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Free and fair elections index
What this indicator measures
This V-Dem index estimates the extent to which elections are free from registration fraud, systematic irregularities, intimidation of the opposition, vote buying and violence, and whether the body that organizes them is autonomous.
How to read this?
The closer the index is to 1, the cleaner and fairer elections are judged to be; the closer to 0, the less so.
Ranking : ranked from highest to lowest
In brief
Free and fair elections index: across 173 countries and territories, values range from 0 (Yemen) to 0.97 (Belgium), with a world median of 0.59. Data: 2025. The top 10% of countries exceed 0.94, while the bottom 10% stay below 0. By continent, the median is highest in Europe (0.93) and lowest in Africa (0.29).
Median by continent
- Europe 0.93 (39)
- South America 0.83 (12)
- Oceania 0.8 (6)
- North America 0.77 (15)
- Asia 0.34 (47)
- Africa 0.29 (51)
Why this indicator matters
This index focuses on the quality of the vote itself: absence of fraud, intimidation, vote buying and violence. It helps compare how reliable elections are between countries.
What makes this indicator vary
The quality of elections depends on the independence of the electoral body, democratic tradition, the security context and the legal framework. It can change from one election to the next.
Reading precautions
The index relies on expert assessments and covers the period observed. It runs from 0 to 1: the higher it is, the cleaner elections are judged to be. It says nothing about the content of political platforms.
Full ranking
ranked from highest to lowest
| Rank | Country | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1er | 🇧🇪 Belgium | 0.97 | 2025 |
| 2e | 🇳🇴 Norway | 0.97 | 2025 |
| 3e | 🇦🇺 Australia | 0.96 | 2025 |
| 4e | 🇩🇰 Denmark | 0.96 | 2025 |
| 4e | 🇫🇮 Finland | 0.96 | 2025 |
| 6e | 🇩🇪 Germany | 0.96 | 2025 |
| 7e | 🇨🇱 Chile | 0.96 | 2025 |
| 7e | 🇪🇸 Spain | 0.96 | 2025 |
| 9e | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | 0.95 | 2025 |
| 9e | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | 0.95 | 2025 |
| 11e | 🇪🇪 Estonia | 0.95 | 2025 |
| 12e | 🇺🇾 Uruguay | 0.95 | 2025 |
| 13e | 🇮🇪 Ireland | 0.95 | 2025 |
| 13e | 🇮🇹 Italy | 0.95 | 2025 |
| 13e | 🇸🇪 Sweden | 0.95 | 2025 |
| 16e | 🇨🇦 Canada | 0.94 | 2025 |
| 16e | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | 0.94 | 2025 |
| 16e | 🇬🇷 Greece | 0.94 | 2025 |
| 16e | 🇱🇺 Luxembourg | 0.94 | 2025 |
| 20e | 🇨🇭 Switzerland | 0.94 | 2025 |
| 21e | 🇫🇷 France | 0.94 | 2025 |
| 22e | 🇨🇿 Czechia | 0.94 | 2025 |
| 22e | 🇵🇹 Portugal | 0.94 | 2025 |
| 22e | 🇹🇼 Taiwan | 0.94 | 2025 |
| 25e | 🇦🇹 Austria | 0.94 | 2025 |
| 25e | 🇸🇰 Slovakia | 0.94 | 2025 |
| 27e | 🇯🇵 Japan | 0.94 | 2025 |
| 28e | 🇰🇷 South Korea | 0.94 | 2025 |
| 29e | 🇮🇸 Iceland | 0.93 | 2025 |
| 30e | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 0.92 | 2025 |
| 31e | 🇱🇻 Latvia | 0.92 | 2025 |
| 32e | 🇸🇮 Slovenia | 0.92 | 2025 |
| 33e | 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | 0.91 | 2025 |
| 34e | 🇨🇾 Cyprus | 0.91 | 2025 |
| 35e | 🇲🇹 Malta | 0.9 | 2025 |
| 36e | 🇺🇸 United States | 0.9 | 2025 |
| 37e | 🇯🇲 Jamaica | 0.88 | 2025 |
| 37e | 🇸🇨 Seychelles | 0.88 | 2025 |
| 39e | 🇱🇹 Lithuania | 0.88 | 2025 |
| 40e | 🇦🇷 Argentina | 0.88 | 2025 |
| 41e | 🇧🇧 Barbados | 0.88 | 2025 |
| 41e | 🇭🇷 Croatia | 0.88 | 2025 |
| 43e | 🇮🇱 Israel | 0.87 | 2025 |
| 44e | 🇹🇹 Trinidad & Tobago | 0.87 | 2025 |
| 45e | 🇧🇹 Bhutan | 0.87 | 2025 |
| 45e | 🇲🇺 Mauritius | 0.87 | 2025 |
| 47e | 🇸🇷 Suriname | 0.86 | 2025 |
| 48e | 🇵🇪 Peru | 0.86 | 2025 |
| 49e | 🇹🇱 Timor-Leste | 0.86 | 2025 |
| 50e | 🇻🇺 Vanuatu | 0.85 | 2025 |
| 51e | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 0.85 | 2025 |
| 52e | 🇵🇦 Panama | 0.84 | 2025 |
| 53e | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 0.84 | 2025 |
| 54e | 🇨🇻 Cape Verde | 0.84 | 2025 |
| 55e | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | 0.83 | 2025 |
| 56e | 🇵🇱 Poland | 0.83 | 2025 |
| 57e | 🇧🇼 Botswana | 0.8 | 2025 |
| 58e | 🇱🇸 Lesotho | 0.79 | 2025 |
| 59e | 🇸🇬 Singapore | 0.78 | 2025 |
| 60e | 🇬🇲 Gambia | 0.78 | 2025 |
| 61e | 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic | 0.77 | 2025 |
| 62e | 🇧🇴 Bolivia | 0.77 | 2025 |
| 63e | 🇨🇴 Colombia | 0.76 | 2025 |
| 64e | 🇸🇹 São Tomé & Príncipe | 0.75 | 2025 |
| 65e | 🇸🇧 Solomon Islands | 0.75 | 2025 |
| 66e | 🇬🇭 Ghana | 0.71 | 2025 |
| 67e | 🇲🇰 North Macedonia | 0.7 | 2025 |
| 67e | 🇸🇳 Senegal | 0.7 | 2025 |
| 69e | 🇳🇵 Nepal | 0.69 | 2025 |
| 70e | 🇴🇲 Oman | 0.69 | 2025 |
| 71e | 🇦🇲 Armenia | 0.67 | 2025 |
| 72e | 🇬🇹 Guatemala | 0.67 | 2025 |
| 73e | 🇲🇩 Moldova | 0.66 | 2025 |
| 74e | 🇷🇴 Romania | 0.66 | 2025 |
| 75e | 🇲🇻 Maldives | 0.64 | 2025 |
| 76e | 🇧🇬 Bulgaria | 0.64 | 2025 |
| 77e | 🇧🇯 Benin | 0.64 | 2025 |
| 78e | 🇵🇾 Paraguay | 0.63 | 2025 |
| 79e | 🇲🇪 Montenegro | 0.61 | 2025 |
| 80e | 🇳🇦 Namibia | 0.6 | 2025 |
| 80e | 🇺🇦 Ukraine | 0.6 | 2025 |
| 82e | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | 0.6 | 2025 |
| 83e | 🇭🇺 Hungary | 0.6 | 2025 |
| 84e | 🇲🇼 Malawi | 0.6 | 2025 |
| 85e | 🇯🇴 Jordan | 0.59 | 2025 |
| 85e | 🇱🇷 Liberia | 0.59 | 2025 |
| 87e | 🇲🇳 Mongolia | 0.59 | 2025 |
| 88e | 🇲🇽 Mexico | 0.55 | 2025 |
| 89e | 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | 0.54 | 2025 |
| 90e | 🇫🇯 Fiji | 0.54 | 2025 |
| 91e | 🇻🇳 Vietnam | 0.53 | 2025 |
| 92e | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | 0.52 | 2025 |
| 93e | 🇧🇦 Bosnia & Herzegovina | 0.51 | 2025 |
| 94e | 🇮🇳 India | 0.5 | 2025 |
| 95e | 🇰🇪 Kenya | 0.49 | 2025 |
| 96e | 🇬🇾 Guyana | 0.49 | 2025 |
| 97e | 🇦🇱 Albania | 0.47 | 2025 |
| 98e | 🇿🇲 Zambia | 0.46 | 2025 |
| 99e | 🇹🇭 Thailand | 0.46 | 2025 |
| 100e | 🇲🇦 Morocco | 0.46 | 2025 |
| 101e | 🇹🇳 Tunisia | 0.45 | 2025 |
| 102e | 🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan | 0.43 | 2025 |
| 103e | 🇹🇷 Türkiye | 0.42 | 2025 |
| 104e | 🇸🇿 Eswatini | 0.38 | 2025 |
| 105e | 🇮🇶 Iraq | 0.37 | 2025 |
| 106e | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | 0.36 | 2025 |
| 107e | 🇳🇬 Nigeria | 0.36 | 2025 |
| 108e | 🇭🇳 Honduras | 0.35 | 2025 |
| 109e | 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan | 0.34 | 2025 |
| 110e | 🇨🇮 Côte d’Ivoire | 0.33 | 2025 |
| 111e | 🇪🇹 Ethiopia | 0.32 | 2025 |
| 112e | 🇬🇪 Georgia | 0.32 | 2025 |
| 113e | 🇸🇱 Sierra Leone | 0.32 | 2025 |
| 114e | 🇹🇬 Togo | 0.31 | 2025 |
| 115e | 🇩🇿 Algeria | 0.31 | 2025 |
| 115e | 🇱🇧 Lebanon | 0.31 | 2025 |
| 115e | 🇸🇻 El Salvador | 0.31 | 2025 |
| 118e | 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan | 0.3 | 2025 |
| 119e | 🇨🇺 Cuba | 0.3 | 2025 |
| 120e | 🇦🇴 Angola | 0.29 | 2025 |
| 121e | 🇲🇷 Mauritania | 0.29 | 2025 |
| 122e | 🇭🇰 Hong Kong SAR China | 0.29 | 2025 |
| 123e | 🇧🇭 Bahrain | 0.27 | 2025 |
| 124e | 🇵🇭 Philippines | 0.27 | 2025 |
| 125e | 🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea | 0.27 | 2025 |
| 126e | 🇱🇦 Laos | 0.24 | 2025 |
| 127e | 🇮🇷 Iran | 0.24 | 2025 |
| 128e | 🇷🇼 Rwanda | 0.23 | 2025 |
| 129e | 🇷🇸 Serbia | 0.21 | 2025 |
| 130e | 🇧🇾 Belarus | 0.19 | 2025 |
| 131e | 🇬🇦 Gabon | 0.19 | 2025 |
| 132e | 🇰🇲 Comoros | 0.18 | 2025 |
| 132e | 🇲🇬 Madagascar | 0.18 | 2025 |
| 134e | 🇨🇩 Congo - Kinshasa | 0.18 | 2025 |
| 135e | 🇵🇰 Pakistan | 0.17 | 2025 |
| 136e | 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | 0.17 | 2025 |
| 137e | 🇩🇯 Djibouti | 0.17 | 2025 |
| 138e | 🇪🇬 Egypt | 0.14 | 2025 |
| 138e | 🇳🇮 Nicaragua | 0.14 | 2025 |
| 140e | 🇷🇺 Russia | 0.14 | 2025 |
| 141e | 🇺🇬 Uganda | 0.13 | 2025 |
| 142e | 🇨🇫 Central African Republic | 0.12 | 2025 |
| 143e | 🇰🇵 North Korea | 0.12 | 2025 |
| 144e | 🇨🇲 Cameroon | 0.12 | 2025 |
| 145e | 🇦🇿 Azerbaijan | 0.11 | 2025 |
| 146e | 🇧🇮 Burundi | 0.11 | 2025 |
| 147e | 🇹🇯 Tajikistan | 0.09 | 2025 |
| 148e | 🇰🇭 Cambodia | 0.09 | 2025 |
| 149e | 🇲🇿 Mozambique | 0.09 | 2025 |
| 150e | 🇹🇩 Chad | 0.08 | 2025 |
| 151e | 🇬🇶 Equatorial Guinea | 0.08 | 2025 |
| 152e | 🇨🇬 Congo - Brazzaville | 0.08 | 2025 |
| 153e | 🇹🇲 Turkmenistan | 0.07 | 2025 |
| 154e | 🇻🇪 Venezuela | 0.05 | 2025 |
| 155e | 🇬🇳 Guinea | 0 | 2025 |
| 156e | 🇦🇫 Afghanistan | 0 | 2025 |
| 156e | 🇧🇫 Burkina Faso | 0 | 2025 |
| 156e | 🇧🇩 Bangladesh | 0 | 2025 |
| 156e | 🇨🇳 China | 0 | 2025 |
| 156e | 🇪🇷 Eritrea | 0 | 2025 |
| 156e | 🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissau | 0 | 2025 |
| 156e | 🇭🇹 Haiti | 0 | 2025 |
| 156e | 🇰🇼 Kuwait | 0 | 2025 |
| 156e | 🇱🇾 Libya | 0 | 2025 |
| 156e | 🇲🇱 Mali | 0 | 2025 |
| 156e | 🇲🇲 Myanmar (Burma) | 0 | 2025 |
| 156e | 🇳🇪 Niger | 0 | 2025 |
| 156e | 🇶🇦 Qatar | 0 | 2025 |
| 156e | 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | 0 | 2025 |
| 156e | 🇸🇩 Sudan | 0 | 2025 |
| 156e | 🇸🇴 Somalia | 0 | 2025 |
| 156e | 🇸🇾 Syria | 0 | 2025 |
| 156e | 🇾🇪 Yemen | 0 | 2025 |
Frequently asked questions
Which country has the highest value for "Free and fair elections index"?
The highest value is in Belgium, at 0.97 (2025).
Which country has the lowest value for "Free and fair elections index"?
The lowest value is in Yemen, at 0 (2025).
What is the world median value of "Free and fair elections index"?
The world median is 0.59, calculated across 173 countries: half of the countries are above it, the other half below.
What is the value of "Free and fair elections index" for France?
France scores 0.94 (2025), ranking 21 out of 173 countries (ranked from highest to lowest).
Where does the "Free and fair elections index" data come from?
It comes from V-Dem (Varieties of Democracy), version 16 – via Our World in Data. Site last updated: November 8, 2026. Each country is shown with the year of its most recent value.
What does the free and fair elections index look at?
It assesses whether elections are free from fraud, irregularities, intimidation of the opposition, vote buying and violence, and whether the body that runs them is autonomous.
What is the difference with the electoral democracy index?
The electoral democracy index is broader: it also includes the right to vote and freedom of association and expression. This one focuses on the cleanness of the vote.
Source and update
Source : V-Dem (Varieties of Democracy), version 16 – via Our World in Data. Site last updated: November 8, 2026.
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