Kazakhstan ranked 66th out of 143 countries in the WJP Rule of Law Index 2025, showing a modest increase of less than 1% compared to last year.
Within the Eastern Europe and Central Asia region, Kazakhstan placed 5th out of 15 countries, following Georgia, Montenegro, and Kosovo. Belarus, Turkey, and Russia (ranked 119th globally) sit at the bottom of the list.
According to the World Justice Project, the rule of law declined in 68% of countries worldwide in 2025, up from 57% last year. Rising authoritarianism, weakened government accountability, and shrinking civic freedoms were cited as key factors.
Kazakhstan, however, remains an exception. The country saw no decline in freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and association, or civic participation, while over 70% of nations reported deterioration in these areas.
Some weakening was observed in civil justice, linked to longer case processing times and less effective alternative dispute resolution mechanisms.
Globally, the top performers are Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden, and New Zealand, while Venezuela, Afghanistan, Cambodia, Haiti, and Nicaragua round out the bottom.
About the Index
The WJP Rule of Law Index, published annually by the World Justice Project since 2009, is the world’s leading independent source on the state of the rule of law. The 2025 edition is based on over 215,000 household surveys and 4,100 expert assessments across 143 countries, covering 95% of the global population.
Source: WJP
