Age of liberal democracy in Switzerland
Switzerland: Age of liberal democracy was 177 years in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
177 years
Change on year
up 0.6%
World rank
1st
of 47 countries
All-time high
177 years
in 2025
All-time low
1 years
in 1849
Years of data
177
1849–2025
Age of liberal democracy in Switzerland, 1849–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
The most recent figure for age of liberal democracy in Switzerland is 177 years, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 177 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 6.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, age of liberal democracy in Switzerland peaked at 177 years in 2025 and was at its lowest, 1 years, in 1849.
Switzerland ranks 1st of 47 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Age of liberal democracy in Switzerland, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1849 | 1 years | — |
| 1850 | 2 years | +100.0% |
| 1851 | 3 years | +50.0% |
| 1852 | 4 years | +33.3% |
| 1853 | 5 years | +25.0% |
| 1854 | 6 years | +20.0% |
| 1855 | 7 years | +16.7% |
| 1856 | 8 years | +14.3% |
| 1857 | 9 years | +12.5% |
| 1858 | 10 years | +11.1% |
| 1859 | 11 years | +10.0% |
| 1860 | 12 years | +9.1% |
| 1861 | 13 years | +8.3% |
| 1862 | 14 years | +7.7% |
| 1863 | 15 years | +7.1% |
| 1864 | 16 years | +6.7% |
| 1865 | 17 years | +6.2% |
| 1866 | 18 years | +5.9% |
| 1867 | 19 years | +5.6% |
| 1868 | 20 years | +5.3% |
| 1869 | 21 years | +5.0% |
| 1870 | 22 years | +4.8% |
| 1871 | 23 years | +4.5% |
| 1872 | 24 years | +4.3% |
| 1873 | 25 years | +4.2% |
| 1874 | 26 years | +4.0% |
| 1875 | 27 years | +3.8% |
| 1876 | 28 years | +3.7% |
| 1877 | 29 years | +3.6% |
| 1878 | 30 years | +3.4% |
| 1879 | 31 years | +3.3% |
| 1880 | 32 years | +3.2% |
| 1881 | 33 years | +3.1% |
| 1882 | 34 years | +3.0% |
| 1883 | 35 years | +2.9% |
| 1884 | 36 years | +2.9% |
| 1885 | 37 years | +2.8% |
| 1886 | 38 years | +2.7% |
| 1887 | 39 years | +2.6% |
| 1888 | 40 years | +2.6% |
| 1889 | 41 years | +2.5% |
| 1890 | 42 years | +2.4% |
| 1891 | 43 years | +2.4% |
| 1892 | 44 years | +2.3% |
| 1893 | 45 years | +2.3% |
| 1894 | 46 years | +2.2% |
| 1895 | 47 years | +2.2% |
| 1896 | 48 years | +2.1% |
| 1897 | 49 years | +2.1% |
| 1898 | 50 years | +2.0% |
| 1899 | 51 years | +2.0% |
| 1900 | 52 years | +2.0% |
| 1901 | 53 years | +1.9% |
| 1902 | 54 years | +1.9% |
| 1903 | 55 years | +1.9% |
| 1904 | 56 years | +1.8% |
| 1905 | 57 years | +1.8% |
| 1906 | 58 years | +1.8% |
| 1907 | 59 years | +1.7% |
| 1908 | 60 years | +1.7% |
| 1909 | 61 years | +1.7% |
| 1910 | 62 years | +1.6% |
| 1911 | 63 years | +1.6% |
| 1912 | 64 years | +1.6% |
| 1913 | 65 years | +1.6% |
| 1914 | 66 years | +1.5% |
| 1915 | 67 years | +1.5% |
| 1916 | 68 years | +1.5% |
| 1917 | 69 years | +1.5% |
| 1918 | 70 years | +1.4% |
| 1919 | 71 years | +1.4% |
| 1920 | 72 years | +1.4% |
| 1921 | 73 years | +1.4% |
| 1922 | 74 years | +1.4% |
| 1923 | 75 years | +1.4% |
| 1924 | 76 years | +1.3% |
| 1925 | 77 years | +1.3% |
| 1926 | 78 years | +1.3% |
| 1927 | 79 years | +1.3% |
| 1928 | 80 years | +1.3% |
| 1929 | 81 years | +1.2% |
| 1930 | 82 years | +1.2% |
| 1931 | 83 years | +1.2% |
| 1932 | 84 years | +1.2% |
| 1933 | 85 years | +1.2% |
| 1934 | 86 years | +1.2% |
| 1935 | 87 years | +1.2% |
| 1936 | 88 years | +1.1% |
| 1937 | 89 years | +1.1% |
| 1938 | 90 years | +1.1% |
| 1939 | 91 years | +1.1% |
| 1940 | 92 years | +1.1% |
| 1941 | 93 years | +1.1% |
| 1942 | 94 years | +1.1% |
| 1943 | 95 years | +1.1% |
| 1944 | 96 years | +1.1% |
| 1945 | 97 years | +1.0% |
| 1946 | 98 years | +1.0% |
| 1947 | 99 years | +1.0% |
| 1948 | 100 years | +1.0% |
| 1949 | 101 years | +1.0% |
| 1950 | 102 years | +1.0% |
| 1951 | 103 years | +1.0% |
| 1952 | 104 years | +1.0% |
| 1953 | 105 years | +1.0% |
| 1954 | 106 years | +1.0% |
| 1955 | 107 years | +0.9% |
| 1956 | 108 years | +0.9% |
| 1957 | 109 years | +0.9% |
| 1958 | 110 years | +0.9% |
| 1959 | 111 years | +0.9% |
| 1960 | 112 years | +0.9% |
| 1961 | 113 years | +0.9% |
| 1962 | 114 years | +0.9% |
| 1963 | 115 years | +0.9% |
| 1964 | 116 years | +0.9% |
| 1965 | 117 years | +0.9% |
| 1966 | 118 years | +0.9% |
| 1967 | 119 years | +0.8% |
| 1968 | 120 years | +0.8% |
| 1969 | 121 years | +0.8% |
| 1970 | 122 years | +0.8% |
| 1971 | 123 years | +0.8% |
| 1972 | 124 years | +0.8% |
| 1973 | 125 years | +0.8% |
| 1974 | 126 years | +0.8% |
| 1975 | 127 years | +0.8% |
| 1976 | 128 years | +0.8% |
| 1977 | 129 years | +0.8% |
| 1978 | 130 years | +0.8% |
| 1979 | 131 years | +0.8% |
| 1980 | 132 years | +0.8% |
| 1981 | 133 years | +0.8% |
| 1982 | 134 years | +0.8% |
| 1983 | 135 years | +0.7% |
| 1984 | 136 years | +0.7% |
| 1985 | 137 years | +0.7% |
| 1986 | 138 years | +0.7% |
| 1987 | 139 years | +0.7% |
| 1988 | 140 years | +0.7% |
| 1989 | 141 years | +0.7% |
| 1990 | 142 years | +0.7% |
| 1991 | 143 years | +0.7% |
| 1992 | 144 years | +0.7% |
| 1993 | 145 years | +0.7% |
| 1994 | 146 years | +0.7% |
| 1995 | 147 years | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 148 years | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 149 years | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 150 years | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 151 years | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 152 years | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 153 years | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 154 years | +0.7% |
| 2003 | 155 years | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 156 years | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 157 years | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 158 years | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 159 years | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 160 years | +0.6% |
| 2009 | 161 years | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 162 years | +0.6% |
| 2011 | 163 years | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 164 years | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 165 years | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 166 years | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 167 years | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 168 years | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 169 years | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 170 years | +0.6% |
| 2019 | 171 years | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 172 years | +0.6% |
| 2021 | 173 years | +0.6% |
| 2022 | 174 years | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 175 years | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 176 years | +0.6% |
| 2025 | 177 years | +0.6% |
Switzerland compared with similar countries
- Switzerland's 177 years is above the median for high income countries, which is 45 years, 3.9× the median. (40 countries reporting)
- Switzerland's 177 years is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 51 years, 3.5× the median. (28 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Age of liberal democracy in Switzerland 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.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1850 | +100.0% | 1 years | 2 years |
| 1851 | +50.0% | 2 years | 3 years |
| 1852 | +33.3% | 3 years | 4 years |
| 1853 | +25.0% | 4 years | 5 years |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1840s | 1 years | 1 years | 1 years | 1 |
| 1850s | 6.5 years | 2 years | 11 years | 10 |
| 1860s | 16.5 years | 12 years | 21 years | 10 |
| 1870s | 26.5 years | 22 years | 31 years | 10 |
| 1880s | 36.5 years | 32 years | 41 years | 10 |
| 1890s | 46.5 years | 42 years | 51 years | 10 |
| 1900s | 56.5 years | 52 years | 61 years | 10 |
| 1910s | 66.5 years | 62 years | 71 years | 10 |
| 1920s | 76.5 years | 72 years | 81 years | 10 |
| 1930s | 86.5 years | 82 years | 91 years | 10 |
| 1940s | 96.5 years | 92 years | 101 years | 10 |
| 1950s | 106.5 years | 102 years | 111 years | 10 |
| 1960s | 116.5 years | 112 years | 121 years | 10 |
| 1970s | 126.5 years | 122 years | 131 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 136.5 years | 132 years | 141 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 146.5 years | 142 years | 151 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 156.5 years | 152 years | 161 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 166.5 years | 162 years | 171 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 174.5 years | 172 years | 177 years | 6 |
Countries ranked near Switzerland
- 2 New Zealand 113 years compare
- 3 Australia 108 years compare
- 4 United Kingdom 105 years compare
More social development data for Switzerland
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 208,287 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 6 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 1 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 6 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0229 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is age of liberal democracy in Switzerland?
- Age of liberal democracy in Switzerland was 177 years in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest age of liberal democracy recorded in Switzerland?
- The highest recorded value was 177 years in 2025.
- What is the lowest age of liberal democracy recorded in Switzerland?
- The lowest recorded value was 1 years in 1849.
- How does Switzerland rank for age of liberal democracy?
- Switzerland ranks 1st out of 47 countries with data for 2025.
- Is age of liberal democracy rising or falling in Switzerland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Switzerland data come from?
- The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Age of liberal democracy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 177 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Number of consecutive years in electoral democracy.