Democracy & Rule of Law
Just Security’s expert authors provide analysis on threats and challenges to democracy and the rule of law in the United States and globally. Coverage includes analysis of the separation of powers, good governance, democratic backsliding, authoritarianism, judicial independence, freedom of the press and association, and accountability for rule of law violations.
3,333 Articles

Surveying Evidence of How Trump’s Actions Activated Jan. 6 Rioters
A triangulation of evidence that extremists treated then-President Trump's words as instructions for the events on Jan. 6.

In Lebanon, Elections Bring Cautious Hope – and an Uphill Battle for Reforms
Weakened incumbents and diaspora voting could allow the country to change direction after years of graft, mismanagement, and democratic decline.

Internal Palestinian Divisions and Their Consequences
Recent municipal elections reinforced the political marginalization of already frustrated younger Palestinians.

Trump’s Next Presidential Coup Attempt Could Work
Flawed laws, enacted in 1845 and 1887, create a dangerous opportunity.

US, EU Face Higher Hurdles Now for Action Against Orbán’s Tightening Grip in Hungary
His landslide re-election and Russia's war on Ukraine makes pushback on the region's autocratization harder -- and more needed -- than ever.

Facebook Provided Warning to FBI Before January 6, GAO Report Reveals
The GAO report's findings raise questions about statements by FBI Director Christopher Wray in previous testimony to Congress.

What Elon Musk Does Not Get about Twitter and Democracy in Africa
Deferring to local laws to determine the bounds of free speech on Twitter - and Musk has suggested doing - would jeopardize hard-won democratic freedoms in Africa.

How Cambodia’s Human Rights Crackdown Undermines Regional Security
The upcoming White House summit with ASEAN offers a chance for the US to press on human rights abuses and costly alliances with China.

The Beginning of the End for Criminal Defamation in the Americas? The El Universo Case
The judgment strengthens media freedom by repudiating a historic legal tool to stifle dissent and flagging the need for legislative measures.

¿El principio del fin de la difamación penal en las Américas? El caso de El Universo
El fallo del Tribunal es verdaderamente importante para la libertad de los medios de comunicación de la región.

To Check Iran’s Missiles, JCPOA Re-Entry is a Must
Iran’s missile program is a cause for international concern. Just last month, Iran launched a missile attack on Erbil, the capital of Iraq’s Kurdish region; in January 2020,…
Still at War: The United States in Syria
It is time to reconsider U.S. strategic objectives in Syria and the legal basis for the use of force there.