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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3,161 Articles
La Meute, a far-right, anti-immigration group, holds a rally in Quebec City, Canada, on August 20, 2017.

Canada is Starting to Outlaw Far-Right Groups, and It’s About Time

When the Canadian government listed Blood & Honour, a neo-Nazi group, and its armed branch, Combat 18, as terrorist organizations last month, it marked the first time that any…
Silhouettes of Trump and Putin as they arrive for a group photo at the G20 Summit in Osaka on June 28, 2019.

Norms Watch: Damage to Democracy and Rule of Law in June 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…
This aerial photo shows solar photovoltaic modules on a hillside in a village in Chuzhou, in eastern China's Anhui province on April 13, 2017.

One Key Instrument to Confront China and Climate Change

The United States has an opportunity to begin tackling both the security and economic threats posed by China and those posed by climate change, through one action: investing in…
Soldiers of Eurocorps carry an European Union flag during the flag-raising ceremony on the eve of the inaugural session of new European Parliament on July 1, 2019 in front of Louise Weiss building, headquarters of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, eastern France.

Trumping Transatlantic Relations, EU Struggles to Get Its House in Order

Whoever will be selected to run the European Commission or become the president of the European Council, the partnership with the United States will be one of the top priorities.…
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After Sudan’s Attacks on Protesters, Crucial Next Steps for the U.S.

(Editor’s note: This is the second of two articles on the Sudan security forces’ June 3 attacks on peaceful demonstrators and what may happen next. The first article detailed…
Australian founder of whistleblowing website, 'WikiLeaks', Julian Assange holds up a copy of today's Guardian newspaper during a press conference in London on July 26, 2010. The headline reads, “Massive leak of secret files exposes true Afghan war.”

Assange’s Indictment: A Threat to Everyone

Had the precedent of the Justice Department’s prosecution of Julian Assange existed in the past, there are numerous cases that could have resulted in a prosecution under the…
Sudanese protesters walk past burning tyres during a demonstration in Khartoum's twin city of Omdurman on June 3, 2019.

As Sudan Deadline Looms, a Playbook for a Massacre

The live ammunition, tear gas, and severe beatings that Sudanese security forces unleashed on peaceful demonstrators on June 3 shook the country’s pro-democracy movement and…
Sen. Cory Booker, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, former Texas congressman Beto O'Rourke, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, and former Maryland congressman John Delaney take the stage during the first night of the Democratic presidential debate on June 26, 2019 in Miami, Florida.

Looking to 2020: A Presidential Pledge for Gender Parity in National Security Appointments

Fifteen of the Democratic candidates running for president have signed a pledge that they will seek gender parity in their national security appointments.
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and his daughter Ivanka Trump work with campaign manager Paul Manafort while testing the teleprompters and microphones on stage before the start of the fourth day of the Republican National Convention on July 21, 2016 at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.

Did Trump and His Team Successfully Obstruct Mueller’s Investigation?

Special Counsel Robert Mueller found “numerous links” between Russia and the Trump campaign that are deeply troubling, but the evidence was insufficient to establish a violation…
Side-by-side photos of Trump and Donaldson

Annie Donaldson is Not the President’s “Alter Ego”

It could almost be a bar exam question. Under the Executive Branch theory that the president’s senior aides are “absolutely immune” from appearing before Congress, which…
The end of a section of the border wall stands on the U.S. side of the U.S.-Mexico border, with Tijuana in the background, on April 3, 2019 in Otay Mesa, California. U.S.

Journalist Watchlist Raises Specter of Civil Rights-Era Secret Surveillance

Throughout his campaign and now his presidency, historians have drawn parallels between President Trump’s treatment of the news media and the Nixon White House’s efforts to…
US President-elect Donald Trump along with his son Donald, Jr., arrive for a press conference at Trump Tower in New York. Allen Weisselberg, chief financial officer of The Trump, stands behind them. January 11, 2017.

Congress, Don’t Get Distracted: New Laws Aren’t Needed to Make It a Crime to Accept Foreign Election Help

Focusing on enacting a new law requiring reporting to the FBI is a distraction from holding Trump accountable for what happened during the 2016 election.
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