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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3,333 Articles
A volunteer lifts a pot of soup from the stove at a humanitarian center in Bakhmut on February 3, 2023, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Photo by YASUYOSHI CHIBA/AFP via Getty Images)

Voices from the Frontlines of Democracy in Ukraine: Supporting and Protecting Civil Society

How the country's vibrant civic organizations came to the rescue in war, and how the international community can help them.

Speech or Debate Immunity Will Not Protect Scott Perry’s Phone

On Thursday, the DC Circuit Court of Appeals held a hearing on whether Rep. Scott Perry (R-Penn.) is protected by the Speech or Debate Clause from the Jan. 6 criminal investigation....
Helicopter hovering above an American flag

A Values-based Approach to Foreign Policy? Lessons for the Biden Administration

Integrating human security into U.S. military planning would give substance to the idea of a values-based approach to foreign policy.
This picture taken by Taiwan's Central News Agency (CNA) shows visiting Ukraine lawmaker Kira Rudik (2nd R) speaking next to Taiwanese legislator Huang Shih-chieh (2nd L), with respective flags, at the Parliament in Taipei on October 25, 2022. (Photo by STR/CNA/AFP via Getty Images)

Q&A: A Ukrainian MP on National Unity and the Drive for the World’s Support

Golos Party Leader Kira Rudik describes the harrowing year in Ukraine's Parliament since Russia’s full-scale assault.

In War, Ukraine’s Parliament Asserts Its Democratic Role

MP Oleksiy Goncharenko says his country shows it has by far the more stable political system compared with Russia, even under this onslaught.
Saudi Riyal Banknotes showing King Salman of Saudi Arabia

Why Mohamed bin Salman’s Slush Fund is an Urgent National Security Matter for Congress

"It may be shocking for Americans to realize that there are no laws barring U.S. officials from working or doing business with foreign governments once out of office, despite the…
This illustration photo taken on February 14, 2023 shows a phone screen displaying a picture of rescuers working on a residential building destroyed after a missile strike, in Dnipro, Ukraine, on January 16, 2023, with the WarOnFakes.com website in the background displaying a fake video of the same residential building. A Russian missile smashed a Ukrainian apartment complex, killing dozens. Pro-Russian propagandists offered a slick counter narrative that shifted the blame away from Moscow -- using pseudo fact-checking as a tool of disinformation. (Photo by OLIVIER DOULIERY/AFP via Getty Images)

One Year Later, Lessons from Ukraine in Fighting Disinformation

Despite persistent Russian-backed manipulation, Ukraine and its allies are winning the information war in key respects.
Pence gives remarks at a podium in front of American flags.

The Limited Scope of Vice President Pence’s Speech or Debate Clause Immunity

Pence's protection under the Speech and Debate Clause won't protect him from a subpoena to testify before the Special Counsel's grand jury.

Repatriating Alleged ISIS-Linked Men from Northeast Syria: The Start of Judicial Responses to the Political Stalemate

Recent rulings may force countries to reckon with their denial of due process to the accused and justice to the victims.
series of banknotes

Purpose “Unknown”: Proposed Forms Would Undermine Corporate Transparency Act’s Ownership Reporting Regime

Without significant changes, FinCEN’s proposed ownership information reports will enable incomplete reporting and undermine the anti-money laundering, anti-corruption, and tax…
Futuristic data screen and hologram world map

The Year of Section 702 Reform, Part I: Backdoor Searches

Requiring a warrant for U.S. person queries honors the balance between security and liberty struck in the Fourth Amendment and ensures that Section 702 can’t be used to get around…
Burning candles on a black table

Could It Happen Here?: The Holocaust and Atrocities in the 21st Century

(Editor’s note: This article is published as part of our ongoing coverage of International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Read related content here.) As for many, last month’s…
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