Direct Democracy Index in Italy
Italy: Direct Democracy Index was 0.353 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Direct Democracy Index in Italy, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for direct democracy index in Italy is 0.353, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.6% on the previous year and up 12.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, direct democracy index in Italy peaked at 0.392 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1900.
That places Italy 7th out of 175 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
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 | 0.01 | 0 | 0.1 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.0217 | 0 | 0.1 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.039 | 0.039 | 0.039 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.039 | 0.039 | 0.039 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.1644 | 0.039 | 0.248 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.2658 | 0.248 | 0.374 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.274 | 0.274 | 0.274 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.3495 | 0.248 | 0.366 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.3569 | 0.314 | 0.379 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.3698 | 0.353 | 0.392 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Italy
More social development data for Italy
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy 192,914 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of ori 266 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
- Key features of liberal democracy 0.642 (2025)
- Varieties of democracy 0.745 (2025)
- Freedom of Expression Index 0.756 (2025)
- Freedom of Association Index 0.875 (2025)
- Electoral Democracy Index 0.745 (2025)
- Liberal democracy 3 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is direct democracy index in Italy?
- Direct democracy index in Italy was 0.353 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest direct democracy index recorded in Italy?
- The highest recorded value was 0.392 in 2020.
- What is the lowest direct democracy index recorded in Italy?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1900.
- How does Italy rank for direct democracy index?
- Italy ranks 7th out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
- Is direct democracy index rising or falling in Italy?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Italy 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.