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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3,363 Articles
A newspaper illustration of the vote on the Impeachment of President Johnson in 1868.

The Constitution’s Option for Impeachment After a President Leaves Office

Top impeachment law scholar discusses the options for the 117th Congress.

The Incapacitation of a President and the Twenty-Fifth Amendment: A Reader’s Guide

An authoritative analysis of the Twenty-Fifth Amendment on the incapacitation of a president, and how it was intended to function.
Face masks with two most popular candidates for Uganda's Presidential election, incumbent President Yoweri Museveni and Robert Kyagulanyi, aka Bobi Wine, the pop star-turned-opposition leader, printed on them are sold in Kampala, Uganda, on January 4, 2021.

Ugandan Human Rights Lawyer Fights Charges on Eve of Presidential Election

Following a now-predictable pattern in the leadup to the polls, authorities have hastened arrests of political opponents and critics of President Museveni.
Legal blind justice Themis metal statue with scales on chains

Judges Doing What Judges Do: A Unified Theory of the 2020 Election Season

Dozens of judges, from all political persuasions, uniformly rejected the extravagant claims of President Donald Trump to set aside the presidential election results, or to compel…
The cap of the United States Capitol Building

How New Congress Can Shine Light on Trump Era and Persisting Abuses

Three kinds of information Congress should get from Biden administration.
File folders in a filing cabinet

The Promises of FOIA in 2021: A Ready Pathway to Accountability

It's not just a matter of choice for Biden admin. Here's what the Freedom of Information Act — and pending litigation — requires the executive branch to disclose about Trump…
Ivanka Trump watches Donald Trump speak during a news briefing on coronavirus on March 20, 2020 in Washington, DC. Neither wear face masks.

Purpose, Not Specificity, Limits the Pardon Power: A Rejoinder to Rappaport

'Tis the season for pardons. But must a pardon spell out the crimes to which it applies? The latest in an ongoing conversation between Prof's Bowman and Rappaport on the legality…
Presidential guards with large weapons stand guard near a campaign poster leaning against a wall with children sitting on top. The poster shows incumbent president during his opening campaign rally for the presidential election in Bangui, on December 12 2020.

Alarms Raised in Central African Republic: Pre-Election Fighting Threatens Civilians and Fragile Peace

Ahead of elections this weekend, risks of a dramatic escalation of violence and political crisis in Central African Republic. What you need to know.

Invoking Martial Law to Reverse the 2020 Election Could be Criminal Sedition

In his increasingly desperate bid to hang on to the White House, President Trump is reportedly contemplating invoking martial law to force the invalidation of the results of the…
Mike Pence, Rudy Giuliani, Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, Tiffany Trump, and others sit in the front row at the first US Presidential Debate at Hofstra University September 26, 2016 in Hempstead, New York.

Pardongate 2.0: Prosecutors and Congress Investigated Clinton’s Pardons. The Same Should Happen to Trump.

There's ample precedent (the investigations of Bill Clinton's pardons) and ample reason for Congress and the Department of Justice to launch investigations into President Trump's…
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping before the meeting at the Great Hall of People in Beijing, China on April 25, 2019. Country flags are lined behind them.

Serbia’s Delicate Dance with the EU and China

While European Union membership would be beneficial to Serbia as a whole, it may not serve the interests of the country’s ruling elites.
Members of the Proud Boys kick an anti-fascist protestor on the ground during a protest on December 12, 2020 in Washington, DC. Additional white supremacists stand around watching.

Risk of Election-Related Violence Remains, Here’s What Could Reduce It

Six weeks after the election, the United States still faces an elevated risk of political violence despite the Electoral College certifying the result and the courts upholding…
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