Deliberative Democracy Index in Germany
Germany: Deliberative Democracy Index was 0.79 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Deliberative Democracy Index in Germany, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, deliberative democracy index in Germany stood at 0.79.
The figure is up 0.5% on the previous year and down 7.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, deliberative democracy index in Germany peaked at 0.872 in 1999 and was at its lowest, 0.011, in 1935.
That places Germany 8th out of 175 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Deliberative Democracy Index in Germany, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 0.174 | — |
| 1901 | 0.175 | +0.6% |
| 1902 | 0.177 | +1.1% |
| 1903 | 0.177 | +0.0% |
| 1904 | 0.179 | +1.1% |
| 1905 | 0.179 | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 0.178 | -0.6% |
| 1907 | 0.177 | -0.6% |
| 1908 | 0.178 | +0.6% |
| 1909 | 0.178 | +0.0% |
| 1910 | 0.178 | +0.0% |
| 1911 | 0.178 | +0.0% |
| 1912 | 0.178 | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 0.178 | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 0.17 | -4.5% |
| 1915 | 0.165 | -2.9% |
| 1916 | 0.165 | +0.0% |
| 1917 | 0.165 | +0.0% |
| 1918 | 0.172 | +4.2% |
| 1919 | 0.433 | +151.7% |
| 1920 | 0.496 | +14.5% |
| 1921 | 0.507 | +2.2% |
| 1922 | 0.504 | -0.6% |
| 1923 | 0.493 | -2.2% |
| 1924 | 0.481 | -2.4% |
| 1925 | 0.474 | -1.5% |
| 1926 | 0.482 | +1.7% |
| 1927 | 0.482 | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 0.478 | -0.8% |
| 1929 | 0.48 | +0.4% |
| 1930 | 0.46 | -4.2% |
| 1931 | 0.428 | -7.0% |
| 1932 | 0.421 | -1.6% |
| 1933 | 0.049 | -88.4% |
| 1934 | 0.015 | -69.4% |
| 1935 | 0.011 | -26.7% |
| 1936 | 0.012 | +9.1% |
| 1937 | 0.011 | -8.3% |
| 1938 | 0.012 | +9.1% |
| 1939 | 0.011 | -8.3% |
| 1940 | 0.011 | +0.0% |
| 1941 | 0.011 | +0.0% |
| 1942 | 0.011 | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 0.011 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 0.011 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 0.864 | +7754.5% |
| 1992 | 0.864 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 0.864 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 0.864 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 0.864 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 0.864 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 0.864 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 0.865 | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 0.872 | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 0.872 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 0.872 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 0.87 | -0.2% |
| 2003 | 0.865 | -0.6% |
| 2004 | 0.865 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 0.865 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 0.872 | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 0.872 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 0.872 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 0.87 | -0.2% |
| 2010 | 0.867 | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 0.87 | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 0.868 | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 0.86 | -0.9% |
| 2014 | 0.852 | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 0.85 | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 0.854 | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 0.855 | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 0.843 | -1.4% |
| 2019 | 0.841 | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 0.834 | -0.8% |
| 2021 | 0.824 | -1.2% |
| 2022 | 0.816 | -1.0% |
| 2023 | 0.814 | -0.2% |
| 2024 | 0.786 | -3.4% |
| 2025 | 0.79 | +0.5% |
Germany compared with similar countries
- Germany's 0.79 is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.665, 1.2× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Germany's 0.79 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.61, 1.3× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Deliberative Democracy Index in Germany 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | +7754.5% | 0.011 | 0.864 |
| 1919 | +151.7% | 0.172 | 0.433 |
| 1933 | -88.4% | 0.421 | 0.049 |
| 1934 | -69.4% | 0.049 | 0.015 |
| 1935 | -26.7% | 0.015 | 0.011 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 0.1772 | 0.174 | 0.179 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0.1982 | 0.165 | 0.433 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.4877 | 0.474 | 0.507 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.143 | 0.011 | 0.46 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.011 | 0.011 | 0.011 | 5 |
| 1990s | 0.865 | 0.864 | 0.872 | 9 |
| 2000s | 0.8695 | 0.865 | 0.872 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.856 | 0.841 | 0.87 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.8107 | 0.786 | 0.834 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Germany
More social development data for Germany
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 2.66 million (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 327 (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 327 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0318 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 deliberative democracy index in Germany?
- Deliberative democracy index in Germany was 0.79 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest deliberative democracy index recorded in Germany?
- The highest recorded value was 0.872 in 1999.
- What is the lowest deliberative democracy index recorded in Germany?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.011 in 1935.
- How does Germany rank for deliberative democracy index?
- Germany ranks 8th out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
- Is deliberative democracy index rising or falling in Germany?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Germany data come from?
- The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Deliberative Democracy Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 80 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
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 political elites justify their positions, justify them with the common good, acknowledge counterarguments, consult elites in policy changes, and society deliberates policy changes.