How Countries Compare on Rule of Law in 2026
Key Takeaways:
- Rule of law declined in 62% of countries in 2026, marking the ninth consecutive year of global deterioration.
- Denmark ranks first with a score of 0.90, while Venezuela ranks last at 0.26.
- The United States fell three places to 30th, with its score declining 1.8%, widening its gap with Canada.
The rule of law means that governments, institutions, and individuals are accountable to laws applied fairly and consistently.
The World Justice Project’s 2026 Rule of Law Index measures this across 143 countries using eight factors, including constraints on government power, corruption, fundamental rights, security, regulatory enforcement, and civil and criminal justice.
Ranking Countries Based on Rule of Law
The following table ranks countries by their 2026 Rule of Law Index scores, ranging from zero (weakest) to one (strongest).
| Rank | Country / Jurisdiction | 2026 Overall Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Denmark | 0.90 |
| 2 | Norway | 0.89 |
| 3 | Finland | 0.87 |
| 4 | Sweden | 0.86 |
| 5 | Luxembourg | 0.83 |
| 6 | Germany | 0.83 |
| 7 | New Zealand | 0.83 |
| 8 | Ireland | 0.82 |
| 9 | Netherlands | 0.82 |
| 10 | Estonia | 0.82 |
| 11 | Austria | 0.80 |
| 12 | Australia | 0.80 |
| 13 | Canada | 0.80 |
| 14 | Singapore | 0.79 |
| 15 | Japan | 0.78 |
| 16 | Lithuania | 0.78 |
| 17 | Belgium | 0.78 |
| 18 | United Kingdom | 0.78 |
| 19 | Latvia | 0.75 |
| 20 | Korea, Rep. | 0.74 |
| 21 | Czechia | 0.73 |
| 22 | Uruguay | 0.72 |
| 23 | France | 0.72 |
| 24 | Hong Kong SAR, China | 0.71 |
| 25 | Spain | 0.71 |
| 26 | Slovenia | 0.68 |
| 27 | Portugal | 0.68 |
| 28 | Cyprus | 0.67 |
| 29 | Malta | 0.67 |
| 30 | United States | 0.67 |
| 31 | Costa Rica | 0.67 |
| 32 | Poland | 0.67 |
| 33 | Barbados | 0.66 |
| 34 | Chile | 0.66 |
| 35 | Italy | 0.66 |
| 36 | United Arab Emirates | 0.64 |
| 37 | St. Kitts and Nevis | 0.64 |
| 38 | Slovak Republic | 0.64 |
| 39 | Antigua and Barbuda | 0.64 |
| 40 | Rwanda | 0.64 |
| 41 | Qatar | 0.62 |
| 42 | St. Vincent and the Grenadines | 0.62 |
| 43 | St. Lucia | 0.62 |
| 44 | Croatia | 0.61 |
| 45 | Romania | 0.61 |
| 46 | Namibia | 0.61 |
| 47 | Greece | 0.60 |
| 48 | Mauritius | 0.60 |
| 49 | Botswana | 0.60 |
| 50 | Grenada | 0.59 |
| 51 | The Bahamas | 0.59 |
| 52 | Kuwait | 0.58 |
| 53 | Malaysia | 0.57 |
| 54 | Dominica | 0.57 |
| 55 | Georgia | 0.57 |
| 56 | Jamaica | 0.57 |
| 57 | Montenegro | 0.57 |
| 58 | Senegal | 0.56 |
| 59 | Kosovo | 0.56 |
| 60 | South Africa | 0.56 |
| 61 | Jordan | 0.55 |
| 62 | Ghana | 0.55 |
| 63 | Bulgaria | 0.55 |
| 64 | Argentina | 0.54 |
| 65 | North Macedonia | 0.54 |
| 66 | Moldova | 0.53 |
| 67 | Kazakhstan | 0.53 |
| 68 | Mongolia | 0.53 |
| 69 | Malawi | 0.52 |
| 70 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 0.52 |
| 71 | Nepal | 0.52 |
| 72 | Panama | 0.52 |
| 73 | Trinidad and Tobago | 0.52 |
| 74 | Sri Lanka | 0.51 |
| 75 | Indonesia | 0.51 |
| 76 | Brazil | 0.51 |
| 77 | Dominican Republic | 0.50 |
| 78 | Hungary | 0.50 |
| 79 | Uzbekistan | 0.50 |
| 80 | Thailand | 0.50 |
| 81 | Guyana | 0.50 |
| 82 | Vietnam | 0.50 |
| 83 | Suriname | 0.50 |
| 84 | Belize | 0.49 |
| 85 | Algeria | 0.49 |
| 86 | The Gambia | 0.49 |
| 87 | Ukraine | 0.49 |
| 88 | India | 0.48 |
| 89 | Tunisia | 0.48 |
| 90 | Morocco | 0.48 |
| 91 | Albania | 0.48 |
| 92 | China | 0.48 |
| 93 | Peru | 0.47 |
| 94 | Benin | 0.47 |
| 95 | Serbia | 0.46 |
| 96 | Colombia | 0.46 |
| 97 | Philippines | 0.46 |
| 98 | Paraguay | 0.45 |
| 99 | Kyrgyz Republic | 0.45 |
| 100 | Kenya | 0.45 |
| 101 | Burkina Faso | 0.45 |
| 102 | Ecuador | 0.45 |
| 103 | Liberia | 0.45 |
| 104 | Belarus | 0.44 |
| 105 | Tanzania | 0.44 |
| 106 | Guatemala | 0.44 |
| 107 | Côte d'Ivoire | 0.44 |
| 108 | Zambia | 0.44 |
| 109 | Lebanon | 0.44 |
| 110 | Sierra Leone | 0.44 |
| 111 | Madagascar | 0.43 |
| 112 | Togo | 0.42 |
| 113 | Angola | 0.42 |
| 114 | El Salvador | 0.42 |
| 115 | Honduras | 0.41 |
| 116 | Niger | 0.41 |
| 117 | Türkiye | 0.41 |
| 118 | Guinea | 0.40 |
| 119 | Gabon | 0.40 |
| 120 | Nigeria | 0.40 |
| 121 | Russian Federation | 0.40 |
| 122 | Zimbabwe | 0.40 |
| 123 | Bangladesh | 0.39 |
| 124 | Congo, Rep. | 0.39 |
| 125 | Mexico | 0.39 |
| 126 | Uganda | 0.38 |
| 127 | Mali | 0.38 |
| 128 | Iran, Islamic Rep. | 0.37 |
| 129 | Mozambique | 0.37 |
| 130 | Bolivia | 0.37 |
| 131 | Pakistan | 0.36 |
| 132 | Mauritania | 0.36 |
| 133 | Ethiopia | 0.36 |
| 134 | Cameroon | 0.35 |
| 135 | Egypt, Arab Rep. | 0.35 |
| 136 | Congo, Dem. Rep. | 0.33 |
| 137 | Myanmar | 0.33 |
| 138 | Sudan | 0.33 |
| 139 | Nicaragua | 0.32 |
| 140 | Cambodia | 0.31 |
| 141 | Haiti | 0.31 |
| 142 | Afghanistan | 0.31 |
| 143 | Venezuela, RB | 0.26 |
Northern Europe dominates the top of the rankings, with Denmark (0.90), Norway (0.89), and Finland (0.87) taking the first three spots. At the opposite end, Venezuela (0.26), Afghanistan, and Haiti occupy the bottom three positions.
Why Is Rule of Law Declining Globally?
The following countries experienced the largest annual declines in their rule of law scores:
| Rank | Country | Annual Change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Haiti | -5.6% |
| 2 | Tanzania | -3.6% |
| 3 | Sudan | -2.8% |
| 4 | Mexico | -2.7% |
| 5 | Colombia | -2.5% |
| 6 | Nicaragua | -2.5% |
| 7 | Iran, Islamic Rep. | -2.3% |
| 8 | Indonesia | -2.3% |
| 9 | Ecuador | -2.2% |
| 10 | Pakistan | -2.1% |
According to the World Justice Project, weakening checks on executive power, political interference in courts, and shrinking civic freedoms are contributing to the prolonged decline.
Freedom of expression deteriorated in 64% of countries, while freedom of assembly declined in 67%. These trends also threaten press freedom, limiting the ability of citizens and journalists to scrutinize governments.
Meanwhile, the following countries recorded the largest improvements:
| Rank | Country | Annual Change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latvia | +1.6% |
| 2 | Trinidad and Tobago | +1.2% |
| 3 | Guatemala | +1.1% |
| 4 | Liberia | +0.9% |
| 5 | Croatia | +0.9% |
| 6 | St. Kitts and Nevis | +0.8% |
| 7 | Algeria | +0.8% |
| 8 | St. Vincent and the Grenadines | +0.8% |
| 9 | Zimbabwe | +0.7% |
| 10 | Bolivia | +0.7% |
Latvia led with a 1.6% increase in its overall score, followed by Trinidad and Tobago (+1.2%) and Guatemala (+1.1%). Liberia and Croatia also registered gains of 0.9% each, showing that progress remains possible despite the broader global trend.
Why Is the U.S. Falling Behind Canada?
Canada ranks 13th globally with a score of 0.80, compared with the United States in 30th place at 0.67. The gap reflects differences in institutional checks, legal protections, and government accountability.
One of the weaker areas for the U.S. is fundamental rights, where it ranks 49th globally.
Separately, International IDEA reports that several American democracy indicators have reached 50-year lows. These institutional pressures also raise questions about public trust in news and information.
Europe Leads, While Asia and the Middle East Diverge
Northern and Western Europe generally maintain strong scores, reflecting established judicial oversight and institutional accountability.
Asia shows greater variation, with Singapore scoring 0.79 and Japan 0.78, compared with China’s 0.48. Similarly, the UAE scores 0.64, while Iran stands at 0.37. These differences illustrate the wide range of legal and institutional conditions within regions.
Learn More on the Voronoi App
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