Deliberative Democracy Index in Malawi

Malawi: Deliberative Democracy Index was 0.468 in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)
0.468
Change on year
up 5.2%
World rank
61st
of 175 countries
All-time high
0.499
in 2022
All-time low
0.012
in 1900
Years of data
126
1900–2025

Deliberative Democracy Index in Malawi, 1900–2025

00.10.20.30.40.5190019622025

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

Analysis

Malawi recorded 0.468 for deliberative democracy index in 2025.

That represents a change of up 5.2% on the previous year and up 8.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, deliberative democracy index in Malawi peaked at 0.499 in 2022 and was at its lowest, 0.012, in 1900.

Malawi ranks 61st of 175 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

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

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1900s 0.012 0.012 0.012 10
1910s 0.012 0.012 0.012 10
1920s 0.012 0.012 0.012 10
1930s 0.012 0.012 0.012 10
1940s 0.0125 0.012 0.017 10
1950s 0.0142 0.013 0.017 10
1960s 0.0703 0.014 0.124 10
1970s 0.0523 0.046 0.063 10
1980s 0.047 0.047 0.047 10
1990s 0.2849 0.047 0.444 10
2000s 0.3676 0.34 0.418 10
2010s 0.4119 0.361 0.45 10
2020s 0.4673 0.445 0.499 6

Countries ranked near Malawi

  1. 58 United States 0.481 compare
  2. 59 Bulgaria 0.474 compare
  3. 60 Guatemala 0.471 compare
  4. 62 Vanuatu 0.467 compare
  5. 63 Namibia 0.464 compare
  6. 64 Colombia 0.458 compare

See the full ranking of 175 places →

More social development data for Malawi

All data for Malawi →

Frequently asked questions

What is deliberative democracy index in Malawi?
Deliberative democracy index in Malawi was 0.468 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest deliberative democracy index recorded in Malawi?
The highest recorded value was 0.499 in 2022.
What is the lowest deliberative democracy index recorded in Malawi?
The lowest recorded value was 0.012 in 1900.
How does Malawi rank for deliberative democracy index?
Malawi ranks 61st out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
Is deliberative democracy index rising or falling in Malawi?
Over the last ten years it is up 8.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Malawi 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 — 126 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator
Deliberative Democracy Index
Source
V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
175 places, 20,734 data points, 1900–2025
Last refreshed

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.