Romania slips two places in global WJP Rule of Law ranking

Romania fell two places in the 2023 edition of the World Justice Project (WJP) Rule of Law Index, ranking 40th out of 142 countries and jurisdictions evaluated worldwide. Last year, Romania was ranked 38th.

Romania’s overall rule of law score is 0.63 in 2023, similar to 2022, 2021, and 2020, but lower than in previous years. In 2016, for example, the country had a score of 0.66.

In the regional ranking, the 2023 score places Romania 27th out of 31 countries in the European Union, European Free Trade Association, and North America. The region’s top performer is Denmark (ranked 1st out of 142 globally), followed by Norway and Finland. The three countries with the lowest scores in the region are Greece, Bulgaria, and Hungary (73rd globally).

For the sixth year in a row, the rule of law has declined in most countries, the WJP said in its latest report. Denmark is the top-ranked country in the 2023 WJP Rule of Law Index, followed by Norway, Finland, Sweden, and Germany. The bottom-ranked countries are Venezuela (142), Cambodia (141), and Afghanistan (140). 

The countries with the biggest rule of law declines in the past year are Sudan, Mali, Iran, Nicaragua, and Afghanistan, while the countries that improved their rule of law score most in 2022-2023 are Bulgaria, Honduras, Kenya, Slovenia, and Jordan.

The 2023 WJP Rule of Law Index covers 142 countries and jurisdictions. Each country’s score is an average of eight factors: Constraints on Government Powers, Absence of Corruption, Open Government, Fundamental Rights, Order and Security, Regulatory Enforcement, Civil Justice, and Criminal Justice.

The complete Rule of Law Index is available here, and the country report on Romania can be accessed here.

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