Direct Democracy Index in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Direct Democracy Index was 0.201 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Direct Democracy Index in Bulgaria, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, direct democracy index in Bulgaria stood at 0.201.
That represents a change of down 13.7% on the previous year and down 16.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, direct democracy index in Bulgaria peaked at 0.398 in 2016 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1900.
Bulgaria ranks 24th of 175 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.01 | 0 | 0.1 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.07 | 0 | 0.2 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.146 | 0.092 | 0.2 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.038 | 0.02 | 0.08 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.17 | 0.02 | 0.2 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.086 | 0.032 | 0.14 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.02 | 0.02 | 0.02 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.0237 | 0.02 | 0.057 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.2442 | 0.057 | 0.398 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.28 | 0.201 | 0.359 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Bulgaria
More social development data for Bulgaria
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy 105,596 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of ori 533 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
- Key features of liberal democracy 0.499 (2025)
- Varieties of democracy 0.599 (2025)
- Freedom of Expression Index 0.754 (2025)
- Freedom of Association Index 0.833 (2025)
- Electoral Democracy Index 0.599 (2025)
- Liberal democracy 2 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is direct democracy index in Bulgaria?
- Direct democracy index in Bulgaria was 0.201 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest direct democracy index recorded in Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 0.398 in 2016.
- What is the lowest direct democracy index recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1900.
- How does Bulgaria rank for direct democracy index?
- Bulgaria ranks 24th out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
- Is direct democracy index rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 16.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Bulgaria data come from?
- The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Direct 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
Measures the extent of how easy it is for citizens to vote on specific issues themselves in popular initiatives, referendums, and plebiscites.