Retsstatslige

Retsstatslige is an adjective used to describe things related to the concept of a retsstat, the rule-of-law state. In Danish legal and political discourse, retsstat refers to a state organized and constrained by law, with clear separation of powers, protection of fundamental rights, and independent judicial review. The form retsstatslige is formed from retsstat plus the suffix -lige, allowing it to modify nouns such as praksis, myndighed, eller beslutninger.

Characteristics commonly associated with retsstatslige practices include adherence to due process, legal certainty, proportionality in the use of state power, and accountability of public authorities. An independent judiciary, non-arbitrary governance, transparency, and mechanisms for redress are regarded as essential components. The concept is often invoked in assessments of government action, legislation, or administrative procedures to determine whether they conform to established legal norms.

In discourse, retsstatslige can function descriptively—describing how an institution operates within the rule of law—or normatively, as a standard to uphold or defend when discussing reforms, surveillance, emergency powers, or human rights protections. It is commonly contrasted with terms denoting non–rule-of-law practices, sometimes framed as critiques of decisions or policies that appear to bypass legal safeguards.

Retsstatslige is closely related to the broader idea of the Rechtsstaat in German-speaking contexts and to the universal notion of the rule of law in European and international law. It reflects an enduring aspiration in Danish governance to balance state power with legal rights and institutions.