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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3,435 Articles
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…
A picture shows a general view of the Israeli settlement of Givat Zeev, near the Palestinian city of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, on February 3, 2023

Israel is Annexing the West Bank. Don’t be Misled by its Gaslighting

Three indicators can show a change in the legal status of a territory, demonstrating de jure annexation, even without a formal declaration. Under this test, Israel is presently…

The US Needs a Strategy for (Human) Security Cooperation

The result is a frequent perception of enabling rights abuses and atrocities committed by foreign military partners.
Military unmanned aerial vehicle at sunset.

Rephrasing the “Ethical Checklist”: Grappling with Tough Foreign Policy Choices

How can states pursue more ethical, value-based approaches to foreign policy amidst competing priorities and strategic realities?
Barbed wire fence

A Big Few Weeks for Guantanamo: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

"It’s been an uncharacteristically Guantanamo-news-filled few weeks – some good, some bad, some ugly. Here’s a quick rundown of recent developments."
Image collage of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg (left) and former President Donald Trump (right)

Trump’s Hush Money is News Again. Here’s Why We Should Care

A criminal investigation of former president Donald Trump now being restarted by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, and also discussed in a new book by one of his former…

Pomerantz vs. Pomerantz: An Annotation of His Leaked Resignation Letter in Manhattan DA Trump Investigation

"Many of the assertions in the book, rather than support Pomerantz's resignation letter, cast a very different impression of his prior claims."
A man browses social media platforms on his mobile phone, with a computer in the background

Facebook Beware: The “Rest of World” is Hitting Back

A constitutional petition in Kenya asks its High Court to order Facebook to change its algorithm to demote inciteful, hateful and dangerous content.
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