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.

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3,333 Articles
US Attorney General Merrick Garland addresses staff on his first day at the US Department of Justice in Washington, DC on March 11, 2021.

How Attorney General Garland Can Strengthen FOIA Implementation

Here's what Attorney General Garland's department-wide memorandum on the Freedom of Information of Act should look like.
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The Digital Technology Agenda at the Summit for Democracy

"To combat the digital authoritarian threat, democracies must be rallied around a shared values-based vision of digital society and a joint strategic technology agenda."
A wide view of the Trusteeship Council Chamber during a joint open briefing by the Chairs of Security Council committees engaged in countering the financing of terrorism, as well as by the President of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), on their respective roles. The room appears to be full and a large projection screen shows a member sitting at the panel in the front of the room.

Protecting Civil Society in Global Counterterrorism: FATF Leads the Way, UN Should Follow

Through the work of advocates, FATF has improved its engagement with and protection of civil society. UN counterterrorism bodies could learn from FATF's approach.
Protestors rally against corruption in central Saint Petersburg on March 26, 2017. Numerous police or military forces in helmets watch the protestors.

Corruption Is a National Security Threat. The CROOK Act Is a Smart Way to Fight It.

A surcharge on entities liable under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act could advance good governance abroad and help create a more stable world.
Smoke rises from tires burning at barricades erected by protesters after military junta forces attempted to attack them on March 16, 2021 in Yangon, Myanmar.

No Military Solutions: A New Approach to Preventing Atrocities

To be a credible proponent of peace, the US must shed destabilizing security ties and unneeded military capabilities, and invest in conflict prevention.
Aerial view of the financial centre of Panama City taken on April 25, 2019. Areas with tress and shorter buildings are nestled between the skyscrapers.

The Fight Against Kleptocracy Should Look Beyond the West

Efforts that help constrain the enabling environment for corruption in the West do not sufficiently tackle how foreign authoritarian actors turbocharge kleptocracy and the role…
Two side by side photographs. The first shows China's President Xi Jinping shaking hands with Czech Republic's President Milos Zeman. The second shows Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic and China’s President Xi Jinping walking side by side. Both images have the corresponding country flags lined in a row behind them.

The Noxious Nexus of Money and Politics Takes Another Turn in Central and Southeastern Europe

A Forbes-listed billionaire’s China-fueled deals illustrate the potential security threats of media and telecom capture by authoritarians.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) wears a face mask as she speaks at her weekly news conference one day after Congress passed a $1.9 trillion COVID-related stimulus package at the U.S. Capitol Visitors Center on March 11, 2021 in Washington, DC. Two flags of the House of Representatives can be seen behind her.

Pluses and Minuses of Pelosi’s Draft Jan. 6 Commission Proposal

"The draft text has some subtle virtues that are being missed by many commentators, and also some weaknesses."
Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission and representatives of the Three Seas Initiative (3SI or TSI) takes part in a TSI Summit, on September 18, 2018 at the Cotroceni Palace, the Romanian Presidency headquarters in Bucharest. Delegates sit around a large round table, and press can be seen taking photos and video behind many of the delegates.

Safeguarding Democracy Among Eastern Europe’s Three Seas

With EU and US help, the Three Seas Initiative can resist Russia's and China's designs on the region by promoting transparency, prosperity, and development.
U.S. Speaker of the House Rep. Nancy Pelosi wears a face mask as she speaks at a weekly news conference at the U.S. Capitol on February 25, 2021 in Washington, DC. Behind her are American flags and flags for the House of Representatives.

Chart: Comparing Pelosi’s Draft Legislation on Jan. 6 Commission to Other Bills and Prior Commissions

On Monday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi publicly released a discussion draft of legislation to establish a “9/11-type Commission” to investigate the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol attack.…
Farmers in India protest against new harmful farming laws while Indian paramilitary soldiers watch them behind barricades on December 13, 2020 at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border in Ghaziabad, India.

In India, US Defense Secretary Austin Must Not Overlook Its Democratic Decline

The Indian government’s pattern of repressive actions could undermine its value as a strategic partner in the Indo-Pacific region.
Sri Lanka's President Gotabaya Rajapakse and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse, neither who wear face masks, are surrounded by others, many who wear face masks, as they leave the new cabinet swearing-in ceremony at the Buddhist Temple of the Tooth in the ancient hill capital of Kandy, some 116 km from Colombo on August 12, 2020.

When War Criminals Run the Government: Not Too Late for the International Community to Vet Sri Lankan Officials

Developing such a list of individuals would signal to survivors some measure of recognition of the atrocities they have suffered.
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