The research famous comparable downtrends within the U.Okay. (0.78, down 0.01), the U.S. (0.68, down 0.028), Russia (0.41, down 0.049) and Ukraine (0.48, down 0.007).
Russia recorded the sharpest general decline between 2024 and 2025 of any nation studied, whereas the marked retreat of the rule of legislation within the U.S. positioned it between Slovenia and Portugal in a rating of EU, EFTA and North American international locations.
At the opposite finish of the size, Denmark was the EU’s strongest rule-of-law performer (0.90) throughout the EU and EFTA, adopted by Norway, Finland and Sweden.
The research recognized a weakening in how authorities rules are applied throughout the EU. “Notably, improper affect on authorities rules worsened in 63% of EU international locations, and delays in administrative proceedings elevated in 70% of EU international locations,” the researchers wrote.
They additionally discovered that three out of 4 EU international locations noticed declines in civil and felony justice, with civil justice turning into much less freed from discrimination and felony programs much less neutral. In greater than half of EU international locations, the courts had been more and more topic to improper authorities affect.
