Which has higher participatory democracy index, Denmark or Switzerland?

Switzerland, at 0.785 against 0.7 in Denmark as of 2025.

How many years of comparable data are there for Denmark and Switzerland?

228 years are reported by both, from 1798 to 2025.

Where does this data come from?

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

Denmark vs Switzerland: Participatory Democracy Index

Denmark

0.7

in 2025

Switzerland

0.785

in 2025

Denmark rank

3rd

Switzerland rank

1st

Participatory Democracy Index over time

Denmark
Switzerland

How they compare

Switzerland currently reports 0.785 against 0.7 in Denmark, a difference of 0.085.

That makes Switzerland's figure about 1.1 times Denmark's.

The two have swapped places 4 times across 228 shared years of data; in 1798 it was Switzerland ahead.

Denmark ranks 3rd and Switzerland ranks 1st of 176 countries.

Across the 24 decades both report, Denmark averaged higher in 4 and Switzerland in 20.

Head to head by decade

Decade	Denmark	Switzerland	Difference	Ahead
1790s	0.023	0.124	0.101	Switzerland
1800s	0.023	0.1151	0.0921	Switzerland
1810s	0.023	0.114	0.091	Switzerland
1820s	0.023	0.114	0.091	Switzerland
1830s	0.0599	0.1874	0.1275	Switzerland
1840s	0.1306	0.2139	0.0833	Switzerland
1850s	0.2007	0.3652	0.1645	Switzerland
1860s	0.2348	0.3646	0.1298	Switzerland
1870s	0.2475	0.379	0.1315	Switzerland
1880s	0.2549	0.3933	0.1384	Switzerland
1890s	0.2584	0.393	0.1346	Switzerland
1900s	0.3846	0.4986	0.114	Switzerland
1910s	0.4876	0.5007	0.0131	Switzerland
1920s	0.6408	0.518	0.1228	Denmark
1930s	0.6166	0.5151	0.1015	Denmark
1940s	0.4803	0.5134	0.0331	Switzerland
1950s	0.674	0.5272	0.1468	Denmark
1960s	0.715	0.5322	0.1828	Denmark
1970s	0.7066	0.7083	0.0017	Switzerland
1980s	0.7086	0.7707	0.0621	Switzerland
1990s	0.7293	0.789	0.0597	Switzerland
2000s	0.7202	0.7896	0.0694	Switzerland
2010s	0.7106	0.8034	0.0928	Switzerland
2020s	0.7008	0.7912	0.0903	Switzerland

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher participatory democracy index, Denmark or Switzerland?: Switzerland, at 0.785 against 0.7 in Denmark as of 2025.
What is the difference in participatory democracy index between Denmark and Switzerland?: 0.085, with Switzerland ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Denmark and Switzerland?: 228 years are reported by both, from 1798 to 2025.
How do Denmark and Switzerland rank globally for participatory democracy index?: Denmark ranks 3rd and Switzerland ranks 1st of 176 countries.
Where does this data come from?: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Participatory Democracy Index. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Individual pages

About this data

Indicator: Participatory Democracy Index
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 176 places, 29,363 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed: 07 August 2026

Central estimate of the extent of suffrage, the freedom and fairness of elections, freedoms of association and expression, as well as the extent to which citizens can engage in regional and local government, civil society organizations, and direct democracy.