Democracy Index 2024

Despite a record election year in 2024—when more than half of the global population went to the polls—EIU’s Democracy Index recorded another democratic decline. The average score fell to 5.17, its lowest since the index began in 2006, down from 5.23 in 2023.

Only 45% of the world’s population lives in a democracy, 39% under authoritarian rule, and 15% in “hybrid regimes” that combine electoral democracy with authoritarian tendencies.

The Democracy Index 2024 provides a detailed analysis of political trends at country, regional and global levels. Drawing on comprehensive data, it examines how growing dissatisfaction with democratic models is driving demand for new forms of political representation and influencing governance, policymaking and the broader operating environment.

Download the report for data-driven insights into the state of democracy worldwide.

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How EIU measures democracy

Indicators

The Democracy Index is based on 60 indicators, grouped into five categories: electoral process and pluralism; functioning of government; political participation; political culture; and civil liberties.

Ratings

Countries are scored from zero to ten in five categories with the overall index rating being a simple average of the five category indexes.

Types of regimes

Based on their average score, each country is classified as one of four types of regimes: “full democracies”, “flawed democracies”, “hybrid regimes” and “authoritarian regimes”.

Previous editions

Democracy Index 2023

Age of conflict

The 2023 Democracy Index examined the relationship between democracy and conflict, as rising violence dented the global democracy score. The report analysed the key economic, political and geopolitical drivers of conflict, including the breakdown of the postwar international order and intensifying great-power rivalries.

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Democracy Index 2022

Frontline democracy and the battle for Ukraine

The 2022 Democracy Index focused on Russia’s war in Ukraine and the broader link between national sovereignty and democracy. Despite expectations of a rebound after the lifting of pandemic restrictions, the global average score remained almost unchanged at 5.29 (on a 0–10 scale), compared with 5.28 in 2021.

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Democracy Index 2021

The China challenge

In 2021, democracy suffered its sharpest annual decline since 2010, as pandemic-related restrictions continued to curb individual freedoms and caused major regional setbacks. This edition of the Democracy Index also examined the challenge posed by China, assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the “China model” and its global appeal.

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Attend our virtual event

Join Joan Hoey, editor of the Democracy Index 2024, for an in-depth discussion of this year’s global rankings and the forces shaping democracy worldwide. The webinar takes place on Thursday, March 20th.

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