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Participatory democracy index
What this indicator measures
This V-Dem index measures, in addition to electoral democracy, the room left for citizen participation: civil society organizations, direct democracy, and regional and local governments.
How to read this?
The closer the index is to 1, the more citizens can take part in decisions beyond voting; the closer to 0, the less they can.
Ranking : ranked from highest to lowest
In brief
The "Participatory democracy index" ranking covers 173 countries and territories. Lowest value: Eritrea (0.01). Highest value: Switzerland (0.79). Median: 0.3 (data: 2025). The top 10% of countries exceed 0.58, while the bottom 10% stay below 0.05. By continent, the median is highest in Europe (0.53) and lowest in Asia (0.13).
Median by continent
- Europe 0.53 (39)
- South America 0.46 (12)
- North America 0.42 (15)
- Oceania 0.38 (6)
- Africa 0.2 (51)
- Asia 0.13 (47)
Why this indicator matters
Voting is only one way to take part. This index also looks at the role of civil society, direct democracy and local authorities, and makes it possible to compare the room left for citizens between elections.
What makes this indicator vary
Participation depends on political history, the organization of the state, the role of associations and the tools provided by law, such as referendums or local councils. It changes with reforms and crises.
Reading precautions
The index is an expert estimate, summarized in a single score, with a margin of uncertainty. It measures conditions for participation, not the actual level of residents' engagement. Close scores should be compared with caution.
Full ranking
ranked from highest to lowest
| Rank | Country | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1er | 🇨🇭 Switzerland | 0.79 | 2025 |
| 2e | 🇺🇾 Uruguay | 0.72 | 2025 |
| 3e | 🇩🇰 Denmark | 0.7 | 2025 |
| 4e | 🇹🇼 Taiwan | 0.65 | 2025 |
| 5e | 🇦🇺 Australia | 0.65 | 2025 |
| 6e | 🇳🇴 Norway | 0.64 | 2025 |
| 7e | 🇸🇪 Sweden | 0.64 | 2025 |
| 8e | 🇧🇪 Belgium | 0.63 | 2025 |
| 9e | 🇪🇪 Estonia | 0.62 | 2025 |
| 10e | 🇮🇪 Ireland | 0.62 | 2025 |
| 11e | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | 0.61 | 2025 |
| 12e | 🇫🇮 Finland | 0.6 | 2025 |
| 12e | 🇫🇷 France | 0.6 | 2025 |
| 14e | 🇱🇻 Latvia | 0.6 | 2025 |
| 15e | 🇩🇪 Germany | 0.59 | 2025 |
| 16e | 🇨🇦 Canada | 0.59 | 2025 |
| 17e | 🇦🇹 Austria | 0.58 | 2025 |
| 18e | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | 0.58 | 2025 |
| 19e | 🇨🇱 Chile | 0.57 | 2025 |
| 20e | 🇪🇸 Spain | 0.57 | 2025 |
| 21e | 🇮🇹 Italy | 0.57 | 2025 |
| 22e | 🇮🇸 Iceland | 0.57 | 2025 |
| 23e | 🇨🇿 Czechia | 0.56 | 2025 |
| 24e | 🇱🇹 Lithuania | 0.56 | 2025 |
| 25e | 🇱🇺 Luxembourg | 0.56 | 2025 |
| 26e | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | 0.55 | 2025 |
| 27e | 🇰🇷 South Korea | 0.55 | 2025 |
| 28e | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 0.53 | 2025 |
| 29e | 🇲🇹 Malta | 0.53 | 2025 |
| 29e | 🇵🇹 Portugal | 0.53 | 2025 |
| 31e | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 0.53 | 2025 |
| 32e | 🇯🇵 Japan | 0.53 | 2025 |
| 33e | 🇯🇲 Jamaica | 0.52 | 2025 |
| 34e | 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | 0.52 | 2025 |
| 35e | 🇵🇱 Poland | 0.52 | 2025 |
| 36e | 🇺🇸 United States | 0.51 | 2025 |
| 37e | 🇸🇷 Suriname | 0.51 | 2025 |
| 38e | 🇸🇰 Slovakia | 0.51 | 2025 |
| 39e | 🇸🇮 Slovenia | 0.51 | 2025 |
| 40e | 🇹🇹 Trinidad & Tobago | 0.51 | 2025 |
| 41e | 🇬🇷 Greece | 0.49 | 2025 |
| 42e | 🇨🇾 Cyprus | 0.49 | 2025 |
| 43e | 🇲🇺 Mauritius | 0.48 | 2025 |
| 44e | 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic | 0.48 | 2025 |
| 45e | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 0.47 | 2025 |
| 46e | 🇨🇴 Colombia | 0.47 | 2025 |
| 47e | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | 0.46 | 2025 |
| 47e | 🇹🇱 Timor-Leste | 0.46 | 2025 |
| 49e | 🇭🇷 Croatia | 0.46 | 2025 |
| 50e | 🇨🇻 Cape Verde | 0.46 | 2025 |
| 51e | 🇮🇱 Israel | 0.46 | 2025 |
| 52e | 🇵🇪 Peru | 0.45 | 2025 |
| 53e | 🇵🇦 Panama | 0.44 | 2025 |
| 54e | 🇳🇵 Nepal | 0.44 | 2025 |
| 55e | 🇦🇷 Argentina | 0.43 | 2025 |
| 55e | 🇸🇧 Solomon Islands | 0.43 | 2025 |
| 57e | 🇬🇹 Guatemala | 0.42 | 2025 |
| 58e | 🇷🇴 Romania | 0.42 | 2025 |
| 59e | 🇧🇴 Bolivia | 0.41 | 2025 |
| 60e | 🇬🇲 Gambia | 0.41 | 2025 |
| 61e | 🇱🇸 Lesotho | 0.4 | 2025 |
| 62e | 🇲🇪 Montenegro | 0.4 | 2025 |
| 63e | 🇸🇳 Senegal | 0.4 | 2025 |
| 64e | 🇧🇬 Bulgaria | 0.4 | 2025 |
| 65e | 🇸🇹 São Tomé & Príncipe | 0.39 | 2025 |
| 66e | 🇲🇩 Moldova | 0.39 | 2025 |
| 67e | 🇧🇼 Botswana | 0.37 | 2025 |
| 68e | 🇲🇼 Malawi | 0.37 | 2025 |
| 69e | 🇬🇭 Ghana | 0.36 | 2025 |
| 70e | 🇲🇰 North Macedonia | 0.35 | 2025 |
| 71e | 🇧🇹 Bhutan | 0.35 | 2025 |
| 71e | 🇳🇦 Namibia | 0.35 | 2025 |
| 73e | 🇿🇲 Zambia | 0.35 | 2025 |
| 74e | 🇧🇧 Barbados | 0.35 | 2025 |
| 75e | 🇵🇾 Paraguay | 0.34 | 2025 |
| 76e | 🇸🇨 Seychelles | 0.34 | 2025 |
| 77e | 🇲🇽 Mexico | 0.34 | 2025 |
| 78e | 🇰🇪 Kenya | 0.34 | 2025 |
| 79e | 🇳🇬 Nigeria | 0.32 | 2025 |
| 79e | 🇻🇺 Vanuatu | 0.32 | 2025 |
| 81e | 🇱🇷 Liberia | 0.32 | 2025 |
| 82e | 🇭🇳 Honduras | 0.32 | 2025 |
| 83e | 🇦🇲 Armenia | 0.32 | 2025 |
| 84e | 🇲🇻 Maldives | 0.32 | 2025 |
| 85e | 🇸🇱 Sierra Leone | 0.31 | 2025 |
| 86e | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | 0.3 | 2025 |
| 87e | 🇧🇦 Bosnia & Herzegovina | 0.3 | 2025 |
| 87e | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | 0.3 | 2025 |
| 89e | 🇦🇱 Albania | 0.29 | 2025 |
| 90e | 🇬🇾 Guyana | 0.28 | 2025 |
| 91e | 🇲🇳 Mongolia | 0.28 | 2025 |
| 92e | 🇧🇯 Benin | 0.28 | 2025 |
| 92e | 🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea | 0.28 | 2025 |
| 94e | 🇭🇺 Hungary | 0.27 | 2025 |
| 95e | 🇫🇯 Fiji | 0.27 | 2025 |
| 96e | 🇨🇮 Côte d’Ivoire | 0.26 | 2025 |
| 97e | 🇵🇭 Philippines | 0.26 | 2025 |
| 98e | 🇺🇦 Ukraine | 0.25 | 2025 |
| 99e | 🇮🇳 India | 0.25 | 2025 |
| 100e | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | 0.25 | 2025 |
| 101e | 🇹🇳 Tunisia | 0.24 | 2025 |
| 102e | 🇬🇦 Gabon | 0.24 | 2025 |
| 103e | 🇬🇪 Georgia | 0.24 | 2025 |
| 104e | 🇹🇬 Togo | 0.23 | 2025 |
| 105e | 🇮🇶 Iraq | 0.22 | 2025 |
| 106e | 🇱🇧 Lebanon | 0.22 | 2025 |
| 107e | 🇲🇷 Mauritania | 0.22 | 2025 |
| 108e | 🇲🇬 Madagascar | 0.22 | 2025 |
| 108e | 🇷🇸 Serbia | 0.22 | 2025 |
| 110e | 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | 0.2 | 2025 |
| 111e | 🇲🇿 Mozambique | 0.2 | 2025 |
| 112e | 🇨🇩 Congo - Kinshasa | 0.2 | 2025 |
| 112e | 🇰🇲 Comoros | 0.2 | 2025 |
| 114e | 🇵🇰 Pakistan | 0.19 | 2025 |
| 115e | 🇳🇪 Niger | 0.19 | 2025 |
| 116e | 🇨🇬 Congo - Brazzaville | 0.19 | 2025 |
| 117e | 🇹🇭 Thailand | 0.19 | 2025 |
| 118e | 🇹🇷 Türkiye | 0.17 | 2025 |
| 119e | 🇲🇱 Mali | 0.16 | 2025 |
| 119e | 🇻🇳 Vietnam | 0.16 | 2025 |
| 121e | 🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan | 0.16 | 2025 |
| 122e | 🇸🇻 El Salvador | 0.16 | 2025 |
| 123e | 🇺🇬 Uganda | 0.16 | 2025 |
| 124e | 🇲🇦 Morocco | 0.15 | 2025 |
| 125e | 🇻🇪 Venezuela | 0.15 | 2025 |
| 126e | 🇧🇮 Burundi | 0.14 | 2025 |
| 126e | 🇩🇯 Djibouti | 0.14 | 2025 |
| 128e | 🇯🇴 Jordan | 0.13 | 2025 |
| 129e | 🇨🇫 Central African Republic | 0.13 | 2025 |
| 129e | 🇷🇼 Rwanda | 0.13 | 2025 |
| 131e | 🇹🇩 Chad | 0.13 | 2025 |
| 132e | 🇪🇹 Ethiopia | 0.13 | 2025 |
| 132e | 🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissau | 0.13 | 2025 |
| 134e | 🇷🇺 Russia | 0.12 | 2025 |
| 135e | 🇸🇬 Singapore | 0.12 | 2025 |
| 136e | 🇬🇳 Guinea | 0.12 | 2025 |
| 136e | 🇴🇲 Oman | 0.12 | 2025 |
| 138e | 🇭🇹 Haiti | 0.12 | 2025 |
| 139e | 🇱🇦 Laos | 0.12 | 2025 |
| 140e | 🇸🇿 Eswatini | 0.11 | 2025 |
| 141e | 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan | 0.11 | 2025 |
| 142e | 🇧🇫 Burkina Faso | 0.1 | 2025 |
| 143e | 🇦🇴 Angola | 0.1 | 2025 |
| 144e | 🇧🇩 Bangladesh | 0.1 | 2025 |
| 145e | 🇳🇮 Nicaragua | 0.1 | 2025 |
| 146e | 🇩🇿 Algeria | 0.1 | 2025 |
| 146e | 🇸🇴 Somalia | 0.1 | 2025 |
| 148e | 🇨🇲 Cameroon | 0.09 | 2025 |
| 149e | 🇱🇾 Libya | 0.09 | 2025 |
| 150e | 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan | 0.08 | 2025 |
| 151e | 🇪🇬 Egypt | 0.08 | 2025 |
| 152e | 🇾🇪 Yemen | 0.07 | 2025 |
| 153e | 🇰🇭 Cambodia | 0.06 | 2025 |
| 154e | 🇹🇯 Tajikistan | 0.06 | 2025 |
| 155e | 🇸🇾 Syria | 0.06 | 2025 |
| 156e | 🇧🇭 Bahrain | 0.05 | 2025 |
| 156e | 🇧🇾 Belarus | 0.05 | 2025 |
| 156e | 🇨🇺 Cuba | 0.05 | 2025 |
| 159e | 🇰🇼 Kuwait | 0.05 | 2025 |
| 160e | 🇦🇫 Afghanistan | 0.05 | 2025 |
| 160e | 🇸🇩 Sudan | 0.05 | 2025 |
| 162e | 🇭🇰 Hong Kong SAR China | 0.05 | 2025 |
| 163e | 🇰🇵 North Korea | 0.04 | 2025 |
| 164e | 🇦🇿 Azerbaijan | 0.04 | 2025 |
| 165e | 🇮🇷 Iran | 0.04 | 2025 |
| 166e | 🇬🇶 Equatorial Guinea | 0.04 | 2025 |
| 166e | 🇲🇲 Myanmar (Burma) | 0.04 | 2025 |
| 168e | 🇨🇳 China | 0.04 | 2025 |
| 169e | 🇶🇦 Qatar | 0.03 | 2025 |
| 170e | 🇹🇲 Turkmenistan | 0.03 | 2025 |
| 171e | 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | 0.03 | 2025 |
| 172e | 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | 0.03 | 2025 |
| 173e | 🇪🇷 Eritrea | 0.01 | 2025 |
Frequently asked questions
Which country has the highest value for "Participatory democracy index"?
The highest value is in Switzerland, at 0.79 (2025).
Which country has the lowest value for "Participatory democracy index"?
The lowest value is in Eritrea, at 0.01 (2025).
What is the world median value of "Participatory democracy index"?
The world median is 0.3, calculated across 173 countries: half of the countries are above it, the other half below.
What is the value of "Participatory democracy index" for France?
France scores 0.6 (2025), ranking 12 out of 173 countries (ranked from highest to lowest).
Where does the "Participatory democracy 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.
How should the scale of the index be read?
The index runs from zero to one. The closer it gets to one, the more citizens can take part in decisions beyond voting. The closer it gets to zero, the less they can.
What is the difference with electoral democracy?
Electoral democracy concerns elections. Participatory democracy adds the role of civil society, direct democracy and regional and local governments.
Source and update
Source : V-Dem (Varieties of Democracy), version 16 – via Our World in Data. Site last updated: November 8, 2026.
Indicators in the same category : Democracy & Elections
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