Observatory

The Observatory of Good Governance is established as a structure for research and the dissemination of knowledge to the scientific community and society in general. It is conceived as a network of researchers, universities and research centres under the direction and coordination of its headquarters at Universidad Rey Juan Carlos.

Its network of researches develops research projects at the European and national levels within its differentes lines of research: Institutional capacities, Public integrity and the fight against corruption, Good Governance and Public Opinion, Civil Security for Society and Migration and Inclusive Societies. This work promotes the participation of Universidad Rey Juan Carlos in the generation and transfer of knowledge, research excellence, innovation, and the academic exploitation of results.

Learn more

🗞️ Latest news

Events

I Permanent Seminar
on Good Governance

Intersectional elements in antidemocratic attitudes.

On 2 June 2026, the Observatory will host the I Permanent Seminar on Good Governance, an interdisciplinary academic event devoted to examining the multiple factors that contribute to the emergence and consolidation of anti-democratic attitudes in contemporary political systems. Bringing together scholars from different areas of expertise, the seminar aims to foster dialogue on the social, political and institutional dynamics that undermine democratic values, weaken public trust, and contribute to processes of democratic backsliding.

The deadline for the submission of proposals is 7 May 2026. Proposals may be submitted via the following link.

Registration now open

PREV-HED

Registration is now open for the free MOOC ‘Prevention of Sexual Violence and Harassment in Higher Education’, a European training course forming part of the Erasmus+ PREV-HED programme.

This course will provide you with practical tools and key knowledge to help create safe, respectful and inclusive environments, and to promote practices aimed at preventing violence.

Upon completion of the course, you will receive a certificate of completion (25 hours).

March 27th - May 8th

Female Thinkers Against Fascism

The Reading Seminar will include three further sessions, on 10 and 24 April, and 8 May, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. It will take place in room ST39 of the Fuenlabrada Library and will carry 0.8 ECTS credits.

You can register here.

FIMI Cluster Event

The Observatory of Good Governance participated, as RESONANT project partner, in the FIMI cluster meeting organised on the 20th of March 2026 in Brussesls.

You can read more here.

Recent publications

Ramos, L. & Villoria, M. (2026). How to become corrupt and win elections. The Berlusconi case. Revista Española de Ciencia Política.

How does a political leader survive severe corruption scandals and still win elections?

Our colleagues Luis Ramos and Manuel Villoria just published a new paper in Revista Española de Ciencia Política (RECP). They explore the paradox of how the former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi managed to normalize his scandals and maintain power despite continuous investigations.

Bermejo, R. & Iglesias, J. (2026). Autocratic Tools in Spanish Democratic Migration Governance. A Critical Analysis of the Use of Royal Decree-Laws. Hague Journal on the Rule of Law.

At a time when we are witnessing a growing authoritarian wave across different regions of the world, including within consolidated democracies, the debate on the resilience of the Rule of Law has become more urgent than ever. The last paper of our researcher Rut Bermejo is just released in the Hague Journal of Rule of Law.

The paper reflects on institutional dynamics, democratic safeguards and the structural conditions that either enable or resist authoritarian backsliding. While several European countries are experiencing significant tensions in this regard, Spain continues to present a distinctive case within the current landscape.