North Macedonia Rule of Law
Rule of Law RL.EST
North Macedonia's rule of law was -0.04 in 2025, ranked 102nd globally. This represents a 75.5% increase from 2024. Data from World Bank WGI, covering 1996–2025.
Overview
North Macedonia's rule of law stood at -0.04 in 2025, a rise of +0.13 from 2023. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach -0.04 by 2025. North Macedonia ranked 102nd globally.
North Macedonia’s Rule of Law score on the World Bank’s Worldwide Governance Indicators stands at –0.04 in 2025, placing the country 102nd globally and matching the all‑time peak recorded the same year after a 26‑year series that began at –0.31 in 1996. The indicator’s low point occurred in 2000, when the score fell to –0.60, reflecting a period of institutional weakness that was only gradually reversed through reforms in the judiciary and anti‑corruption framework. Compared with regional peers, Bulgaria registers an identical –0.04 score, while Serbia lags slightly at –0.06, suggesting that North Macedonia is keeping pace with the Balkans’ modest improvements in legal certainty. The upward movement since the 2000 trough has been driven by EU‑aligned legislative changes and increased civil‑society monitoring, yet the score remains well below the positive threshold that denotes a fully functional rule‑of‑law environment. Continued alignment with EU acquis and deeper judicial independence are likely to determine whether the modest upward trajectory can be sustained in the coming years.
Data & projection
| Year | Rule of Law | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* trend | -0.01 | - | - |
| 2025* trend | -0.04 | - | - |
| 2025 | -0.04 | +0.13 | #102 |
| 2023 | -0.17 | −0.07 | #111 |
| 2022 | -0.10 | +0.00 | #100 |
| 2021 | -0.10 | +0.01 | #98 |
| 2020 | -0.11 | +0.20 | #99 |
| 2019 | -0.31 | +0.00 | #112 |
| 2018 | -0.31 | +0.00 | #116 |
| 2017 | -0.31 | +0.03 | #116 |
| 2016 | -0.34 | −0.11 | #122 |
| 2015 | -0.24 | −0.18 | #106 |
| 2014 | -0.06 | +0.18 | #84 |
| 2013 | -0.23 | +0.02 | #104 |
| 2012 | -0.25 | +0.02 | #105 |
| 2011 | -0.27 | +0.03 | #105 |
| 2010 | -0.30 | −0.01 | #110 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
North Macedonia matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2023. 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
North Macedonia's rule of law was -0.04 in 2025. Ranked 102nd globally. This represents a 75.5% increase from the previous year.
North Macedonia's rule of law peaked at -0.04 in 2025.
The lowest rule of law in North Macedonia was -0.60 in 2000.
North Macedonia ranks 102nd globally in rule of law as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is RL.EST. Data sourced from World Bank WGI.
North Macedonia's rule of law is projected to reach -0.04 by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The rule of law of North Macedonia in 2025 was -0.04. This ranks 102nd in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_north-macedonia_rule-of-law,
title = {North Macedonia Rule of Law},
url = {https://historysaid.com/north-macedonia/rule-of-law/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}