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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3,397 Articles
The E. Barrett Prettyman Federal Courthouse, in Washington, DC, as seen from the sky.

Don’t Place Judicial Accountability In The Dark

Efforts to ensure the safety and security of federal judges – including by shielding certain personal information, such as addresses, from public disclosure – are sadly necessary…
The columns and relief of the U.S. Treasury Department.

Reauthorizing and Strengthening the Global Magnitsky Act

The Global Magnitsky Act is a key tool in the fight against corruption and human rights abuses -- yet it remains incomplete. Beth Van Schaack explains how it can be strengthened.
People wearing face masks visit a Huawei booth during the Mobile World Congress in Shanghai on February 23, 2021.

China’s Dystopian “New IP” Plan Shows Need for Renewed US Commitment to Internet Governance

The US must rally partners to rein in the abuse of multilateral institutions for Huawei’s plans on 6G and beyond, which make concerns over 5G look minor.
Iraqi fighters of the Hashed al-Shaabi units stand guard during a campaign gathering for the Fateh Alliance, a coalition of Iranian-supported militia groups, in Baghdad on May 7, 2018, ahead of Iraq's parliamentary elections to be held on May 12. Some hold weapons, and a few sit on the ground.

Team of Legal Gladiators? Iraqi Militias’ Tortured Relationship with Law

The country's Iran-backed militias are not law-abiding, but they know Iraqis care about rule of law and have adopted the law as a battlespace.
The US Supreme Court is seen in Washington, D.C. The sky is sunny and blue, and bushes and trees stand outside the building.

We Do Need to Reform the Supreme Court

Why introducing a term limit or a mandatory retirement age for Supreme Court justices is needed.
Haitians march in Port-au-Prince to commemorate the national day of the Haitian women's movement on April 3, 2021.

Gender Equality is Fundamental to Promoting Democracy

Funders and implementers should make this a core principle, as feminist foreign policy advocates press the case in democratic systems and institutions.
The dome of the U.S. Capitol Buidling and the US flag.

Investigating a Crisis: A Comparison of Six U.S. Congressional Investigatory Commissions

A report that surveys the design, powers, and outcomes of significant congressionally created investigative commissions.
A person on a motorbikes drives next to the construction site of a new road built by the Chinese company China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) in Antananarivo, on October 20, 2018.

Overlooking the Policy Connections: Fragility, Democracy, and Geopolitical Competition

To reinforce global democracy and compete with rivals, the US must prevent conflict and stabilize fragile states. The issues are intertwined.
Beji Caid Essebsi Tunisian President; Alpha Conde President of the Republic of Guinea, Faure Gnassingbe President of the Republic of Togo; Paul Kagame President of the Republic of Rwanda; German Chancellor Angela Merkel; German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz; Abdelfattah al-Sisi Egyptian President; Alassane Ouattara Ivory Coast president; Macky Sall President of the Republic of Senegal; Patrice Talon President of the Republic of Benin and President of the African Development Bank Akinwumi Adesina; Austria's Chancellor Sebastian Kurz; Abiy Ahmed Ali Ethiopian Prime Minister; International Monetary Fund (IMF) chief Christine Lagarde; Nana Akufo-Addo President of the Republic of Ghana; Cyril Ramaphosa South African President; World Bank President Jim Yong Kim; African Union (AU) Commission representative Moussa Faki Mahamat and Morocco's Finance Minister Mohamed Benchaaboun pose for a picture during the "Compact with Africa" conference on trade, aid and diplomacy on October 30, 2018 at the Chancellery in Berlin.

What Are the Stakes of the Upcoming Elections in Benin?

Since becoming the first country in Africa to overthrow a military dictator by democratic means, the Republic of Benin has been a highly stable and robust democracy, widely renowned…
Troops stand in lines with their hands behind their backs. U.S. Special Operations Forces and Mozambican leaders stand in front of the troops giving instructions as part of a two-month Joint Combined Exchange Training (JCET) training program.

Getting US-Africa Relations Back on Track With a Focus on Human Rights

The Biden administration needs to ensure that solutions it offers for the continent's challenges are Africa-led, inclusive, multilateral, and multifaceted.
Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip Yahya Sinwar visits the construction site of a field hospital to house coronavirus patients in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on March 23, 2020.

Amid Palestinian Election Plans, Time to Challenge Hamas?

A new approach to longstanding Quartet conditions for recognizing any Palestinian government might incentivize Hamas to move away from violence.
A folio lays and a dark surface. The front page reads, “FARA and 951 Presentation and Roundtable June 29, 2017.”

In Absence of Foreign Agents Registration Reform, DOJ Tweaks Could Make a Big Difference

Its core obligations have not been comprehensively updated since the 1960s. Until they are, the executive branch could address key shortcomings.
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