Rule of law

The principle that everyone, including government, is subject to publicly known laws applied consistently and enforced by independent courts.

Legality: The requirement that public power be exercised under valid legal authority. Government action must have a legal basis rather than rest on arbitrary discretion.
Judicial review: The power of courts to assess whether government acts comply with governing law or a constitution. It gives courts a means to invalidate unlawful exercises of public power.
Rule by law: The use of law as an instrument of government control without necessarily constraining those who govern. It distinguishes legal command from law that binds government itself.
European Convention on Human Rights: A regional treaty that protects fundamental rights and is interpreted by the European Court of Human Rights. Its guarantees and court provide a concrete framework for reviewing state conduct.
Democracy: A form of government in which political authority is grounded in the participation and consent of the governed. Democratic majorities remain constrained by laws and rights protecting everyone.
Legal certainty: The quality of law that makes rules sufficiently clear and predictable to guide conduct. Publicly knowable rules let people anticipate how law will apply.
Constitutionalism: The principle that government authority is limited by a constitution and must remain within its bounds. Constitutional limits give legal form to restraints on government.
Arbitrary power: The exercise of authority without stable rules, adequate justification, or effective checks. The rule of law is designed to prevent decisions based on unchecked personal will.
Venice Commission: A Council of Europe advisory body that assists states on constitutional and democratic standards. Its rule-of-law assessments apply the principle to institutional design and reform.
Human rights: Basic rights and freedoms held by people, commonly recognized in national and international law. Independent enforcement helps turn rights guarantees into protections against state abuse.

Linked from 134 pages