World Justice Project: Romania among the states in democratic regression

Our country is once again falling in the world ranking of the rule of law, confirming a constant deterioration of democratic institutions and trust in justice. According to the new World Justice Project index on the global state of the rule of law in 2025, our country has lost three positions compared to the previous year - we are now in 44th position worldwide, in a global context in which 68% of the world's states are registering a decline in respect for the law and the fundamental principles of democracy.

This decline is not a simple statistical detail. It reflects the weakening of control mechanisms over government power, diminishing transparency and an increasingly visible pressure on the independence of the judiciary. Romania, once a regional example of democratic reform, seems to be sinking into a spiral of institutional stagnation, against the backdrop of increasingly fragile public trust and a shrinking civic space.

The World Justice Project Index, considered the main international reference in assessing the rule of law for 143 countries and jurisdictions, shows that the regression is not an isolated phenomenon.

The year 2025 marks a global acceleration of the legal recession: over two-thirds of states recorded declines, compared to 57% in 2024. Alejandro Ponce, the executive director of the WJP, warns that "the steady deterioration of the rule of law, which seemed to be stabilizing, has suddenly intensified this year; more countries are in decline and fewer are managing to progress”.

Romania is part of this negative trend, with a loss of positions that signal structural vulnerabilities in justice, government transparency and fundamental freedoms. The data shows that freedom of expression, civic participation and the independence of the judiciary continue to erode. Political interference in the judiciary, pressure on the independent press and a growing public skepticism of state institutions contribute to this visible decline.

Globally, the index reveals an increase in authoritarian tendencies and a decrease in democratic checks on the executive branch. In 63% of countries, the effectiveness of independent auditing has decreased, in 61% legislative controls on governments have weakened, and in another 61% the judicial limits on the executive branch have decreased. These percentages describe a broad phenomenon: a world increasingly exposed to the temptation of authoritarianism and less protected by the balance of power.

Romania, in turn, is feeling the effects of this trend. The independence of magistrates, the quality of the act of justice and the fair application of the law are affected by political instability, verbal attacks on the judiciary and the lack of a coherent vision for consolidating the rule of law. More and more cases remain blocked, the deadlines for resolution are lengthening, and the perception of corruption persists at a high level, affecting the country's external image.

While the Nordic countries - Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden and New Zealand - continue to dominate the WJP top, confirming a solid tradition of transparency and respect for the law, Romania is dangerously approaching the middle of the ranking, far from the European benchmark performances. At the opposite pole, Venezuela, Afghanistan and Cambodia remain dramatic examples of institutional collapse.

Although the World Justice Project emphasizes that achieving a stable and fair legal system is a slow process, the 2025 report warns that its destruction can occur quickly, through erroneous political decisions, populism and lack of accountability.

For the central authorities in our country, the message is clear: without a real strengthening of the independence of the judiciary, without solid guarantees for freedom of expression and without government transparency, the regression risks becoming irreversible. The decline in the global rule of law index is not just a number, but is an alarm signal regarding the future of Romanian democracy and the capacity of institutions to protect citizens from the abuse of power.