Latvia Climbs to 19th Place in World Justice Project Rule of Law Index, Corruption Remains a Weak Spot

Latvia has moved up two places to 19th among 143 countries and jurisdictions in the latest Rule of Law Index, an annual international study of the state of the rule of law. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) reported the result and said that further improvement is needed, in particular in curbing corruption and in the criminal justice system.

In the ranking, Latvia is ahead of countries such as France, Spain, the United States and Italy. Its overall score this year is 0.75 on a scale from 0 to 1, which is 1.6% higher than a year earlier. The index leaders are Denmark, Norway, Finland and Sweden.

The minister's assessment

Justice Minister Edvards Smiltēns says the global trend shows the rule of law continuing to weaken, with growing pressure on democratic institutions and judicial independence. In his view, this makes Latvia's ability to strengthen the rule of law especially important. He also stresses that a high ranking does not remove the duty to address shortcomings and to make it simpler and faster for residents and businesses to defend their rights.

The report states that in more than 86% of the countries assessed, at least one indicator essential to protecting democracy has deteriorated over the past five years: limits on government power, openness of government, or fundamental rights. Latvia is not among them. The MoJ also notes that Latvia's scores for freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and association, and civic participation have not worsened, although a broad decline in these areas is seen worldwide.

Strongest and weakest areas

Latvia's highest-rated areas are protection of fundamental rights and openness of government, where it ranks 17th in the world in both. These measure respect for human rights and freedoms, the availability of information provided by the state, and people's opportunities to take part in decision-making.

In civil justice, Latvia's score has risen by 9.4% since 2021, placing it 18th this year. This area assesses how well residents and businesses can defend their rights, access to courts, impartiality and the effectiveness of dispute resolution.

In curbing corruption Latvia ranks 26th, and in the criminal justice system 21st. The index draws on public surveys and assessments by legal experts, and evaluates the rule of law using eight criteria.