The “Réseaux institutionnels de la Francophonie" (RIF) met on 16 and 17 April 2026 at the headquarters of the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF) in Paris to discuss the challenges facing the independence of the judiciary in the French-speaking world. The RIF are voluntary networks of institutions active in sectors as varied as law, justice, the media, human rights, mediation and electoral processes.
This 10th meeting aimed to gather existing initiatives with a view to creating a toolkit to maintain, improve and strengthen an independent judiciary in the Francophone world. A study on the independence of the judiciary, conducted by the Robert Badinter Institute (IRB) and the Centre for Research and Studies in Law and Judicial Institutions in Africa (CREDIJ), was also presented.
The CEPEJ spoke during the introductory session to share its experience of evaluating judicial systems and to address some benefits and limitations of this exercise in measuring judicial independence. The Venice Commission also presented its criteria for the rule of law .
- Program for the 10th edition of the Francophonie Institutional Networks Days, dedicated to the independence of the judiciary (FR)
- Research publication - The independence of judicial councils: practices, perceptions, and experiences in the Francophone judicial sphere - ROBERT BADINTER INSTITUTE (FR)
- Updated list of the Venice Commission’s criteria for the rule of law
- The Francophonie in brief




