Greece is again at the bottom of the rule of law ranking – in the top three worst in Europe

According to the latest report World Justice Project (WJP) for 2025, Greece maintains a low position in the international rule of law indexranking 48th out of 143 countries and remaining among the bottom three in Europe.

The country ranks 29th out of 31 European countries, second only to Bulgaria And Hungary.

The report records weakening institutions and “shrinking public space,” where freedom of expression, assembly and citizen participation in public life have deteriorated. These trends, according to experts, undermine the foundations of democracy and increase political influence over the judiciary.

Greece is losing ground

Greece was ranked 47th in 2024, but fell to 48th in 2025, reflecting a gradual deterioration of the rule of law. The situation in the sphere of criminal and civil justice: The country ranks 55th and 50th respectively. Marked delays in trialsinterference by politicians and tests of judicial independence by the executive.

Last in Europe for safety

Greece’s worst performance is in the “order and security” index – 71st in the world and last among European countries. W.J.P. attributes this to the ineffectiveness of law enforcement institutions, low citizen trust and slow justice.

The problems also concern other areas:

• Corruption: 53rd place in the world, weak control and opaque procedures.
• Open Control: 41st place – limited access of citizens to information and low level of participation in decision-making.

General trends and international context

Globally, WJP notes increased authoritarian tendencies. In 70% of the world’s countries, a deterioration in political freedoms has been recorded. In particular, freedom of speech decreased in 73% of countries, right of assembly – in 72%, and citizen participation – 71%, including Greece.

While Denmark, Norway And Finland maintain their position as leaders with the highest transparency and justice scores, Greece consistently lags behind despite its status as a member state EU. At the other pole – Venezuela, Afghanistan And Cambodiawhere the institutions of power are practically destroyed.

Expert commentary

According to the director of the index Alicia Evangelidesthe world is experiencing a “general erosion of democratic limits on power.” “We see a decrease in transparency, an increase in political control over the courts and a decrease in respect for the basic rights of citizens.”“, she emphasized.

For Greece the report becomes another reminder of the need real reforms in the judicial system, improving the effectiveness of institutions and protecting freedom of expression. Without these changes, the country risks remaining at the bottom of European rule of law rankings.

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