Top 10 countries with the strongest and weakest rule of law index in 2025: The rule of law is the backbone of any nation's peace, justice and human rights.
Studies have revealed that societies which have stronger legal systems tend to enjoy higher economic growth, social stability and better public health. But the global state of the rule of law is weakening once again. The WJP Rule of Law Index 2025 reports a decline. This year, 68% of countries saw their rule of law deteriorate, up from 57% the previous year—largely due to growing authoritarian tendencies and weakening checks on government authority. However, Nordic nations stand strong against the global decline in the rule of law. Denmark holds the top spot at No. 1, followed by Norway at No. 2, and Finland and Sweden round out the top 4. But some countries remain on the lowest rank, such as Venezuela at No. 143 and Afghanistan at No. 142. Even Russia (119) and Sudan (142) saw some of the steepest drops.
10 Countries with Strongest Rule of Law 2025
- Denmark: 0.90
- Norway: 0.89
- Finland: 0.87
- Sweden: 0.85
- New Zealand: 0.83
- Germany: 0.83
- Luxembourg: 0.83
- Ireland: 0.82
- Netherlands: 0.82
- Estonia: 0.82
10 Countries with Weakest Rule of Law 2025
- Venezuela: 0.26
- Afghanistan: 0.31
- Cambodia: 0.31
- Haiti: 0.32
- Nicaragua: 0.33
- Myanmar: 0.34
- Sudan: 0.34
- Congo, Dem. Rep.: 0.34
- Egypt: 0.35
- Cameroon: 0.36
What is India's rank compared to the US, China, and Pakistan?
The United States was on No. 27 with a score of 0.68. Whereas India saw a sharper fall, slipping six places to rank 86 with a score of 0.49, representing a 1.7% decrease from last year.China showed modest improvement, moving up 4 positions with a total score of 0.48, marking a 0.8% rise. Meanwhile, Pakistan was on No. 130, though its overall score fell to 0.37, indicating a 2.3% decline.
