key indicators of government accountability fell in most countries:
www.worldjusticeproject.org press@worldjusticeproject.org
• Independent auditing and oversight of government powers declined in 63% of
countries.
• Legislative checks on executive power declined in 61%.
• Judicial limits on government power declined in 61%.
Similarly, freedoms essential to civic space, public debate and
government oversight—captured in the Open Government and
Fundamental Rights factors—eroded across most countries:
• Freedom of opinion and expression fell in 73% of countries.
• Freedom of assembly and association fell in 72%.
• Civic participation fell in 71%.
Judicial independence, the last line of defense against
executive overreach, is weakening
The Index shows that judiciaries are losing ground to executive overreach,
with rising political interference across justice systems. Indicators
measuring whether the judiciary limits executive power and whether civil
and criminal justice are free from improper government influence
declined in 61%, 67%, and 62% of countries, respectively.
More broadly, civil justice weakened in 68% of countries. This decline
reflects longer delays, less effective alternatives to court (such as
mediation), and greater government interference.
WJP Rule of Law Index 2025: Key Findings Summary
The WJP Rule of Law Index provides data on eight factors: Constraints on
Government Powers, Absence of Corruption, Open Government,
Fundamental Rights, Order and Security, Regulatory Enforcement, Civil
Justice, and Criminal Justice. Scores range from 0 to 1, where 1 signifies
the highest possible adherence to the rule of law. This year, the Index
www.worldjusticeproject.org press@worldjusticeproject.org
covers 143 countries and jurisdictions, with Qatar integrated for the first
time.
• Top-Ranked Countries: Denmark (1), Norway (2), Finland (3), Sweden (4),
New Zealand (5).
• Bottom-Ranked Countries: Venezuela (143), Afghanistan (142),
Cambodia (141), Haiti (140), Nicaragua (139).
• Top Decliners: The most significant decliners include the Russian
Federation (-4.9%), Sudan (-4.4%), and Mozambique (-3.9%).
• Top Improvers: Countries with the largest improvements include the
Dominican Republic (2.1%), Senegal (1.6%), and Sierra Leone (1.4%).
Explore the full rankings and findings of the 2025 WJP Rule of Law Index at:
http://www.worldjusticeproject.org/index/
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• Find graphics (regional rankings, global rankings, and comparative maps) here.
• Find 143 country press releases organized by region here.
About the WJP Rule of Law Index:
The World Justice Project (WJP) Rule of Law Index® is the world’s leading source for original,
independent rule of law data. Its rigorous methodology draws on expert and household surveys to
measure the rule of law in 143 countries and jurisdictions, covering 95% of the world’s population.
The Index relies on more than 215,000 household surveys and 4,100 legal practitioner and expert surveys
to measure how the rule of law is experienced and perceived worldwide. Published annually since 2009,
the Index is used by governments, multilateral organizations, businesses, academia, media, and civil
society organizations.
About the World Justice Project:
The World Justice Project (WJP) is an independent, nonpartisan, multidisciplinary organization working to
create knowledge, build awareness, and stimulate action to advance the rule of law worldwide.
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