Press Freedom Now at 25-Year Low
A new report reveals a rapid erosion of freedom of information and an increase in the criminalization of journalism overall – even in democratic countries.
More than half of the world’s countries now fall into the “difficult” or “very serious” categories for press freedom, according to the 2026 World Press Freedom Index, published by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the leading international non-profit organization in the defence and promotion of freedom of information.
In its ranking of 180 nations, the new Index shows that the expansion of increasingly restrictive legal arsenals – particularly those linked to national security policies – has been steadily eroding the right to information, even in democratic countries, with the average score dropping to its lowest point since the survey began in 2001. Click here to read the full report.
Authoritarian states, complicit or incompetent political powers, predatory economic actors and under-regulated online platforms are directly and overwhelmingly responsible for the global decline in press freedom…
Given this context, inaction is a form of endorsement.
Anne Bocandé, RSF Editorial Director
Norway comes out on top and Eritrea has the worst record. Ireland leads the anglophone nations in 7th place, the UK is 18th, and the US trails in 64th place, a drop of seven places.
France – ranked 25 of 180
While the legal and regulatory framework is favorable to press freedom, the mechanisms aimed at combatting conflicts of interest in the media and protecting the confidentiality of sources are insufficient, inadequate, and outdated. The public broadcast media outlets are undermined by the lack of sustainable funding caused by the elimination of the TV license fee. Despite the adoption of a new method of maintaining order during demonstrations that is more respectful of journalists’ rights, reporters continue to be subjected to police violence in addition to physical attacks by demonstrators.