Democracy & Rule of Law
Rule of Law
941 Articles
A Roadmap for Reform: How the Biden Administration Can Revitalize the Office of Legal Counsel
As President-Elect Joe Biden announces his picks for cabinet positions, the Nation’s focus has increasingly turned to the challenges facing the incoming administration. One such…

Needed: A Whistleblower Protection Paradigm Shift
What should be done to provide truly meaningful and effective protections for government employees or contractors seeking to expose wrongdoing in the Intelligence Community?

Polish Government’s Attacks on Rule of Law Violate Not Only EU Norms but International Law
The repeated violations of fundamental rights and principles corrode the very foundations of the democracy Poland fought so hard to win.

We Can’t “Look Forward” on the Trump Administration’s Abuses
When President-elect Joe Biden takes office in January, he will confront a national economic crisis and a still out-of-control pandemic. He will also face questions about how to…

The Failed Transparency Regime for Executive Agreements
This article is cross-posted at Lawfare. In late October, the United States and Sudan reportedly signed a bilateral agreement “to resolve claims arising from the 1998…

Defending Human Rights Is Not Terrorism: The Egypt Arrests as a Case in Point
The UN's global counterterrorism system creates a permissive and enabling environment that sustains and facilitates abuse of rights defenders,

Cambodian Rights Activist and 55 Others Face Trial as Crackdown on Dissent Intensifies
Given the control that Prime Minister Hun Sen’s ruling party wields over the judiciary, their odds of getting a fair trial are slim.

The Next Attorney General’s Allegiance Must Be to the Rule of Law
The key credentials of the next AG should be significant prosecutorial experience at the federal or state level and an abiding fidelity to the apolitical administration of justice.

US-Opposed Probe of Colombia’s Uribe Is Essential Step in Road to Peace
Uribe was released under pressure last month, but attempts to thwart transitional justice will only undermine efforts to sustain the 2016 peace agreement.

Civic Leaders Are Stepping up to Safeguard the Election and Our Rule of Law
Civic leaders of all stripes can perform a critical function, by setting high expectations for officials and the public, urging responsible and peaceful conduct, and reinforcing…

Loyalty Above All: The “Shallow State” of the Trump Administration
A compilation of executive branch positions deprived of competence and expertise, and filled instead with political loyalists.

Good Governance Paper No. 18: Reforming Emergency Powers
Latest in series of top experts exploring proposals to restore and promote nonpartisan principles of good government, public integrity, and rule of law.