Israel Rule of Law
Rule of Law RL.EST
Israel's rule of law was 0.74 in 2025, ranked 49th globally. This represents a 5.9% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank WGI, covering 1996–2025.
Overview
Israel's rule of law stood at 0.74 in 2025, a decline of +0.05 from 2023. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 0.74 by 2025. Israel ranked 49th globally.
Israel’s rule‑of‑law score on the World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators has fallen from its all‑time peak of 1.28 in 1996 to a trough of 0.74 in 2025, placing it 49th globally out of 193 economies. The 26‑year coverage shows a steady decline rather than short‑term volatility, suggesting structural pressures on judicial independence, enforcement of contracts and accountability mechanisms. Compared with peers, Israel now scores only marginally above Bhutan’s 0.73 and below Samoa’s 0.75, while Uruguay remains considerably higher at 0.83, highlighting the relative weakness of Israel’s institutional framework in the current cohort. The downward trajectory coincides with heightened political polarization and legislative reforms that have been criticised for undermining checks and balances. If reforms aimed at strengthening judicial oversight and enhancing transparency are implemented, the score could stabilize or improve; otherwise the declining trend is likely to persist, further eroding Israel’s comparative standing in rule‑of‑law performance.
Data & projection
| Year | Rule of Law | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* trend | 0.69 | - | - |
| 2025* trend | 0.74 | - | - |
| 2025 | 0.74 | −0.05 | #49 |
| 2023 | 0.78 | −0.16 | #46 |
| 2022 | 0.94 | +0.04 | #39 |
| 2021 | 0.91 | −0.03 | #37 |
| 2020 | 0.94 | −0.08 | #39 |
| 2019 | 1.01 | +0.05 | #37 |
| 2018 | 0.96 | −0.03 | #40 |
| 2017 | 0.99 | −0.05 | #37 |
| 2016 | 1.04 | −0.09 | #34 |
| 2015 | 1.13 | +0.03 | #32 |
| 2014 | 1.11 | +0.13 | #32 |
| 2013 | 0.97 | +0.04 | #39 |
| 2012 | 0.93 | −0.08 | #44 |
| 2011 | 1.01 | +0.10 | #38 |
| 2010 | 0.91 | +0.07 | #42 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Israel 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
Israel's rule of law was 0.74 in 2025. Ranked 49th globally. This represents a 5.9% decrease from the previous year.
Israel's rule of law peaked at 1.28 in 1996.
The lowest rule of law in Israel was 0.74 in 2025.
Israel ranks 49th globally in rule of law as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is RL.EST. Data sourced from World Bank WGI.
Israel's rule of law is projected to reach 0.74 by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The rule of law of Israel in 2025 was 0.74. This ranks 49th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_israel_rule-of-law,
title = {Israel Rule of Law},
url = {https://historysaid.com/israel/rule-of-law/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}