Statizoid

Age of electoral democracy (V-Dem) in France

France: Age of electoral democracy (V-Dem) was 79 years in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)
79 years
Change on year
up 1.3%
World rank
17th
of 111 countries
All-time high
79 years
in 2025
All-time low
1 years
in 1874
Years of data
145
1874–2025

Age of electoral democracy in France, 1874–2025

020406080187419492025

Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in years.

Analysis

The most recent figure for age of electoral democracy in France is 79 years, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 145 years on record.

The figure is up 1.3% on the previous year and up 14.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, age of electoral democracy in France peaked at 79 years in 2025 and was at its lowest, 1 years, in 1874.

France ranks 17th of 111 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Age of electoral democracy (V-Dem) in France, year by year

Year years Change
1874 1 years —
1875 2 years +100.0%
1876 3 years +50.0%
1877 4 years +33.3%
1878 5 years +25.0%
1879 6 years +20.0%
1880 7 years +16.7%
1881 8 years +14.3%
1882 9 years +12.5%
1883 10 years +11.1%
1884 11 years +10.0%
1885 12 years +9.1%
1886 13 years +8.3%
1887 14 years +7.7%
1888 15 years +7.1%
1889 16 years +6.7%
1890 17 years +6.2%
1891 18 years +5.9%
1892 19 years +5.6%
1893 20 years +5.3%
1894 21 years +5.0%
1895 22 years +4.8%
1896 23 years +4.5%
1897 24 years +4.3%
1898 25 years +4.2%
1899 26 years +4.0%
1900 27 years +3.8%
1901 28 years +3.7%
1902 29 years +3.6%
1903 30 years +3.4%
1904 31 years +3.3%
1905 32 years +3.2%
1906 33 years +3.1%
1907 34 years +3.0%
1908 35 years +2.9%
1909 36 years +2.9%
1910 37 years +2.8%
1911 38 years +2.7%
1912 39 years +2.6%
1913 40 years +2.6%
1914 41 years +2.5%
1915 42 years +2.4%
1916 43 years +2.4%
1917 44 years +2.3%
1918 45 years +2.3%
1919 46 years +2.2%
1920 47 years +2.2%
1921 48 years +2.1%
1922 49 years +2.1%
1923 50 years +2.0%
1924 51 years +2.0%
1925 52 years +2.0%
1926 53 years +1.9%
1927 54 years +1.9%
1928 55 years +1.9%
1929 56 years +1.8%
1930 57 years +1.8%
1931 58 years +1.8%
1932 59 years +1.7%
1933 60 years +1.7%
1934 61 years +1.7%
1935 62 years +1.6%
1936 63 years +1.6%
1937 64 years +1.6%
1938 65 years +1.6%
1939 66 years +1.5%
1947 1 years -98.5%
1948 2 years +100.0%
1949 3 years +50.0%
1950 4 years +33.3%
1951 5 years +25.0%
1952 6 years +20.0%
1953 7 years +16.7%
1954 8 years +14.3%
1955 9 years +12.5%
1956 10 years +11.1%
1957 11 years +10.0%
1958 12 years +9.1%
1959 13 years +8.3%
1960 14 years +7.7%
1961 15 years +7.1%
1962 16 years +6.7%
1963 17 years +6.2%
1964 18 years +5.9%
1965 19 years +5.6%
1966 20 years +5.3%
1967 21 years +5.0%
1968 22 years +4.8%
1969 23 years +4.5%
1970 24 years +4.3%
1971 25 years +4.2%
1972 26 years +4.0%
1973 27 years +3.8%
1974 28 years +3.7%
1975 29 years +3.6%
1976 30 years +3.4%
1977 31 years +3.3%
1978 32 years +3.2%
1979 33 years +3.1%
1980 34 years +3.0%
1981 35 years +2.9%
1982 36 years +2.9%
1983 37 years +2.8%
1984 38 years +2.7%
1985 39 years +2.6%
1986 40 years +2.6%
1987 41 years +2.5%
1988 42 years +2.4%
1989 43 years +2.4%
1990 44 years +2.3%
1991 45 years +2.3%
1992 46 years +2.2%
1993 47 years +2.2%
1994 48 years +2.1%
1995 49 years +2.1%
1996 50 years +2.0%
1997 51 years +2.0%
1998 52 years +2.0%
1999 53 years +1.9%
2000 54 years +1.9%
2001 55 years +1.9%
2002 56 years +1.8%
2003 57 years +1.8%
2004 58 years +1.8%
2005 59 years +1.7%
2006 60 years +1.7%
2007 61 years +1.7%
2008 62 years +1.6%
2009 63 years +1.6%
2010 64 years +1.6%
2011 65 years +1.6%
2012 66 years +1.5%
2013 67 years +1.5%
2014 68 years +1.5%
2015 69 years +1.5%
2016 70 years +1.4%
2017 71 years +1.4%
2018 72 years +1.4%
2019 73 years +1.4%
2020 74 years +1.4%
2021 75 years +1.4%
2022 76 years +1.3%
2023 77 years +1.3%
2024 78 years +1.3%
2025 79 years +1.3%

France compared with similar countries

  • France's 79 years is above the median for high income countries, which is 63.5 years, 1.2× the median. (46 countries reporting)
  • France's 79 years is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 36 years, 2.2× the median. (40 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Age of electoral democracy (V-Dem) in France changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
1947 -98.5% 66 years 1 years
1875 +100.0% 1 years 2 years
1948 +100.0% 1 years 2 years
1876 +50.0% 2 years 3 years
1949 +50.0% 2 years 3 years
1877 +33.3% 3 years 4 years

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1870s 3.5 years 1 years 6 years 6
1880s 11.5 years 7 years 16 years 10
1890s 21.5 years 17 years 26 years 10
1900s 31.5 years 27 years 36 years 10
1910s 41.5 years 37 years 46 years 10
1920s 51.5 years 47 years 56 years 10
1930s 61.5 years 57 years 66 years 10
1940s 2 years 1 years 3 years 3
1950s 8.5 years 4 years 13 years 10
1960s 18.5 years 14 years 23 years 10
1970s 28.5 years 24 years 33 years 10
1980s 38.5 years 34 years 43 years 10
1990s 48.5 years 44 years 53 years 10
2000s 58.5 years 54 years 63 years 10
2010s 68.5 years 64 years 73 years 10
2020s 76.5 years 74 years 79 years 6

Countries ranked near France

  1. 17 Italy 79 years compare
  2. 19 Israel 77 years compare
  3. 20 Costa Rica 76 years compare

See the full ranking of 111 places →

More social development data for France

All data for France →

Frequently asked questions

What is age of electoral democracy in France?
Age of electoral democracy in France was 79 years in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest age of electoral democracy recorded in France?
The highest recorded value was 79 years in 2025.
What is the lowest age of electoral democracy recorded in France?
The lowest recorded value was 1 years in 1874.
How does France rank for age of electoral democracy?
France ranks 17th out of 111 countries with data for 2025.
Is age of electoral democracy rising or falling in France?
Over the last ten years it is up 14.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this France data come from?
The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Age of electoral democracy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Age of electoral democracy in France. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 08 November 2026, from https://social-development.statizoid.com/stat/age-of-electoral-democracy/france/

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About this data

Indicator
Age of electoral democracy
Unit
years
Source
V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
111 places, 5,296 data points, 1849–2025
Last refreshed

Number of consecutive years in electoral democracy.