Finland Rule of Law
Rule of Law RL.EST
Finland's rule of law was 1.93 in 2025, ranked 2nd globally. This represents a 1.7% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank WGI, covering 1996–2025.
Overview
Finland's rule of law stood at 1.93 in 2025, a decline of +0.03 from 2023. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 1.93 by 2025. Finland ranked 2nd globally.
Finland’s Rule of Law score on the World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators stands at 1.93 in 2025, placing the country second worldwide and reflecting a modest rise from the earliest recorded level of 1.91 in 1996. The indicator reached its all‑time high of 2.12 in 2014, a period marked by extensive judicial reforms and strengthened anti‑corruption measures, before slipping to a trough of 1.90 in 2007 amid concerns over political financing. Over the 26‑year coverage span, Finland’s performance has consistently outpaced most peers, with Denmark recording a slightly higher score of 1.97, while Luxembourg (1.77) and Ireland (1.75) lag behind. The narrow gap between the current figure and the 2014 peak suggests limited headroom for further improvement, yet continued investments in judicial independence and digital transparency could sustain the upward trajectory and help Finland approach the top‑ranked benchmark.
Data & projection
| Year | Rule of Law | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* trend | 1.92 | - | - |
| 2025* trend | 1.93 | - | - |
| 2025 | 1.93 | −0.03 | #2 |
| 2023 | 1.97 | +0.01 | #1 |
| 2022 | 1.96 | −0.06 | #1 |
| 2021 | 2.01 | −0.01 | #1 |
| 2020 | 2.02 | +0.01 | #1 |
| 2019 | 2.01 | −0.02 | #1 |
| 2018 | 2.03 | +0.01 | #1 |
| 2017 | 2.02 | +0.02 | #1 |
| 2016 | 2.01 | −0.05 | #1 |
| 2015 | 2.05 | −0.07 | #1 |
| 2014 | 2.12 | +0.17 | #1 |
| 2013 | 1.96 | +0.01 | #2 |
| 2012 | 1.94 | +0.00 | #2 |
| 2011 | 1.94 | −0.02 | #1 |
| 2010 | 1.96 | −0.00 | #1 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Finland 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
Finland's rule of law was 1.93 in 2025. Ranked 2nd globally. This represents a 1.7% decrease from the previous year.
Finland's rule of law peaked at 2.12 in 2014.
The lowest rule of law in Finland was 1.90 in 2007.
Finland ranks 2nd globally in rule of law as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is RL.EST. Data sourced from World Bank WGI.
Finland's rule of law is projected to reach 1.93 by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The rule of law of Finland in 2025 was 1.93. This ranks 2nd in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_finland_rule-of-law,
title = {Finland Rule of Law},
url = {https://historysaid.com/finland/rule-of-law/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}