Serbia Rule of Law
Rule of Law RL.EST
Serbia's rule of law was -0.06 in 2025, ranked 103rd globally. This represents a 26.0% increase from 2024. Data from World Bank WGI, covering 1996–2025.
Overview
Serbia's rule of law stood at -0.06 in 2025, a rise of +0.02 from 2023. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach -0.06 by 2025. Serbia ranked 103rd globally.
Serbia's Rule of Law index, as measured by the World Bank's Worldwide Governance Indicators, has experienced fluctuations over the past 26 years, but has generally trended downward. The index stood at -0.06 in 2025, ranking Serbia 103rd globally. This represents a slight improvement from the all-time trough of -1.28 in 2000, but is still far from the all-time peak of -0.06 achieved in 2025. In comparison, peer country North Macedonia ranked slightly higher at -0.04 in 2025. The Rule of Law index has been sensitive to the country's tumultuous past, with significant declines in the early 2000s following the Yugoslav Wars. Despite some improvement in recent years, Serbia's score remains below the regional average, indicating ongoing challenges in ensuring the rule of law. A sustained commitment to judicial reform and anti-corruption efforts would be necessary to alter the trajectory of Serbia's Rule of Law index and improve its global ranking.
Data & projection
| Year | Rule of Law | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* trend | -0.04 | - | - |
| 2025* trend | -0.06 | - | - |
| 2025 | -0.06 | +0.02 | #103 |
| 2023 | -0.07 | +0.04 | #98 |
| 2022 | -0.11 | +0.00 | #103 |
| 2021 | -0.12 | +0.01 | #102 |
| 2020 | -0.12 | +0.02 | #100 |
| 2019 | -0.14 | +0.03 | #101 |
| 2018 | -0.17 | +0.01 | #102 |
| 2017 | -0.18 | −0.05 | #105 |
| 2016 | -0.13 | −0.05 | #99 |
| 2015 | -0.08 | +0.02 | #92 |
| 2014 | -0.09 | +0.20 | #91 |
| 2013 | -0.30 | +0.03 | #109 |
| 2012 | -0.33 | −0.01 | #111 |
| 2011 | -0.33 | +0.10 | #109 |
| 2010 | -0.43 | +0.04 | #119 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Serbia matched the Stagflation Risk pattern in 2011. Historically, 38% of countries showing this pattern (117 out of 307) saw rule of law improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Serbia's rule of law was -0.06 in 2025. Ranked 103rd globally. This represents a 26.0% increase from the previous year.
Serbia's rule of law peaked at -0.06 in 2025.
The lowest rule of law in Serbia was -1.28 in 2000.
Serbia ranks 103rd globally in rule of law as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is RL.EST. Data sourced from World Bank WGI.
Serbia's rule of law is projected to reach -0.06 by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The rule of law of Serbia in 2025 was -0.06. This ranks 103rd in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_serbia_rule-of-law,
title = {Serbia Rule of Law},
url = {https://historysaid.com/serbia/rule-of-law/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}