Freedom Index
A composite measure of political rights, civil liberties, electoral integrity, democratic quality, and freedom of assembly across 190+ countries — drawing on Freedom House, V-Dem, and the Electoral Integrity Project. Higher scores indicate greater political freedom. The Freedom Index feeds into the Political Risk Index and is available as a standalone data product.
A representative selection of Freedom Index scores across the spectrum. The full dataset — including all five dimension sub-scores — is available on subscription.
Most free countries
✓ Public| # | Country | Score | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Finland | 96.4 | Free |
| 2 | Norway | 96.1 | Free |
| 3 | Sweden | 95.8 | Free |
| 4 | Iceland | 95.4 | Free |
| 5 | Denmark | 95.1 | Free |
| 6 | New Zealand | 94.7 | Free |
| 7 | Canada | 93.8 | Free |
| 8 | Netherlands | 93.2 | Free |
| 9 | Switzerland | 92.9 | Free |
| 10 | Ireland | 92.4 | Free |
Least free countries
✓ Public| # | Country | Score | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 190 | North Korea | 1.2 | Not Free |
| 189 | Eritrea | 2.1 | Not Free |
| 188 | Turkmenistan | 3.4 | Not Free |
| 187 | Syria | 4.6 | Not Free |
| 186 | South Sudan | 5.8 | Not Free |
| 185 | Saudi Arabia | 7.2 | Not Free |
| 184 | Cuba | 8.4 | Not Free |
| 183 | China | 9.6 | Not Free |
| 182 | Venezuela | 11.2 | Not Free |
| 181 | Belarus | 12.8 | Not Free |
Full Freedom Index · 190 countries
⬤ Subscription requiredWhat the Freedom Index measures
Five dimensions capturing both the formal institutional conditions for freedom and the lived reality of political rights and civil liberties. The index integrates the world’s most credible freedom measurement frameworks — Freedom House, V-Dem, and the Electoral Integrity Project — with PoliData’s political risk intelligence layer covering backsliding risk and democratic trajectory.
Political Rights
- Electoral process quality and competitiveness
- Political pluralism and opposition rights
- Government functioning and accountability
- Political participation and self-determination
- Rights of minority groups in political process
Civil Liberties
- Freedom of expression and belief
- Associational and organisational rights
- Rule of law and due process
- Personal autonomy and individual rights
- Protection from arbitrary state violence
Electoral Integrity
- Electoral management body independence
- Voter registration access and inclusivity
- Campaign environment and financing rules
- Electoral laws fairness and impartiality
- Results transparency and dispute resolution
Democratic Quality
- Liberal democratic index (V-Dem)
- Deliberative democracy index
- Egalitarian and participatory democracy
- Checks and balances on executive power
- Judicial and legislative independence
Freedom of Assembly & Association
- Right to peaceful assembly and protest
- Freedom of political association
- Civil society organisational freedom
- Trade union and labour rights
- CIVICUS civil space rating
Backsliding indicators
- Year-on-year Freedom House score change
- V-Dem autocratisation episode detection
- Emergency powers invoked in last 12 months
- Independent media closures or restrictions
- Civil society clampdown indicators
Key data sources
- Freedom House Freedom in the World (annual)
- V-Dem Varieties of Democracy dataset
- Electoral Integrity Project (EIP)
- EIU Democracy Index
- CIVICUS Monitor civil space ratings
- ITUC Global Rights Index
PoliData risk overlay
- Freedom trajectory over 5-year rolling window
- Political economy of backsliding risk
- Ruling party consolidation indicators
- Constitutional manipulation attempts
- International democratic norm compliance
Standard freedom indices measure where countries stand today. PoliData’s index adds a forward-looking dimension — assessing the probability of democratic backsliding over the next 12–24 months based on executive consolidation, constitutional manipulation, civil society restriction, and changes to electoral rules. A country can score well today and still carry significant backsliding risk.
Built for political freedom intelligence
Freedom scores are used across a wide range of institutions — from foreign affairs ministries assessing partner countries to development finance institutions setting conditionality, and from academic researchers to media organisations covering global democracy.
Foreign affairs & partner country assessment
Ministries of foreign affairs use freedom scores to assess partner country conditions, inform diplomatic positioning, and identify where democratic norms are under pressure.
Aid conditionality & DFI due diligence
Development finance institutions and donor governments use freedom scores to set conditionality, assess governance risk in loan portfolios, and allocate aid effectively.
ESG & governance screening
ESG-focused investors and asset managers incorporate freedom scores into governance screening frameworks — particularly for sovereign bond and infrastructure investment decisions.
Comparative democracy analysis
Academic researchers, think tanks, and media organisations use the index for comparative democracy analysis, country reporting, and tracking democratic trends over time.
Get full access to the Freedom Index
190 countries. Five dimensions. Annual updates with interim revisions after major political events — elections, coups, constitutional changes, and emergency legislation.