A decline in adherence to the rule of law has been observed in many European countries. According to the World Justice Project's latest index, 26 of 40 European countries with comparable data saw their rule-of-law scores fall between 2021 and 2026.
This trend is not unique to Europe, as the index, which covers 143 countries, found that declines outnumbered improvements for the ninth consecutive year, with 62% of countries experiencing a decline and 38% seeing an improvement. The Nordic countries, often considered models of good governance, were among those that lost ground.
Denmark, Norway, Finland, and Sweden all saw their scores decrease, although the declines were relatively small. In contrast, some European countries, such as Latvia and Lithuania, saw their scores improve. The index measures eight factors, including constraints on government power, corruption, and fundamental rights, with higher scores indicating stronger adherence to the rule of law.
The largest decline in Europe was observed in Russia, which fell 0.062 points to 0.401. Other countries that saw significant declines included Georgia, Serbia, and Belarus. The data suggests that the erosion of the rule of law is a widespread phenomenon that affects many countries, regardless of their region or level of economic development.
The World Justice Project's index provides a comprehensive picture of the state of the rule of law around the world, highlighting areas where countries are making progress and where they need to improve.