Austria Rule of Law
Rule of Law RL.EST
Austria's rule of law was 1.65 in 2025, ranked 11th globally. This represents a 5.6% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank WGI, covering 1996–2025.
Overview
Austria's rule of law stood at 1.65 in 2025, a decline of +0.10 from 2023. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 1.65 by 2025. Austria ranked 11th globally.
Austria’s Rule of Law score on the World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators has slipped from an all‑time peak of 1.94 in 2007 to a trough of 1.65 in 2025, placing the country at 11th globally among 190 economies. The 26‑year series shows a gradual erosion of institutional quality, with the latest figure of 1.65 matching the lowest point recorded for the nation. By comparison, neighbouring Switzerland registers a slightly higher score of 1.69, while New Zealand and San Marino sit at 1.63, underscoring that Austria now trails several peers with comparable legal frameworks. The downward trajectory reflects challenges such as slower judicial reforms and perceived gaps in enforcement consistency that have emerged since the mid‑2000s. If Austria can accelerate legislative modernization and strengthen independent oversight, the score may stabilize or modestly improve, but absent such measures the declining pattern is likely to persist.
Data & projection
| Year | Rule of Law | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* trend | 1.62 | - | - |
| 2025* trend | 1.65 | - | - |
| 2025 | 1.65 | −0.10 | #11 |
| 2023 | 1.75 | +0.04 | #7 |
| 2022 | 1.70 | −0.05 | #10 |
| 2021 | 1.75 | −0.02 | #7 |
| 2020 | 1.77 | −0.09 | #7 |
| 2019 | 1.86 | +0.01 | #4 |
| 2018 | 1.85 | +0.05 | #4 |
| 2017 | 1.80 | +0.04 | #7 |
| 2016 | 1.76 | −0.05 | #10 |
| 2015 | 1.81 | −0.12 | #9 |
| 2014 | 1.94 | +0.10 | #8 |
| 2013 | 1.83 | −0.02 | #6 |
| 2012 | 1.86 | +0.06 | #6 |
| 2011 | 1.80 | −0.00 | #8 |
| 2010 | 1.80 | +0.02 | #8 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Austria matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2021. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw rule of law improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Austria's rule of law was 1.65 in 2025. Ranked 11th globally. This represents a 5.6% decrease from the previous year.
Austria's rule of law peaked at 1.94 in 2007.
The lowest rule of law in Austria was 1.65 in 2025.
Austria ranks 11th globally in rule of law as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is RL.EST. Data sourced from World Bank WGI.
Austria's rule of law is projected to reach 1.65 by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The rule of law of Austria in 2025 was 1.65. This ranks 11th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_austria_rule-of-law,
title = {Austria Rule of Law},
url = {https://historysaid.com/austria/rule-of-law/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}