WJP: Slovakia Falls from 36th to 38th Place in Rule of Law Index

Slovakia has fallen by one percentage point in the latest Rule of Law Index published by international organisation the World Justice Project (WJP). This means dropping by two places from 36th to 38th among 143 countries year-on-year. According to the WJP, the global decline in the rule of law continued in 2026 with 62 percent of countries, including Slovakia, having recorded a decline. Denmark retained the top spot, while Venezuela again ranked last.

The WJP said the erosion of judicial independence in Slovakia was continuing as a result of executive overreach and increasing political interference in the judiciary. The organisation noted that access to civil justice had improved in 54 percent of countries, but Slovakia was not among them.

According to the WJP, authoritarianism is no longer merely an emerging trend but has become firmly entrenched. More than 86 percent of countries have experienced a decline over the past five years in at least one area that serves as a safeguard against authoritarian rule, including constraints on government powers, open government or fundamental rights.

Within the European Union, the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and North America, Slovakia ranked 26th out of 31 countries, unchanged from last year. Denmark, Norway and Finland retained the top three positions in the region, while Greece, Bulgaria and Hungary occupied the bottom places.

Over the past year, 17 of the region's 31 countries recorded a deterioration in the rule of law, according to the WJP, with 15 of them having also reported a decline the previous year. Canada, the United Kingdom and most EU member states remained broadly stable, with neither significant improvement nor deterioration. Among high-income countries, Slovakia ranked 38th out of 51.

Poland recorded the world's biggest improvement, according to the WJP, gaining 4.22 percent since 2023. The organisation also mentioned Hungary, although it said it was too early to observe changes in that country's case.

Among the 143 countries assessed, Slovakia ranked 45th for constraints on government powers, 58th for absence of corruption, 27th for open government, 37th for fundamental rights, 18th for order and security, 40th for regulatory enforcement, 65th for civil justice and 35th for criminal justice.

Source: TASR