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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3,162 Articles
A collage of witnesses called to testify during the Ukraine Impeachment Inquiry.

A Who’s Who of Ukraine Witnesses

A guide to all of the witnesses who have either testified or have been requested to testify in the impeachment inquiry.
Paul Ney Gives a Talk at Vanderbilt Law School on September 3, 2019.

Top DoD Lawyer Stresses U.S. Compliance with the Rule of Law in Military Operations

On September 3, 2019, Paul Ney, the General Counsel of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), delivered the Charney Distinguished Lecture in International Law at Vanderbilt Law…
Turkish-born German writer Dogan Akhanli holds a press conference at the lower house of the Spanish Parliament, Las Cortes, in Madrid, on August 30, 2017.

Interpol Proves Critics Right in Choosing Turkey to Host General Assembly

Allowing Turkey to host the general assembly could be used by Interpol as an opportunity to rein in despotic regimes abusing the Red Notice system for political gain. Unfortunately,…
Side by side photographs of Declan Walsh, Iyad El-Baghdadi, Jamal Khashoggi, and Omar Abdulaziz.

Duty to Warn: Has the Trump Administration Learned from the Khashoggi Failure?

This attitude shift alone, if it has indeed taken place, is commendable, but should not reduce scrutiny of what happened in the Declan Walsh case.
John Solomon

A Dozen Questions for John Solomon

Twelve questions for Solomon who the Post said “played an important role in advancing a flawed, Trump-friendly tale of corruption in Ukraine.”
Trump makes a statement in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House October 27, 2019 in Washington, DC.

Norms Watch: Damage to Democracy and Rule of Law in October 2019

Editor’s Note: Welcome to the latest installment of Norms Watch, our series tracking both the flouting of democratic norms by the Trump administration and the erosion of those…
Laura Cooper, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Russia, Ukraine, and Eurasia arrives for a closed-door deposition at the US Capitol in Washington, DC on October 30, 2019.

Executive Privilege is No Bar to Testimony Before Impeachment Investigators

Impeachment is different from regular congressional oversight. Witnesses summoned to appear before the House Intelligence Committee should not view executive privilege as standing…
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky leaves a search and rescue ship in the port city of Mariupol on June 15, 2019, after a military exercises in the Sea of Azov.

Why Does Ukraine’s Zelenskyy Say He Felt No Pressure From Trump?

Ukraine’s new president has played along with Trump -- in their July 25 phone call and in remarks since then. That has allowed the Trump-Giuliani camp to cite his statements…
A U.S. Air Force Commando Solo aircraft flies over the Statue of LIberty October 23, 2001 in New York Harbor.

More or Less Justice? More or Less Security?

Reflecting on what's changed since Just Security launched six years ago, and three challenges that we now confront.
Speaker of the House, U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) presides over the U.S. House of Representatives as it votes on a resolution formalizing the impeachment inquiry centered on U.S. President Donald Trump in the House Chamber October 31, 2019 in Washington, DC.

A Game-Changing Provision in the House Impeachment Resolution

The measure would keep Trump’s lawyers from participating in the impeachment process if the White House continues to refuse to produce documents and bar witnesses from testifying,…

Exclusive: White House Ignored Pentagon Warning on Ukraine Funding

The Pentagon warned the White House over the summer that if the Ukraine funding wasn’t released by August 6, DoD would be at risk of violating the law.
Venezuela's National Assembly head Juan Guaido waves to the crowd during a mass opposition rally against leader Nicolas Maduro in which he declared himself the country's "acting president", on the anniversary of a 1958 uprising that overthrew military dictatorship, in Caracas on January 23, 2019.

The Rio Treaty: Paving the Way for Military Intervention in Venezuela?

Renewed focus on the presence of terrorist groups in Venezuela, and the Maduro regime’s involvement with such groups, suggest that the ground is being paved for a potential military…
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