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.
3,183 Articles
15 Years On, Landmark Guinea Trial Delivers on Justice and Shows Path for Future Accountability
The national trial, which began 13 years after the massacre, is a rare example of domestic accountability for former senior officials.
What the Arizona GOP’s Surprise Reversal in ‘Noncitizen’ Voting Litigation Reveals
The false notion of noncitizens voting in large numbers in federal elections has emerged as a faultline in U.S. politics. While an explosion of new legislation and lawsuits across…
The Essential Role of ‘Civic Space’ in Safeguarding Electoral Integrity: How a Decision in Africa Can Reverberate
The landmark African Union case over an Ethiopian election provides a roadmap for safeguarding democracy in the face of authoritarianism.
A Confusing Rule for the Ages: A Review of the Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing on Presidential Immunity
The Senate Judiciary Committee's presidential immunity hearing showed fault lines in reactions to the Trump v. United States decision.
Summary of DOJ Indictment of Iranian 2024 Election Interference
Editor’s note: Readers may also be interested in David Aaron’s analysis of the indictment. On Friday, the Department of Justice announced charges in another state-sponsored…
Analysis of Remarkable and Unremarkable Aspects of Iranian 2024 Election Interference Indictment
What's novel and what's routine in the indictment of the three alleged Iranian government operatives.
The Next Step for USAID’s New Digital Policy: Account for Conflict Risks and Include Peacebuilding
These elements are vital to ensuring that the agency's aid programs related to digital technology address drivers of violent conflict and fragility, and mitigate risks.
Will US Public Support for Ukraine Aid Survive the Presidential Campaign?
It is unlikely that Democratic messaging will emphasize the importance of aid to the same extent as Republican attacks will question it.
Absolute Presidential Immunity and the Evasion of Checks and Balances: My Testimony Before the Senate Judiciary Committee
"The potential abuses of official power that are made possible by the Court’s ruling, and the neutering of Congress’s ability to act, are alarming."
Rethinking the United Nations Cybercrime Treaty
The U.N. Convention Against Cybercrime clearly challenges the democratic vision for a free Internet and puts the United States on the spot.
The New Intelligence Community Directive on Prepublication Review: Important Reforms and Critical Omissions
The ODNI's prepublication review directive improves several important aspects of the system, but fails to make certain critical changes.
Musk, X, and Trump 2024: Where are the Legal and Ethical Boundaries?
Analysis of the ethical and legal lines for social media companies in influencing the outcome of a presidential election, in light of Elon Musk's support for former President Trump.