Rule of law index in the USA and EU

Transatlantic cooperation is underpinned by shared values, in particular, democracy and the rule of law. However, given the global erosion of such values since the mid 1990s, and at an accelerated pace during the past five years, they can no longer be taken for granted. In the USA, 59 % reported concerns with how democracy was working, while in the EU 48 % expressed dissatisfaction. A comparative index produced by the World Justice Project (see Figure 4) suggests that the rule of law is stronger in EU countries compared to the USA. EU countries fare better in several respects, such as constraints on government, civil justice and criminal justice, while open government is stronger in the USA. The Covid 19 pandemic is further testing the rule of law in the USA, which has declined since 2016