Einar H. Dyvik
Research expert covering Nordics and global data for society, economy, and politics
The Rule of Law in the EU - Statistics & Facts
The rule of law refers to a key principle by which liberal democracies function - that these societies are rule-bound, that these rules and laws are applied equally and fairly, and that citizens have clearly defined rights which they can appeal to if they believe they are being treated unfairly. In more practical terms, this usually means that institutions within democracies are allowed to be independent of the government, such as with an independent media, judiciary, and civil society. Violations of the rule of law may include cases where judges and courts make politically motivated judgements, where public officials are bribed or are otherwise corrupt, and such as unjust internment by the police.
