Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
This event was co-organised by the UCL Global Centre for Democratic Constitutionalism and the UCL European Institute.
Measuring the Rule of Law in a Fracturing World: Global Trends, the United Kingdom, and Subnational Perspectives from the EU
Speaker: Dr Ana Maria Montoya (Director of Data Analytics, World Justice Project)
Commentator: Prof Jeff King (UCL Laws)
Chair: Dr Claudia Sternberg (Head of Academic Programming | Principal Research Fellow, UCL European Institute)
About the talk
The global rule of law recession is accelerating. The World Justice Project (WJP) Rule of Law Index 2025 shows that 68% of countries experienced a decline in the past year, reflecting continued pressure on accountability, fundamental rights, and the institutions that protect them. This session will examine what these findings mean in practice by showing where erosion is most visible and how data can inform more grounded, people-centered policy decisions.
The discussion will then turn to the United Kingdom. While the UK has a strong rule of law, it is experiencing some challenges. In the 2025 Index, the UK ranks 14th out of 143 countries with an overall score of 0.78. Its position has slipped slightly, mainly due to modest changes in justice delivery. The presentation will also cover WJP EUROVOICES, which measures rule of law, justice, and governance across all 27 EU Member States and 110 subnational regions, including the rollout of new, comparable indicators on judicial independence at the subnational level. EUROVOICES helps decision-makers spot differences in outcomes within countries, set reform priorities, and engage more effectively with local institutions and communities.
The session will conclude with an outline of WJP’s current and upcoming work, including plans to promote judicial independence and inform rule of law debates in the United States. We will discuss how consistent, transparent indicators can support policy design, strengthen oversight, and improve public accountability in polarized environments.
This event was co-organised by the UCL Global Centre for Democratic Constitutionalism and the UCL European Institute.
Measuring the Rule of Law in a Fracturing World: Global Trends, the United Kingdom, and Subnational Perspectives from the EU
Speaker: Dr Ana Maria Montoya (Director of Data Analytics, World Justice Project)
Commentator: Prof Jeff King (UCL Laws)
Chair: Dr Claudia Sternberg (Head of Academic Programming | Principal Research Fellow, UCL European Institute)
About the talk
The global rule of law recession is accelerating. The World Justice Project (WJP) Rule of Law Index 2025 shows that 68% of countries experienced a decline in the past year, reflecting continued pressure on accountability, fundamental rights, and the institutions that protect them. This session will examine what these findings mean in practice by showing where erosion is most visible and how data can inform more grounded, people-centered policy decisions.
The discussion will then turn to the United Kingdom. While the UK has a strong rule of law, it is experiencing some challenges. In the 2025 Index, the UK ranks 14th out of 143 countries with an overall score of 0.78. Its position has slipped slightly, mainly due to modest changes in justice delivery. The presentation will also cover WJP EUROVOICES, which measures rule of law, justice, and governance across all 27 EU Member States and 110 subnational regions, including the rollout of new, comparable indicators on judicial independence at the subnational level. EUROVOICES helps decision-makers spot differences in outcomes within countries, set reform priorities, and engage more effectively with local institutions and communities.
The session will conclude with an outline of WJP’s current and upcoming work, including plans to promote judicial independence and inform rule of law debates in the United States. We will discuss how consistent, transparent indicators can support policy design, strengthen oversight, and improve public accountability in polarized environments.
