Cyprus’s score for order and security has fallen to its lowest level in six years, according to the World Justice Project’s (WJP) 2026 Rule of Law Index, even though the country rose two places overall to 28th of 143 countries.
Cyprus scored 0.79 for order and security, ranking 45th worldwide. Its standing was lower within its regional group of 31 countries from the European Union, the European Free Trade Association and North America, where it came 26th, putting it in the bottom six.
The order and security score reflects:
- crime and the safety of citizens
- civil conflict
- violent self-help, meaning whether people resort to violence to settle disputes
Cyprus’s ranking in the category has fallen from 35th of 139 countries in 2021 to 38th of 140 in 2022 and 38th of 142 in 2023. It then dropped to 44th of 142 in 2024, and has been 45th of 143 in both 2025 and 2026.
Overall, Cyprus scored 0.67. Of the eight areas assessed, it improved in four and declined in four.
It improved in:
- absence of corruption (36th, 0.65)
- open government (32nd, 0.63)
- regulatory enforcement (31st, 0.66)
- civil justice (34th, 0.62)
It declined in:
- constraints on government powers (29th, 0.67)
- fundamental rights (30th, 0.72)
- order and security (45th, 0.79)
- criminal justice (25th, 0.65)
In a press release, the WJP said authoritarianism “is no longer an emerging trend, it has become entrenched”. It said more than 86 per cent of countries had seen a sustained decline over the past five years in at least one of three safeguards against authoritarian government: constraints on government powers, open government and fundamental rights. Cyprus was among them.
On civil liberties, Cyprus fared better. They declined in 64 to 67 per cent of countries, but Cyprus was not among them.
The WJP is an independent organisation based in Washington. It compiles the Rule of Law Index annually and is funded by public bodies, international organisations and private foundations. According to its own figures for 2023-2025, its public-sector funders include:
- the European Commission
- the US State Department
- the foreign ministries of Canada and the Netherlands
- the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
- Qatar’s Supreme Judicial Council
- the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
- the World Bank
