On 26 October 2022, the World Justice Project (WJP), an independent, multidisciplinary organisation, released its 2022 Rule of Law Index. The WJP surveyed citizens and experts in 140 countries and jurisdictions in order to measure the state of the rule of law. The Index presents a portrait of the rule of law by providing scores and rankings based on eight factors:

• Constraints on government powers;
• Absence of corruption;
• Open government;
• Fundamental rights;
• Order and security;
• Regulatory enforcement;
• Civil justice;
• Criminal justice.

The 2022 Rule of Law Index noted a global and continuing decline in the rule of law. The adherence to the rule of law fell in 61% of countries. Two thirds of countries whose scores declined in 2021 experienced decline again in 2022. 4.4 billion people live in a country where rule of law is declining. Declines are especially visible in the area of fundamental rights, where a decline could be seen in two thirds of the countries in 2022. The report stressed that the decline in the respect for fundamental human rights and freedoms (such as freedom of expression and opinion) and the decline in the "constraints on government powers" (e.g. oversight by the judiciary, legislature, and media) mark a rise in authoritarianism.

The top-ranked country in the WJP Rule of Law Index 2022 is Denmark, followed by Norway (2), Finland (3), Sweden (4), the Netherlands (5), and Germany (6). CoE Member States Hungary (73), Serbia (83), and Albania (87) draw up the rear in promoting a culture of lawfulness.