Direct Democracy Index in Ireland
Ireland: Direct Democracy Index was 0.189 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Direct Democracy Index in Ireland, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, direct democracy index in Ireland stood at 0.189.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.1% on the previous year and down 9.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, direct democracy index in Ireland peaked at 0.21 in 1922 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1900.
That places Ireland 29th out of 175 regions with data for 2025, putting it 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 | 0.1574 | 0 | 0.21 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.1296 | 0.072 | 0.208 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.1672 | 0.117 | 0.208 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.0769 | 0.038 | 0.189 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.17 | 0.113 | 0.189 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.2008 | 0.185 | 0.208 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.208 | 0.208 | 0.208 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.208 | 0.208 | 0.208 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.208 | 0.208 | 0.208 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.208 | 0.208 | 0.208 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.203 | 0.189 | 0.208 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
- 26 Peru 0.195 compare
- 27 Kazakhstan 0.194 compare
- 30 Uzbekistan 0.188 compare
- 31 Denmark 0.185 compare
- 32 Croatia 0.174 compare
More social development data for Ireland
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy 137,869 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of ori 69 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
- Key features of liberal democracy 0.822 (2025)
- Varieties of democracy 0.887 (2025)
- Freedom of Expression Index 0.97 (2025)
- Freedom of Association Index 0.912 (2025)
- Electoral Democracy Index 0.887 (2025)
- Liberal democracy 3 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is direct democracy index in Ireland?
- Direct democracy index in Ireland was 0.189 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest direct democracy index recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 0.21 in 1922.
- What is the lowest direct democracy index recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1900.
- How does Ireland rank for direct democracy index?
- Ireland ranks 29th out of 175 regions with data for 2025.
- Is direct democracy index rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ireland 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.