Political Participation By Country December 2024

Norway and New Zealand top the rankings in political participation with a perfect score of 10, highlighting their robust democratic systems. This analysis explores the top and bottom countries in political participation, regional trends, and key insights from the data.

Top 10 Countries with the Highest Political Participation

Norway and New Zealand lead with a perfect score of 10
Israel follows closely with an impressive 9.44
Iceland, Canada, Austria, and the United States score 8.89 each
Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, Netherlands, Ireland, Germany, and the United Kingdom score 8.33
Thailand and the Philippines also share an 8.33 score

Bottom 10 Countries with the Lowest Political Participation

Afghanistan ranks lowest with a score of 0
Eritrea follows with 0.56
Sudan scores 1.11
Laos, North Korea, Tajikistan, Niger, and Myanmar all score 1.67
Saudi Arabia, Russia, Gabon, Turkmenistan, and Syria follow with 2.22

Which Country Leads in Political Participation?

Norway and New Zealand lead in political participation, showcasing high levels of citizen engagement, robust political freedom, and a well-functioning electoral system. These countries maintain their position through strong democratic processes and civic involvement across all levels.

Why Do Some Countries Excel in Political Participation?

Countries like Norway, New Zealand, and Israel excel due to their highly inclusive political environments, transparency in governance, and accessibility of voting systems. These factors encourage higher citizen involvement in politics, both in terms of voting and active political discourse.

What Are the Global Trends in Political Participation?

There's a clear trend where Scandinavian and Oceanic countries dominate the rankings, likely due to their strong democratic institutions and emphasis on individual freedoms. Countries with more restrictive political environments, such as those in the Middle East and parts of Africa, tend to have lower scores.

How Do Climate and Geography Affect Political Participation?

Geographic regions with strong democratic traditions and greater economic development tend to score higher, as seen in Northern Europe and parts of Oceania. These regions have established political systems that promote greater citizen involvement. On the other hand, regions with political instability or authoritarian governance, like parts of Africa and Asia, face challenges in fostering political engagement.

How Do Top Performers Compare to Bottom Performers?

Top performers such as Norway and New Zealand maintain high levels of political participation due to strong legal frameworks, voter accessibility, and civic engagement programs. In contrast, bottom performers like Afghanistan and North Korea score lower due to authoritarian regimes, limited freedom of expression, and restricted voting rights.

Political Participation By Country December 2024 (Index, December 2024)

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Latest Data

December 2024

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Country

Publisher

Economist Intelligence Unit

Previous Records

December 2024

December 2023

December 2022

Rank	Country	Index
1	Norway	10
1	New Zealand	10
2	Israel	9.44
3	Iceland	8.89
3	Canada	8.89
3	Austria	8.89
3	United States	8.89
4	Sweden	8.33
4	Denmark	8.33
4	Switzerland	8.33
4	Netherlands	8.33
4	Ireland	8.33
4	Germany	8.33
4	United Kingdom	8.33
4	Thailand	8.33
4	Philippines	8.33
4	Palestine	8.33
5	Finland	7.78
5	Uruguay	7.78
5	Taiwan	7.78
5	Costa Rica	7.78
5	France	7.78
5	South Africa	7.78
5	Czech Republic	7.78
6	Australia	7.22
6	Spain	7.22
6	Slovenia	7.22
6	South Korea	7.22
6	India	7.22
6	Italy	7.22
6	Greece	7.22
6	Indonesia	7.22
6	Panama	7.22
6	Moldova	7.22
6	Dominican Republic	7.22
6	Mexico	7.22
6	Sri Lanka	7.22
6	Ukraine	7.22
7	Luxembourg	6.67
7	Japan	6.67
7	Estonia	6.67
7	Chile	6.67
7	Latvia	6.67
7	Lithuania	6.67
7	Malaysia	6.67
7	Malta	6.67
7	Montenegro	6.67
7	Cape Verde	6.67
7	Poland	6.67
7	Mongolia	6.67
7	Serbia	6.67
7	Suriname	6.67
7	Cyprus	6.67
7	Paraguay	6.67
7	Namibia	6.67
7	Kenya	6.67
7	Lebanon	6.67
8	Mauritius	6.11
8	Portugal	6.11
8	Trinidad and Tobago	6.11
8	Botswana	6.11
8	Slovakia	6.11
8	Croatia	6.11
8	North Macedonia	6.11
8	Guyana	6.11
8	Colombia	6.11
8	Brazil	6.11
8	Argentina	6.11
8	Ghana	6.11
8	Turkey	6.11
8	Armenia	6.11
8	Madagascar	6.11
8	Ethiopia	6.11
8	Liberia	6.11
8	Iraq	6.11
9	Timor-Leste	5.56
9	Bulgaria	5.56
9	Romania	5.56
9	Ecuador	5.56
9	Malawi	5.56
9	Morocco	5.56
9	Bolivia	5.56
9	Tunisia	5.56
9	Lesotho	5.56
9	El Salvador	5.56
9	Georgia	5.56
9	Mauritania	5.56
9	Angola	5.56
9	Mozambique	5.56
10	Belgium	5
10	Jamaica	5
10	Peru	5
10	Albania	5
10	Nepal	5
10	Tanzania	5
10	Guatemala	5
10	Bosnia and Herzegovina	5
10	Zambia	5
10	Kazakhstan	5
10	Bangladesh	5
10	Cambodia	5
10	Venezuela	5
10	Mali	5
11	Singapore	4.44
11	Hungary	4.44
11	Senegal	4.44
11	Benin	4.44
11	Fiji	4.44
11	Honduras	4.44
11	Ivory Coast	4.44
11	Jordan	4.44
11	Zimbabwe	4.44
11	Republic of the Congo	4.44
12	Papua New Guinea	3.89
12	Bhutan	3.89
12	Gambia	3.89
12	Hong Kong	3.89
12	Nigeria	3.89
12	Uganda	3.89
12	Sierra Leone	3.89
12	Egypt	3.89
12	Comoros	3.89
12	Cameroon	3.89
12	Kyrgyzstan	3.89
12	Djibouti	3.89
12	Libya	3.89
12	Burundi	3.89
12	Yemen	3.89
13	Rwanda	3.33
13	China	3.33
13	Cuba	3.33
13	Algeria	3.33
13	Azerbaijan	3.33
13	Iran	3.33
13	Bahrain	3.33
13	Togo	3.33
13	Burkina Faso	3.33
13	Belarus	3.33
13	Guinea	3.33
13	Equatorial Guinea	3.33
13	Chad	3.33
14	Pakistan	2.78
14	United Arab Emirates	2.78
14	Qatar	2.78
14	Vietnam	2.78
14	Oman	2.78
14	Kuwait	2.78
14	Nicaragua	2.78
14	Uzbekistan	2.78
14	Eswatini	2.78
14	DR Congo	2.78
14	Haiti	2.78
14	Guinea-Bissau	2.78
15	Saudi Arabia	2.22
15	Russia	2.22
15	Gabon	2.22
15	Turkmenistan	2.22
15	Syria	2.22
16	Laos	1.67
16	North Korea	1.67
16	Tajikistan	1.67
16	Niger	1.67
16	Central African Republic	1.67
16	Myanmar	1.67
17	Sudan	1.11
18	Eritrea	0.56
19	Afghanistan	0