Taiwan judicial independence rating drops in International IDEA report

The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) has released its 2026 Global State of Democracy report, noting a decline in Taiwan’s judicial independence index. Taiwan’s performance has dropped from the top tier to the middle tier, placing it alongside countries such as India and Nigeria.

In response to the report, political figures and civil society advocates have raised concerns regarding the credibility of the judiciary. Wu Tsung-hsien criticized the Ministry of Justice for its handling of the downgrade, arguing that the government has failed to address issues such as perceived political bias in investigations, the leaking of sensitive case details, and the bypassing of legislative oversight in appointing prosecutors.

Sun Jian-ping, convener of the Citizen Justice Alliance, emphasized that rebuilding public trust is urgent. She highlighted that issues like political interference and lack of transparency threaten the foundation of a rule-of-law society, calling for stronger measures to prevent judicial interference and corruption.