Direct Democracy Index in Denmark
Denmark: Direct Democracy Index was 0.185 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
0.185
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
31st
of 175 countries
All-time high
0.33
in 1998
All-time low
0
in 1900
Years of data
126
1900–2025
Direct Democracy Index in Denmark, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Denmark recorded 0.185 for direct democracy index in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, direct democracy index in Denmark peaked at 0.33 in 1998 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1900.
Denmark ranks 31st 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 Denmark, 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 | 0.016 | — |
| 1916 | 0.116 | +625.0% |
| 1917 | 0.016 | -86.2% |
| 1918 | 0.016 | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 0.016 | +0.0% |
| 1920 | 0.16 | +900.0% |
| 1921 | 0.16 | +0.0% |
| 1922 | 0.16 | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 0.16 | +0.0% |
| 1924 | 0.16 | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 0.15 | -6.3% |
| 1926 | 0.14 | -6.7% |
| 1927 | 0.131 | -6.4% |
| 1928 | 0.121 | -7.6% |
| 1929 | 0.112 | -7.4% |
| 1930 | 0.102 | -8.9% |
| 1931 | 0.093 | -8.8% |
| 1932 | 0.083 | -10.8% |
| 1933 | 0.073 | -12.0% |
| 1934 | 0.064 | -12.3% |
| 1935 | 0.054 | -15.6% |
| 1936 | 0.045 | -16.7% |
| 1937 | 0.035 | -22.2% |
| 1938 | 0.144 | +311.4% |
| 1939 | 0.144 | +0.0% |
| 1940 | 0.144 | +0.0% |
| 1941 | 0.144 | +0.0% |
| 1942 | 0.144 | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 0.128 | -11.1% |
| 1944 | 0.112 | -12.5% |
| 1945 | 0.096 | -14.3% |
| 1946 | 0.08 | -16.7% |
| 1947 | 0.064 | -20.0% |
| 1948 | 0.048 | -25.0% |
| 1949 | 0.032 | -33.3% |
| 1950 | 0.016 | -50.0% |
| 1951 | 0.016 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 0.016 | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 0.185 | +1056.2% |
| 1954 | 0.185 | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 0.185 | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 0.185 | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 0.185 | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 0.175 | -5.4% |
| 1959 | 0.165 | -5.7% |
| 1960 | 0.155 | -6.1% |
| 1961 | 0.185 | +19.4% |
| 1962 | 0.185 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 0.323 | +74.6% |
| 1964 | 0.323 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 0.323 | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 0.313 | -3.1% |
| 1967 | 0.303 | -3.2% |
| 1968 | 0.276 | -8.9% |
| 1969 | 0.272 | -1.4% |
| 1970 | 0.255 | -6.3% |
| 1971 | 0.254 | -0.4% |
| 1972 | 0.237 | -6.7% |
| 1973 | 0.22 | -7.2% |
| 1974 | 0.202 | -8.2% |
| 1975 | 0.185 | -8.4% |
| 1976 | 0.185 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 0.175 | -5.4% |
| 1978 | 0.185 | +5.7% |
| 1979 | 0.185 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 0.185 | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 0.185 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 0.185 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 0.175 | -5.4% |
| 1984 | 0.165 | -5.7% |
| 1985 | 0.155 | -6.1% |
| 1986 | 0.3 | +93.5% |
| 1987 | 0.29 | -3.3% |
| 1988 | 0.28 | -3.4% |
| 1989 | 0.27 | -3.6% |
| 1990 | 0.26 | -3.7% |
| 1991 | 0.239 | -8.1% |
| 1992 | 0.303 | +26.8% |
| 1993 | 0.324 | +6.9% |
| 1994 | 0.324 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 0.324 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 0.324 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 0.307 | -5.2% |
| 1998 | 0.33 | +7.5% |
| 1999 | 0.32 | -3.0% |
| 2000 | 0.309 | -3.4% |
| 2001 | 0.299 | -3.2% |
| 2002 | 0.289 | -3.3% |
| 2003 | 0.268 | -7.3% |
| 2004 | 0.248 | -7.5% |
| 2005 | 0.227 | -8.5% |
| 2006 | 0.207 | -8.8% |
| 2007 | 0.187 | -9.7% |
| 2008 | 0.166 | -11.2% |
| 2009 | 0.216 | +30.1% |
| 2010 | 0.206 | -4.6% |
| 2011 | 0.196 | -4.9% |
| 2012 | 0.185 | -5.6% |
| 2013 | 0.185 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 0.185 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 0.185 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 0.185 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 0.185 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 0.185 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 0.175 | -5.4% |
| 2020 | 0.165 | -5.7% |
| 2021 | 0.155 | -6.1% |
| 2022 | 0.185 | +19.4% |
| 2023 | 0.185 | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 0.185 | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 0.185 | +0.0% |
Denmark compared with similar countries
- Denmark's 0.185 is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.033, 5.6× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Denmark's 0.185 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.1205, 1.5× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Direct Democracy Index in Denmark 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1953 | +1056.2% | 0.016 | 0.185 |
| 1920 | +900.0% | 0.016 | 0.16 |
| 1916 | +625.0% | 0.016 | 0.116 |
| 1938 | +311.4% | 0.035 | 0.144 |
| 1986 | +93.5% | 0.155 | 0.3 |
| 1917 | -86.2% | 0.116 | 0.016 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0.018 | 0 | 0.116 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.1454 | 0.112 | 0.16 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.0837 | 0.035 | 0.144 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.0992 | 0.032 | 0.144 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.1313 | 0.016 | 0.185 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.2658 | 0.155 | 0.323 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.2083 | 0.175 | 0.255 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.219 | 0.155 | 0.3 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.3055 | 0.239 | 0.33 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.2416 | 0.166 | 0.309 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.1872 | 0.175 | 0.206 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.1767 | 0.155 | 0.185 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Denmark
More social development data for Denmark
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 95,007 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 21 (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 21 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0158 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 Denmark?
- Direct democracy index in Denmark was 0.185 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest direct democracy index recorded in Denmark?
- The highest recorded value was 0.33 in 1998.
- What is the lowest direct democracy index recorded in Denmark?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1900.
- How does Denmark rank for direct democracy index?
- Denmark ranks 31st out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
- Is direct democracy index rising or falling in Denmark?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Denmark 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.