New Data Tool: “World Justice Project EUROVOICES” Digs Deep to Measure Rule of Law across the EU

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New Data Tool: “World Justice Project EUROVOICES” Digs Deep to Measure Rule of Law across the EU 

Data reveals state of justice and democratic governance across all 27 EU countries and 110 subnational regions  

BRUSSELS and WASHINGTON (November 26, 2024) – The World Justice Project (WJP) today launched a new interactive data tool that measures dozens of justice, governance, and rule of law indicators across all 27 European Union (EU) countries and 110 subnational regions. 

World Justice Project EUROVOICES draws on original WJP surveys of over 72,000 local people and legal experts to reveal EU-wide trends, as well as national, regional, and demographic disparities in how people perceive and experience the rule of law.  

“The European Union has long been a global leader in the rule of law, which is the very foundation of healthy communities of justice, opportunity, and peace,” said WJP Co-founder and President William H. Neukom, “But there is always more work to be done, especially as the EU faces new and rising pressures on democracy.” 

Funded by the European Union, World Justice Project EUROVOICES provides disaggregated data at the national and subnational level across three thematic areas: Democracy and Fundamental Rights; Justice and Safety; and Transparency and Corruption. 

Key Findings 

Democracy and Fundamental Rights 

• Fundamental freedoms are protected: The freedoms of assembly, association, and expression are well-protected across most EU regions; however, some regions are falling short in upholding these essential rights.                                                                                            
• People can vote freely: Most people in EU regions agree that they can vote freely, without feeling harassed or pressured.                                                                                                        
• People worry about misinformation: Most people in EU regions believe senior government officials use misinformation to shape public opinion in their favor.                         
• Discrimination is a challenge across the EU: More than 25% of people faced discrimination during the past year in approximately 80% of EU regions. 

Justice and Safety 

• Most people who experienced legal problems got the advice they needed: Legal problems are ubiquitous across EU regions. People facing legal problems have access to quality information and advice, and, to a lesser extent, appropriate assistance and representation, with important variations between regions.                                                             
• In general, people believe that justice is expensive: Across EU regions, respondents think that most people cannot easily afford the costs of legal assistance and representation, or the costs of dispute resolution mechanisms if they face a legal problem, with significant variations between regions.                                                                                                       
• Criminal justice is generally considered effective, but not everyone feels they benefit equally: Most people in EU regions agree that the criminal justice system is effective and respects the rights of both victims and the accused, though there are important variations between regions. However, many believe that not everyone is treated equally. 

Transparency and Corruption 

• For the most part, people do not think that state institutions are corrupt: Across EU regions most people do not believe courts, parliaments, or other state institutions are corrupt. However, concerns exist regarding national governments and parliaments in regions of about a third of EU countries. Additionally, in regions of more than half of EU countries, people believe that political parties are the most corrupt compared to other state institutions.                                                                                                                                        
• Anticorruption measures are seen as ineffective: Across EU regions, most people think government actions to control corruption have been ineffective so far.                                       
• Authorities are perceived as transparent and providing information: Expert assessments of transparency and access to information at local level across EU regions are to a large extent positive, and most people believe that local authorities provide accessible information. 

General Trends Across Regions  

• Governance is important for development: Across EU regions, where democratic governance is stronger, so is economic development.                                                               
• People have more trust in local authorities: Public trust is higher in local authorities than in national governments across EU regions, with 52% of respondents trusting local governments compared to 41% for national ones.                                                                      
• Governance varies less within countries than across them: Public perceptions of the rule of law vary more between countries than across regions of the same country.                  
• People in urban and rural areas largely agree on justice and the rule of law, with some exceptions: Across EU regions, urban and rural residents generally share similar views on issues related to justice and the rule of law, though differences emerge in specific regions, countries, population groups, and topics.                                                                        
• Gender inequality persists: Across EU regions, women generally share similar views to men on justice and the rule of law but hold more negative opinions regarding gender equality in both public and private life.  

Original Data for Evidence-Based Policymaking 

World Justice Project EUROVOICES allows users to explore and visualize two original data sources at the national and subnational level.  

Expert Scorecard data draws on surveys of more than 8,000 local legal practitioners and academics to evaluate 49 dimensions of the rule of law, while People’s Voices draws on the voices of 64,000 local people to provide regionally representative question-level data that can be disaggregated by gender, income, age, and level of urbanization.   

“Rule of law disparities hinder equitable economic development and social cohesion, which are critical to the future of the European Union,” said Alejandro Ponce, WJP’s chief research officer.  

“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.” 

Explore World Justice Project EUROVOICES at: eurovoices.worldjusticeproject.org. 

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About the World Justice Project:   

The World Justice Project (WJP) is an independent, nonpartisan, multidisciplinary organization working to create knowledge, build awareness, and stimulate action to advance the rule of law worldwide.  

WJP produces a variety of distinct research products, including the world’s leading source for original, independent data on the rule of law, the World Justice Project Rule of Law Index®. WJP data is used by governments, multilateral organizations, businesses, academia, media, and civil society organizations around the world to assess and address gaps in the rule of law. 

Effective rule of law reduces corruption, combats poverty and disease, and protects people from injustices large and small. It underpins development, accountable government, and respect for fundamental rights, and it is the foundation for communities of justice, health, opportunity, and peace. Learn more at: worldjusticeproject.org.