Which has higher electoral democracy index, Germany or South Korea?

Germany, at 0.828 against 0.819 in South Korea as of 2025.

How many years of comparable data are there for Germany and South Korea?

191 years are reported by both, from 1789 to 2025.

Where does this data come from?

V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Electoral Democracy Index. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Germany vs South Korea: Electoral Democracy Index

Germany

0.828

in 2025

South Korea

0.819

in 2025

Germany rank

21st

South Korea rank

24th

Electoral Democracy Index over time

Germany
South Korea

How they compare

Germany currently reports 0.828 against 0.819 in South Korea, a difference of 0.009.

Across all 191 years both countries report, Germany has been ahead every year.

Germany ranks 21st and South Korea ranks 24th of 176 countries.

Germany has averaged higher in every one of the 21 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade	Germany	South Korea	Difference	Ahead
1780s	0.026	0.015	0.011	Germany
1790s	0.026	0.015	0.011	Germany
1800s	0.026	0.015	0.011	Germany
1810s	0.028	0.015	0.013	Germany
1820s	0.03	0.015	0.015	Germany
1830s	0.03	0.015	0.015	Germany
1840s	0.0572	0.015	0.0422	Germany
1850s	0.157	0.015	0.142	Germany
1860s	0.1894	0.015	0.1744	Germany
1870s	0.2287	0.015	0.2137	Germany
1880s	0.2315	0.0168	0.2147	Germany
1890s	0.2385	0.0249	0.2136	Germany
1900s	0.2491	0.0214	0.2277	Germany
1910s	0.2812	0.0123	0.2689	Germany
1920s	0.6222	0.014	0.6082	Germany
1930s	0.2421	0.014	0.2281	Germany
1940s	0.0714	0.0132	0.0582	Germany
1990s	0.8938	0.7309	0.1629	Germany
2000s	0.899	0.8184	0.0806	Germany
2010s	0.8893	0.7672	0.1221	Germany
2020s	0.8493	0.7948	0.0545	Germany

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher electoral democracy index, Germany or South Korea?: Germany, at 0.828 against 0.819 in South Korea as of 2025.
What is the difference in electoral democracy index between Germany and South Korea?: 0.009, with Germany ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Germany and South Korea?: 191 years are reported by both, from 1789 to 2025.
How do Germany and South Korea rank globally for electoral democracy index?: Germany ranks 21st and South Korea ranks 24th of 176 countries.
Where does this data come from?: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Electoral Democracy Index. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Individual pages

About this data

Indicator: Electoral Democracy Index
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 176 places, 29,649 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed: 07 August 2026

Central estimate of the extent to which political leaders are elected under comprehensive suffrage in free and fair elections, and freedoms of association and expression are guaranteed.