We study how networks shape the Rule of Law
uncovers how social, political, and economic networks shape Europe’s legal and civic landscape
Disciplines connected. Law, economics, political science, data science, public policy, and sociology.
Countries analyzed. (Germany, Austria, Italy, Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, North Macedonia, Albania)
About the Project
We study how networks shape the Rule of Law - and what that means for Europe’s future.
NET-ROL (Networks and the Rule of Law) is a Horizon Europe research project that explores how political, civic, and economic networks influence the quality of governance, democratic resilience, and socio-economic outcomes across the EU and its candidate countries.
We go beyond traditional institutional approaches by investigating how informal relationships - between citizens, elites, and institutions - can either strengthen or undermine the Rule of Law. Through a combination of data science, legal analysis, economics, and network theory, we map the dual role of networks: both as protectors of democratic institutions and as potential vectors of corruption and state capture.
NET-ROL addresses five main questions:
(1) How do networks of citizens and other domestic actors in law-making and executive decision-making promote the rule of law?
(2) How do networks of rent seeking elites (businesses, politicians, judiciary) undermine the rule of law?
(3) What are the social and cultural determinants of the emergence of different types of networks?
(4) What is the effect of the rule of law on citizen, political, and business networks?
(5) What is the resulting impact of the relation between networks and the rule of law on socio-economic outcomes?
To answer the last question, it is vital to measure the social costs of weakening the rule of law.
The objectives:
The objectives of the NET_ROL project are to:
PO1: Build an integrated conceptual framework (WP2)
PO2: Generate novel and actionable historical and contemporary data on the rule of law (WP3-7)
PO3: Construct novel rule of law indicators (WP4-5)
PO4: Test the integrated conceptual framework and measure the social and economic costs of rule of law weakening (WP3-6)
PO5: Examine the role of citizens in safeguarding the rule of law (WP7)
PO6: Propose evidence-based policy recommendations and interventions for stakeholders (WP8)
PO7: Facilitate a multi-disciplinary community of scholars, stakeholders, and practitioners (WP8-9)
The societal objectives of the project are:
SOC1: The NET-ROL project is designated to reinvigorate and modernize democratic governance and promote public good value stemming from adherence to the high rule of law standard. By promoting the rule of law, the NET-ROL project will thus contribute to an improvement in socio-economic outcomes which were found to positively correlate with the rule of law, such as economic growth, stable peace, better health and education outcomes, and greater gender equality (Barajas Sandoval et al., 2023; Botero et al., 2012; Pinzon-Rondon et al., 2015). At the general level, the project will contribute to a growing economic and social prosperity in the EU, individual member states, and candidate countries. (SN4 and ER4)
SOC2: The NET-ROL will aim to have high societal impact by raising awareness of the costs related to the weakening of the rule of law. The project’s core findings about the social costs of the rule of law erosion will be used in a co-creation activity with media experts to design the most effective information provision campaigns, which will sensitize the public about the cost elements and forgone benefits related to the undermining of the rule of law. Such evidence-based innovative campaigns, if launched at a large scale, will increase public willingness to stand up for the rule of law when those in power violate or attempt to violate it. (SN3 and ER5)
SOC3: The NET-ROL will assist citizens in better understanding the rule of law erosion. The NET-ROL rests on the assumptions that citizens engagement is vital to preserve high standards of the rule of law and that citizens are key to defend liberties and the rule of law. However, for this to occur, the citizens need to coordinate their understanding that the rule of law has been violated and synchronize their actions to challenge those in power who violate the rule of law. The NET-ROL will work with citizens directly (via focus groups and lab experiments) or indirectly (via survey data) to better understand these elements, expand citizens’ active, and inclusive political participation, and empower the public in safeguarding the fundamental values, such as rule of law. (SN5 and ER6)
Want to learn more?
Explore our upcoming publications, datasets, and policy briefs.
Frequently asked questions
NET-ROL investigates how networks of power and influence impact the Rule of Law and shape economic and social outcomes.
Because networks—between politicians, businesses, or citizens—can either uphold or erode the foundations of rule of law.
We integrate legal, economic, and social science methods to analyze informal dynamics that institutions alone can’t explain.
contact us: network@net-rol.eu
Countries that participate in our project
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
NET-ROL has received funding from the European Union’s HORIZON-CL2-2024-DEMOCRACY-01 under grant agreement No 101177405.