Latvia Climbs to 19th Place in World Justice Project Rule of Law Index
Latvia ranks 19th out of 143 countries and jurisdictions in the 2026 World Justice Project Rule of Law Index, climbing two spots, according to data reported by the Ministry of Justice. The country’s overall score reached 0.75 out of 1.0, representing a 1.6% increase over the past year. With this score, Latvia outperforms nations including France, Spain, the United States, and Italy, cementing its standing among developed democracies.
Strengths in Fundamental Rights and Open Government
Latvia’s highest-scoring areas in the index are fundamental rights and government openness, securing 17th place globally in both categories, as reported by the Ministry of Justice. These indicators measure adherence to human rights, public access to state-held information, and opportunities for civic participation in decision-making. The report noted that unlike more than 86% of evaluated countries that experienced declines in core governance metrics over the past five years, Latvia avoided such regressions, maintaining stable scores in freedom of expression, assembly, association, and public engagement.
Gains in Civil Justice and Remaining Challenges
Civil justice systems showed measurable improvement, with Latvia’s score rising by 9.4% since 2021 to place 18th globally, according to the Ministry of Justice. This metric evaluates dispute resolution efficiency, court accessibility, and impartiality. However, the report highlights areas requiring continued reform, placing Latvia 21st in the criminal justice system category and 26th in anti-corruption enforcement.
Edvards Smiltēns addressed the findings by pointing to global pressures on democratic institutions. The global trend shows that the rule of law continues to weaken, pressure on democratic institutions and judicial independence is increasing,
Smiltēns stated, as quoted by the Ministry of Justice, adding that Latvia’s high ranking does not remove the obligation to address shortcomings and simplify legal protections for citizens and businesses.
Global Leaders and Regional Context
The top of the 2026 World Justice Project Rule of Law Index is dominated by Nordic nations. Denmark, Norway, Finland, and Sweden occupy the leading positions worldwide, according to the findings cited by the Ministry of Justice. The index methodology relies on a combination of general population surveys and legal expert assessments to evaluate countries across eight distinct rule of law criteria.
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