Direct Democracy Index in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Direct Democracy Index was 0.06 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Direct Democracy Index in United Kingdom, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
United Kingdom recorded 0.06 for direct democracy index in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 20.0% on the previous year and down 55.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, direct democracy index in United Kingdom peaked at 0.15 in 1976 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1900.
United Kingdom ranks 77th of 175 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
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 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.07 | 0 | 0.15 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.1005 | 0.06 | 0.141 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.024 | 0.015 | 0.051 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.015 | 0.015 | 0.015 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.123 | 0.015 | 0.135 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.0975 | 0.06 | 0.135 | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More social development data for United Kingdom
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy 581,072 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of ori 517 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
- Key features of liberal democracy 0.689 (2025)
- Varieties of democracy 0.772 (2025)
- Freedom of Expression Index 0.833 (2025)
- Freedom of Association Index 0.859 (2025)
- Electoral Democracy Index 0.772 (2025)
- Liberal democracy 2 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is direct democracy index in United Kingdom?
- Direct democracy index in United Kingdom was 0.06 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest direct democracy index recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 0.15 in 1976.
- What is the lowest direct democracy index recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1900.
- How does United Kingdom rank for direct democracy index?
- United Kingdom ranks 77th out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
- Is direct democracy index rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 55.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United Kingdom 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.