In spring the world’s democracy indices are published. A few weeks ago we accessed what is surely the best and most elaborate: the Swedish report Democracy Report 2026: Unraveling The Democratic Era?, from the V-Dem Institute of the University of Gothenburg. Shortly after, The Economist Group’s report appeared, produced in London by The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited (EIU). This is already the 19th annual report that the EIU titles Democracy Index 2025: Does 2025 Mark the Bottom of the Democracy Recession?. Thus, with a question mark, to avoid overstatement.
“After eight years of scores [on the democracy index] declining, 2025 marks a stabilization that suggests an end to the democracy recession”
The democracy has already fallen for eight years worldwide, and this report hints that perhaps in 2025 it has found a bottom. It suggests that in the future the global democratic situation will improve. It is a classic wishful thinking. Literally, “after eight years of declines in democracy index scores, 2025 marks a stabilization that suggests an end to the democracy recession” (p. 3 of the British report). The global democratic decline has reached a low point. It is, therefore, an optimistic view of the future of democracy. The clearest exception to this hypothesis is the United States, whose democracy has deteriorated, especially during Donald Trump’s second presidency.
Another hypothesis is that the higher-quality democracies are very stable, just as authoritarian and, above all, totalitarian regimes are stable. In the middle lie transitional countries, which sometimes go through back-and-forth dynamics. A fundamental factor is political participation and the political attitudes of youth. Political participation is a necessary, but insufficient factor to build a solid, high-quality democracy. To enable a genuine political transition in countries undergoing change, it is necessary for them to undertake a structural reform of democratic institutions. The aim is to maintain democracy after the initial transition.
The British EIU report analyzes the democratic status of 176 countries, with 60 indicators for each, referring to the year 2025. The fundamental conclusion is that democracy worldwide continues to decline. More than half of the world’s population (55%, i.e., 61 countries) currently lives under an authoritarian or totalitarian regime. The democratic decline is evident, for example, in Asia and in MENA (the Middle East and North Africa). Full democracies number only 26 countries, about 7% of the global population.
In this context, Western Europe’s position is very favorable. Even its democracy indices rose—slightly—in 2025. Of twenty-one countries, nineteen remain stable or have even improved. Western Europe is the region with the highest democracy scores in the world. France, at last, has moved from the category of imperfect democracies to become a full democracy. Currently, neighboring France ranks 26th out of 167 countries (Spain is 22nd). The world average democracy index is 52%, while in Western Europe it is 84%. Yet Europe faces several issues to be solved: housing shortage, public dissatisfaction, far-right and populist parties, discontent with traditional parties, concern about immigration, and, in general, the fragmentation of citizens’ political preferences. In Europe, the danger is political polarization in several countries and the rise of the radical right. The drift toward more restrictive immigration policies is also problematic.
Spain, ranked 22nd, is among the world’s best democracies. With a democracy index score of 82%, it surpasses neighboring countries such as Greece (81%), France (80%), Belgium (78%), Italy (76%), and Turkey (43%). It also surpasses Eastern European countries, among others, like Romania (61%), Bulgaria (63%), Hungary (66%), Poland (76%), and the Czech Republic (81%).
“In recent years, Spain slightly improves its democracy index score: 79.4% in 2021; 80.7% in 2022; 80.7% in 2023; 81.3% in 2024; and 82% in 2025”
According to the recent study, Portugal (20th) is a little ahead of Spain (22nd). However, according to the V-Dem report, Portugal is 26th and Spain 21st. The consistency of democracy indices over the years fluctuates somewhat, because the indicators used (and their interpretation) also evolve. In 2025 there are 60 different indicators for each of the 176 countries assessed. In recent years, Spain slightly improves its democracy index score: 79.4% in 2021; 80.7% in 2022; 80.7% in 2023; 81.3% in 2024; and 82% in 2025.
Since the COVID pandemic, Spain’s democratic status has improved. Democratic progress is evident. Its current position at 22nd is very good, considering that the United Kingdom is 18th and Germany 16th. The United States has fallen a lot, currently at 38th.
In this comparison you can see the world standings and the democracy index of the world’s top democracies. I have also included the United States, China, and Russia for comparison. Among the most democratic countries in the world, the Scandinavians stand out, with the top index in Norway (98%). Furthermore, the best positions include Denmark, Iceland, Finland, and Sweden. Within that group of highly democratic states are also New Zealand (2nd), with Australia at 13th. The first Latin American country is Uruguay (12th), and Costa Rica (19th). In Asia, democratic countries include Japan (14th) and Taiwan (15th). South Korea is 31st, with a democracy index of 78%. North Korea—the other Korea—sits at 165th, one of the lowest in the world, with an 11% democracy index. The gap between the two Koreas is enormous.
The position of the great powers—the United States, China, Russia—is far from favorable. The United States has suffered a major deterioration in recent times, dropping to 38th place, no longer a full democracy. China’s situation (rank 145 out of 176) is very low, with barely 22% democracy. Even worse is Russia, at 151st, with only 20% democracy. Both countries—China and Russia—are evidently dictatorships. The Swedish V-Dem index calculates even lower democracy levels: Russia 6% and China 4%.
“The fact that both organizations agree lends special confidence to Spain’s position as one of the world’s best democracies”
The comparison also includes the scores of those countries in the Swedish academic V-Dem report, just published. It covers data from 179 countries (three more than the EIU report). The democracy index scores are a bit lower due to the calculation method. The maximum according to V-Dem is Denmark with 88%, compared with Norway’s 98% in the EIU. The various democracy indicators included are also different, though the goal is the same: to measure democracy in countries. Both studies are professional, very precise, use multiple indicators, with numerous international experts, use many resources…, but the results are somewhat different. That surprises me a lot. I understand that evaluating around two hundred countries is a substantial undertaking. However, even though one might expect similar results, they are not (or at least not always). Spain yields precise results, ranking 22nd among the world’s democracies according to the British report, and 21st according to the Swedish report. The fact that both organizations agree lends special confidence to Spain’s status as one of the world’s best democracies.
The British report rates New Zealand very highly, as well as Iceland and Canada. It is not surprising that the Swedish report rates Sweden very high (2nd) and that the British report elevates the United Kingdom from 30th in V-Dem to 18th in The Economist’s index. Asian democracies (Japan and Taiwan) also appear in a better position in the British report. It also favors Portugal and especially the Republic of Mauritius. Overall, the Swedish V-Dem report appears more academic and more critical. The British EIU report is conservative and perhaps more commercial. The United States’ position is questioned by both reports, but the Swedish report is considerably more critical, placing the U.S. at 51st. For the Brits, Donald Trump’s United States still retains 76% democracy, while for the Swedes it is now only 57%.
The Economist regards China as occupying a somewhat better position than Russia, whereas the Swedes place China in a lower position, reaching 171st, with a democracy index of only 4%. In any case, China and Russia are the scum of the world democracy rankings. Both maintain very low positions that do not improve. Interestingly, the EIU report does not analyze the cases of China and Russia, despite their political and numerical importance. I suppose it’s a case of extreme diplomacy. Yet, criticism of the United States occupies a substantial space in both reports.
These two reports, the world’s best, generally get the trends right, but not the absolute details for every one of the world’s two hundred countries. They undertake an enormous effort of resources, experts and indicators, though they do not tend to identical results. But the broad trends are well defined. In the case of Spain, happily they do coincide, placing Spain in the group of quality democracies, surpassing the scores of our regional neighbors. The worst global scores come from the MENA region, with a democracy index of 32%. Sub-Saharan Africa stands at 40%. All of this stands in contrast to Western Europe’s 84% democracy.
“Both reports highlight the serious deterioration of democracy in the United States. Trump has gravely attacked the civil liberties of the American people”
Both the British and Swedish reports highlight the serious erosion of democracy in the United States. Trump’s conduct is increasingly authoritarian and erratic. His actions and policies challenge democratic norms. There has even been an ideological screening of immigrants. Trump pardoned about 1,600 individuals convicted of attacking the Capitol on January 6, 2021. He also maintains vindictive conduct toward his political enemies. Freedom of expression is curtailed. He proposes a relative manipulation of electoral processes. In the U.S., political and cultural polarization is intense. The democratization of Venezuela, Iran, and Cuba seems unlikely. It is noteworthy that the U.S. and Canada move in opposite directions. Canada is 9th, while the U.S. has fallen to 38th. But the U.S. aspires to annex Greenland and even Canada. The criticism of the U.S. situation can be seen on pages 16 to 20 of the British EIU report, a report of barely 27 pages.
Do we think the global democratic recession has reached its end? One can hope. We therefore look forward to next spring to better verify this optimistic hypothesis.
