On 12th November, in Madrid, Minister of Justice Inese Lībiņa-Egnere participated in the OECD Global Roundtable on future priorities for strengthening the rule of law. The meeting aims to improve the quality of public services to enhance citizens’ trust in government and promote well-being. In her address on current judicial challenges and future opportunities, the minister highlighted the need for new and joint solutions to prevent global declines in the rule of law caused by rising authoritarianism and weakening democratic values.
The meeting sought to agree on common priorities for OECD work on improving judicial systems and public service quality, focusing on the needs of individuals and businesses. OECD research shows that democratic values must be strengthened and public trust in state institutions increased, which remains comparatively low worldwide.
In her speech, Minister Inese Lībiņa-Egnere stressed that the rule of law is declining globally — fundamental rights have weakened in more than four-fifths of countries, and overall rule of law levels have fallen in over half. This trend is exacerbated by rising authoritarianism, disinformation, and the political use of migration, all of which undermine institutional trust. She emphasized the impact of Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine, which starkly demonstrates the importance of resilient judicial systems in times of crisis.
“Latvia experiences these pressures directly. That is why we are strengthening our legal protection, judicial system, and resilience against disinformation. Our security also depends on a strong international legal order, which today is threatened by both external military aggression and political populism. Current security challenges include deliberate migration pressures as hybrid attacks on national borders, and the attempt to redefine fundamental human rights as foreign ideologies,” said Minister Lībiņa-Egnere.
She highlighted three Latvian priorities aligned with the OECD agenda — strengthening judicial resilience to ensure continuous operation amid crises, cyberattacks, and disinformation; building public trust based on transparency, integrity, and consistent dialogue with citizens; and developing responsible digitalization so that artificial intelligence and data use serve justice, security, and public interest.
“Latvia reaffirms its commitment to continue close cooperation with OECD partners to build judicial systems that protect human dignity, strengthen trust, and can operate under any circumstances,” concluded the minister.