A digital map of Europe with countries and their internal regions outlined in light blue against a dark blue background. The map covers the entire European continent, extending slightly into parts of neighboring regions, including North Africa, the Middle East, and western Russia. The surrounding ocean and seas are also depicted in a deep blue color. No labels, names, or additional details are present.

With the launch of World Justice Project EUROVOICES, WJP has created a uniquely comprehensive assessment of the rule of law at the local level across the European Union. Find out how this metric was created, from its conceptual framework and data collection to the development of innovative features.

World Justice Project EUROVOICES evaluates, analyzes, and maps out national and regional variations in how people in the EU perceive and experience democratic governance, fundamental rights, justice, safety, corruption, transparency, regulatory enforcement, and the business climate. In total, over 72,000 surveys were conducted, covering all 27 EU member states and examining 110 distinct subnational regions.

 

How was this ambitious new metric created?. 
 

Developed over three years by a multidisciplinary team of economists, statisticians, data analysts, designers, and political scientists, World Justice Project EUROVOICES aims to improve understanding of justice at the EU subnational level. Its production can be roughly divided into three phases, as detailed below. 

A Three-Phase Approach

  1. The conceptual framework, which builds upon the WJP’s methodology for the global WJP Rule of Law Index© and our subnational Mexico States Rule of Law Index, with adaptations that reflect the institutional architecture of the EU. WJP presented and discussed this conceptual framework with representatives from international organizations, academic institutions, EU and multilateral agencies, civil society, and national human rights bodies.The survey questionnaires were designed in this phase, as well as the indicators. For a deeper understanding of our methodology, download WJP’s EUROVOICES Conceptual and Measurement Framework. 
  2. The data collection, WJP worked with leading local polling companies to conduct surveys in local languages and ran pilot tests to finalize the questionnaires. 
  3. The data analysis, presentation and validation, where WJP employed innovative tools and methodologies to showcase the wealth of primary information gathered, spanning diverse topics, demographics, and subnational regions. This is also when we ensure our findings are coherent.  

The phases were not clear cut, they fed into each other, each segment building upon and iteratively enhancing outputs.

 

 

Data Sources for the World Justice Project EUROVOICES. 
 

Distinguishing EUROVOICES from the WJP Rule of Law Index© posed a significant challenge for the World Justice Project team. For the first time, WJP decided to split primary data from two different sources: legal experts and EU citizens. The Expert Scorecard is based on over 8,000 survey responses from legal practitioners and academics; while People’s Voices reflects the perspectives of over 64,000 people living in the EU.

 

An infographic titled 'World Justice Project EUROVOICES at a glance' presents key findings on rule of law perceptions in Europe. It highlights surveys with 72,000+ people, 64,000+ voices, and 8,000+ expert opinions across 27 EU countries and 110 regions. The study covers democracy, justice, and transparency, with 880 survey questions in 20+ languages. Visual elements include a group of people, a map of Europe on a blackboard, and an open report. Key topics include civil justice, media freedom, corruption, elections, and police accountability.

 

Ensuring Data Accuracy 

For representative sampling in People’s Voices, respondents were selected using a probability-based approach in each country. Surveys were conducted in over 20 local languages after they were adapted to include local expressions and pilot-tested in each country. To maximize accessibility, data collection used both face-to-face interviews and online polling.  

The sheer number of surveys completed allowed us to provide regionally representative data for 280 questions that can be disaggregated by gender, income, age, and level of urbanization, in the case of People’s Voices, and to evaluate 49 dimensions of the rule of law in the Expert Scorecard.  

WJP also employed quantitative and qualitative checks to ensure the results of our data analysis were robust. These included data comparisons with trusted third-party sources and official databases; reviews of rule of law, justice, and governance reports; AI-powered media analysis; and expert interviews to understand regional differences. 

 

How did we innovate with WJP EUROVOICES? 

The highly specific data queries we offer presented a challenge in itself: How do you facilitate information discovery amidst 280 questions on diverse topics like policing, justice, and environmental protection? How do you clearly distinguish data sources? 

To ensure that this unprecedented data collection is genuinely useful, accessible, and engaging for users, WJP strategically implemented design sprints to cultivate a robust user experience.  Our multidisciplinary team interviewed over 50 key stakeholders and prospective users to develop and test prototypes on everything from surveys and data visualization to copy and branding. In the end, several features emerged as essential. These included interactive and thematic reports that serve different audiences, an integrated search bar for seamless exploration of survey questions to mitigate information overload, and differentiated grading systems tailored to the Expert Scorecard (calculated to the nearest decimal point) and People’s Voices datasets (presented as percentages).). 

Additionally, the scale of the project allowed WJP to innovate in brand new ways. To effectively manage the vast amount of data collected, our team developed an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based approach to news media analysis. This AI system efficiently analyzed and categorized news articles from diverse EU media, directly integrating these insights into the project's framework, and significantly enhancing the data validation process. 

A collage of four photographs showing a team engaged in a User Experience (UX) design and development process. In the top-left image, two individuals, one wearing a navy blue shirt and another in a yellow shirt, are sitting at a desk, writing on paper with various stationery items around them. In the top-right image, a woman in a white shirt stands by a wall, pointing at hand-drawn wireframes and notes. The bottom-left image displays a large sheet of paper with structured notes, sketches, and columns labeled "Touchpoint," "Exploration," "Diff. + Return," and "Achievement." In the bottom-right image, another woman, wearing a black shirt, gestures towards a wall covered in wireframes and project notes. 
WJP’s multidisciplinary team working on user journeys and product features.
A digital diagram visually outlining a User Experience design and development process divided into two stages. "Stage 1" focuses on ideation, prototyping, and testing, involving brainstorming, creating an MVP, and refining designs based on feedback. "Stage 2" involves content structuring, development, proofing, and release, with activities such as content organization, testing, and final functionality checks.  
WJP’s iterative process to develop the data presentation and products.

 

Using EUROVOICES Data
 

World Justice Project EUROVOICES is structured into three thematic areas: Democracy and Fundamental Rights; Justice and Safety; and Transparency and Corruption.

Who is it for?

WJP EUROVOICES is designed for policymakers, academics, students, analysts, activists and the media. It aims to empower decision makers to identify evidence-based policy priorities that equitably advance sustainable development and reinforce the critical EU founding principle of the rule of law.

How can it be used?

We designed WJP EUROVOICES to be as widely applicable as possible, ranging from academic deep dives to the development of evidence-based policy reforms. Granular EUROVOICES data, available at both the national and local levels, enables users to identify specific opportunities to understand the needs of diverse communities and improve everything from workers' rights in southern Spain to equal access to justice in northern Finland, and everything in between.

A digital graphic features a quote from Alejandro Ponce, WJP’s Executive Director, on the EUROVOICES data. The quote reads: “We hope EUROVOICES data will empower decision makers to identify areas of vulnerability and to pursue evidence-based policies that ensure a strong rule of law foundation in every EU community.” The background is a combination of dark blue and teal, with the quote enclosed in a speech bubble-like shape. Alejandro Ponce's name and title appear in bold at the bottom left. 

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