Direct Democracy Index in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Direct Democracy Index was 0.201 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
0.201
Change on year
down 13.7%
World rank
24th
of 175 countries
All-time high
0.398
in 2016
All-time low
0
in 1900
Years of data
126
1900–2025
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.
Direct Democracy Index in Bulgaria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 0 | — |
| 1901 | 0 | — |
| 1902 | 0 | — |
| 1903 | 0 | — |
| 1904 | 0 | — |
| 1905 | 0 | — |
| 1906 | 0 | — |
| 1907 | 0 | — |
| 1908 | 0 | — |
| 1909 | 0 | — |
| 1910 | 0 | — |
| 1911 | 0 | — |
| 1912 | 0 | — |
| 1913 | 0 | — |
| 1914 | 0 | — |
| 1915 | 0 | — |
| 1916 | 0 | — |
| 1917 | 0 | — |
| 1918 | 0 | — |
| 1919 | 0 | — |
| 1920 | 0 | — |
| 1921 | 0 | — |
| 1922 | 0.1 | — |
| 1923 | 0 | -100.0% |
| 1924 | 0 | — |
| 1925 | 0 | — |
| 1926 | 0 | — |
| 1927 | 0 | — |
| 1928 | 0 | — |
| 1929 | 0 | — |
| 1930 | 0 | — |
| 1931 | 0 | — |
| 1932 | 0 | — |
| 1933 | 0 | — |
| 1934 | 0 | — |
| 1935 | 0 | — |
| 1936 | 0 | — |
| 1937 | 0 | — |
| 1938 | 0 | — |
| 1939 | 0 | — |
| 1940 | 0 | — |
| 1941 | 0 | — |
| 1942 | 0 | — |
| 1943 | 0 | — |
| 1944 | 0 | — |
| 1945 | 0 | — |
| 1946 | 0.1 | — |
| 1947 | 0.2 | +100.0% |
| 1948 | 0.2 | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 0.2 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 0.2 | +0.0% |
| 1951 | 0.188 | -6.0% |
| 1952 | 0.176 | -6.4% |
| 1953 | 0.164 | -6.8% |
| 1954 | 0.152 | -7.3% |
| 1955 | 0.14 | -7.9% |
| 1956 | 0.128 | -8.6% |
| 1957 | 0.116 | -9.4% |
| 1958 | 0.104 | -10.3% |
| 1959 | 0.092 | -11.5% |
| 1960 | 0.08 | -13.0% |
| 1961 | 0.068 | -15.0% |
| 1962 | 0.056 | -17.6% |
| 1963 | 0.044 | -21.4% |
| 1964 | 0.032 | -27.3% |
| 1965 | 0.02 | -37.5% |
| 1966 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 0.2 | +900.0% |
| 1972 | 0.2 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 0.2 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 0.2 | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 0.2 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 0.188 | -6.0% |
| 1977 | 0.176 | -6.4% |
| 1978 | 0.164 | -6.8% |
| 1979 | 0.152 | -7.3% |
| 1980 | 0.14 | -7.9% |
| 1981 | 0.128 | -8.6% |
| 1982 | 0.116 | -9.4% |
| 1983 | 0.104 | -10.3% |
| 1984 | 0.092 | -11.5% |
| 1985 | 0.08 | -13.0% |
| 1986 | 0.068 | -15.0% |
| 1987 | 0.056 | -17.6% |
| 1988 | 0.044 | -21.4% |
| 1989 | 0.032 | -27.3% |
| 1990 | 0.02 | -37.5% |
| 1991 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 0.057 | +185.0% |
| 2010 | 0.057 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 0.059 | +3.5% |
| 2012 | 0.059 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 0.24 | +306.8% |
| 2014 | 0.24 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 0.24 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 0.398 | +65.8% |
| 2017 | 0.395 | -0.8% |
| 2018 | 0.383 | -3.0% |
| 2019 | 0.371 | -3.1% |
| 2020 | 0.359 | -3.2% |
| 2021 | 0.327 | -8.9% |
| 2022 | 0.296 | -9.5% |
| 2023 | 0.264 | -10.8% |
| 2024 | 0.233 | -11.7% |
| 2025 | 0.201 | -13.7% |
Bulgaria compared with similar countries
- Bulgaria's 0.201 is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.033, 6.1× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Bulgaria's 0.201 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.1205, 1.7× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Direct Democracy Index in Bulgaria 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | +900.0% | 0.02 | 0.2 |
| 2013 | +306.8% | 0.059 | 0.24 |
| 2009 | +185.0% | 0.02 | 0.057 |
| 1947 | +100.0% | 0.1 | 0.2 |
| 1923 | -100.0% | 0.1 | 0 |
| 2016 | +65.8% | 0.24 | 0.398 |
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 105,596 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 533 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0001 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 533 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0164 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 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.