EIU report

Democracy Index 2023

It was an inauspicious year for democracy with the average global score falling to its lowest level since the index began in 2006. Less than 8% of the world’s population live in a full democracy, while almost 40% live under authoritarian rule—a share that has been creeping up in recent years. The increasing incidence of violent conflict has badly dented the global democracy score and prevented a recovery after the pandemic years of 2020-22.

The world’s democracies seem powerless to prevent wars from breaking out around the globe. EIU’s Democracy Index report analyses the relationship between democracy, war and peace and looks at the geopolitical drivers of conflict. It also provides an explanation of the changes in the global rankings and an in-depth regional overview.

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Read the 2024 Democracy Index
What’s wrong with representative democracy?

Published in February 2025, EIU’s Democracy Index 2024 examines the drivers of widespread discontent with democracy as the global average score fell to 5.17, its lowest in decades. The annual report identifies seven flaws in contemporary political systems that are fuelling disaffection and threatening stability.

Explore this year’s findings, including global rankings, regional trends and the forces behind democratic backsliding.

Democratic backsliding continues

EIU’s Democracy Index provides a snapshot of the state of democracy in 165 independent states and two territories.

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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 an average of these scores.

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”.

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Watch our virtual event

Editor of the Democracy Index report, Joan Hoey, discussed this year’s global rankings.