New Zealand is now ranked seventh out of 143 countries in the 2026 World Justice Project Rule of Law Index, down from fifth place last year. The country recorded an overall score of 0.83/1.0.
The World Justice Project found that around two-thirds of countries experienced deterioration in rule of law measures, with concerns centred on restrictions on civic freedoms and growing government interference in justice systems.
For New Zealand, the biggest fall was in open government, where the country dropped three places globally. The index also recorded declines in constraints on government powers, fundamental rights, regulatory enforcement and criminal justice.
However, New Zealand remains the highest-ranked country in the East Asia and Pacific region. It also continues to perform strongly in areas closely associated with public trust and institutional integrity.
The findings come little more than a year after the New Zealand Law Society Te Kāhui Ture o Aotearoa published its landmark report, Strengthening the Rule of Law in Aotearoa New Zealand, which describes some of the key challenges to the rule of law in Aotearoa New Zealand, and made recommendations to address those challenges.
Drawing on extensive consultation with lawyers, academics and stakeholders, the report found particular concern about unequal access to justice and increasing departures from good lawmaking processes. It warned that the growing use of urgency, truncated consultation processes and reduced select committee scrutiny can undermine transparency, accountability and public confidence in government decision-making.
The report also pointed to continuing pressures on legal aid, difficulties accessing legal services in some parts of the country, and delays within courts and tribunals as issues affecting access to justice and confidence in the legal system.
The World Justice Project Rule of Law Index was first piloted in 2008 and now measures rule of law performance across 143 countries and jurisdictions. New Zealand ranked sixth globally in 2015 and remains the highest-ranked country in the East Asia and Pacific region in the 2026 index.
