Netherlands rises to second place in global Press Freedom Index

The Netherlands has climbed to second place in the latest Press Freedom Index, according to the annual global ranking of 180 countries by Reporters Without Borders (RSF). It overtakes Estonia, while Norway retains the top position. RSF says it has never recorded such a low global standard for press freedom overall, noting that more than half of all countries now fall within the two worst-performing categories.

While no specific explanation is provided for the Netherlands’ improvement, Reporters Without Borders notes pressure on Estonia’s public broadcaster as the country slips from second to third place. Estonia, along with the Nordic countries, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Ireland, is rated as having “good” press freedom.

Across Western and Southern Europe, conditions are generally assessed as “satisfactory,” while Eastern Europe, particularly the Balkans, shows a downward trend, with much of the region now labelled “problematic.”

The steepest decline is in Niger, which drops 37 places to 120th, partly due to violence in the Sahel region. Also falling are the United States (64th, seven places lower than in 2025), where, under President Donald Trump’s second term, “systematic” pressure is being exerted on journalism, often involving insults.

RSF calls the situation “one of the most serious crises for press freedom” in US history, pointing to examples such as politically motivated campaigns targeting journalists.

Russia, which is said to be responsible for detaining the highest number of foreign journalists, ranks 172nd on the list. According to Reporters Without Borders, both Russia and Belarus (165th) frequently use legislation to undermine journalists and obstruct their work.

Ukraine is ranked 55th, an improvement of seven places compared to 2025, with RSF pointing in particular to the strength of its investigative journalism sector.

The most significant shift highlighted by Reporters Without Borders concerns Syria, which climbs from 177th place in 2025 to 141st. RSF links this improvement to what it describes as a “historical transformation” following the collapse of the Assad regime in late 2024.

Lebanon (115th) also moves up, supported by what RSF calls a “renewed political will” and a reduction in violence against journalists. The Palestinian territories (156th) show a modest improvement as well, particularly after the ceasefire with Israel. Israel, meanwhile, falls four places to 116th.

At the lower end of the ranking, Iran (177th) remains close to the bottom, with Eritrea (180th) again finishing last, as it did in 2025. Reporters Without Borders continues to place both countries among the worst performers globally for press freedom.

According to the Dutch Association of Journalists (NVJ), the Netherlands’ strong ranking on the international Press Freedom Index masks “a concerning reality.”

The NVJ notes that the Netherlands has long performed relatively poorly on the “safety” aspect of press freedom, and says that in 2025, violence against journalists has increased again, with more reports of threats, intimidation, and physical assaults.

The NVJ reports that incidents of violence against journalists have risen for the third consecutive year. The safety organisation PersVeilig recorded 262 reports in the past year. The Press Freedom Monitor notes that journalists were among those targeted during events such as demonstrations and sports matches.

The journalists’ union says that developments in politics are also putting press freedom under pressure. “From the political sphere, there were once again strong attacks on the media, with journalists’ independence, among other things, being called into question.” In addition, the NVJ sees media consolidation, cuts to public broadcasting, and the growing influence of big tech as negative developments in the media landscape.