Electoral democracy in Ireland
Ireland: Electoral democracy was 2 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
2
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
1st
of 176 countries
All-time high
2
in 1922
All-time low
0
in 1789
Years of data
237
1789–2025
Electoral democracy in Ireland, 1789–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for electoral democracy in Ireland is 2, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 237 years on record.
That represents a change of unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, electoral democracy in Ireland peaked at 2 in 1922 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1789.
That places Ireland 1st out of 176 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 237 years of available data.
Electoral democracy in Ireland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1789 | 0 | — |
| 1790 | 1 | — |
| 1791 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1792 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1793 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1794 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1795 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1796 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1797 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1798 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1799 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1800 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1801 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1802 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1803 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1804 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1805 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1806 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1807 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1808 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1809 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1810 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1811 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1812 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1813 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1814 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1815 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1816 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1817 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1818 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1819 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1820 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1821 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1822 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1823 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1824 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1825 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1826 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1827 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1828 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1829 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1830 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1831 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1832 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1833 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1834 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1835 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1836 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1837 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1838 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1839 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1840 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1841 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1842 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1843 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1844 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1845 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1846 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1847 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1848 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1849 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1850 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1851 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1852 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1853 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1854 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1855 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1856 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1857 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1858 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1859 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1860 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1861 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1862 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1863 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1864 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1865 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1866 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1867 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1868 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1869 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1870 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1871 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1872 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1873 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1874 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1875 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1876 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1877 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1878 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1879 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1880 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1881 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1882 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1883 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1884 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1885 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1886 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1887 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1888 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1889 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1890 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1891 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1892 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1893 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1894 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1895 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1896 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1897 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1898 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1899 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1900 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1901 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1902 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1903 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1904 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1907 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1908 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1909 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1910 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1911 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1912 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1915 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1916 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1917 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1918 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 0 | -100.0% |
| 1920 | 0 | — |
| 1921 | 1 | — |
| 1922 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 1923 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1924 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1940 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1941 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1942 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1946 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1947 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1948 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1951 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1961 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 2 | +0.0% |
Ireland compared with similar countries
- Ireland's 2 is above the median for high income countries, which is 2, 1.0× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Ireland's 2 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 2, 1.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1780s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1790s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| 1800s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| 1810s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| 1820s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| 1830s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| 1840s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| 1850s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| 1860s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| 1870s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| 1880s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| 1890s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| 1900s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0.9 | 0 | 1 | 10 |
| 1920s | 1.7 | 0 | 2 | 10 |
| 1930s | 2 | 2 | 2 | 10 |
| 1940s | 2 | 2 | 2 | 10 |
| 1950s | 2 | 2 | 2 | 10 |
| 1960s | 2 | 2 | 2 | 10 |
| 1970s | 2 | 2 | 2 | 10 |
| 1980s | 2 | 2 | 2 | 10 |
| 1990s | 2 | 2 | 2 | 10 |
| 2000s | 2 | 2 | 2 | 10 |
| 2010s | 2 | 2 | 2 | 10 |
| 2020s | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
- 1 Argentina 2 compare
- 1 Armenia 2 compare
- 1 Australia 2 compare
- 1 Austria 2 compare
- 1 Barbados 2 compare
- 1 Belgium 2 compare
- 1 Bhutan 2 compare
- 1 Bolivia 2 compare
- 1 Botswana 2 compare
- 1 Brazil 2 compare
- 1 Bulgaria 2 compare
- 1 Canada 2 compare
- 1 Cape Verde 2 compare
- 1 Chile 2 compare
- 1 Colombia 2 compare
- 1 Costa Rica 2 compare
- 1 Croatia 2 compare
- 1 Cyprus 2 compare
- 1 Czechia 2 compare
- 1 Denmark 2 compare
- 1 Dominican Republic 2 compare
- 1 East Timor 2 compare
- 1 Ecuador 2 compare
- 1 Estonia 2 compare
- 1 Fiji 2 compare
- 1 Finland 2 compare
- 1 France 2 compare
- 1 Gambia 2 compare
- 1 Germany 2 compare
- 1 Ghana 2 compare
- 1 Greece 2 compare
- 1 Guatemala 2 compare
- 1 Guyana 2 compare
- 1 Honduras 2 compare
- 1 Iceland 2 compare
- 1 Israel 2 compare
- 1 Italy 2 compare
- 1 Jamaica 2 compare
- 1 Japan 2 compare
- 1 Kenya 2 compare
- 1 Latvia 2 compare
- 1 Lesotho 2 compare
- 1 Liberia 2 compare
- 1 Lithuania 2 compare
- 1 Luxembourg 2 compare
- 1 Malawi 2 compare
- 1 Malaysia 2 compare
- 1 Maldives 2 compare
- 1 Malta 2 compare
- 1 Mauritius 2 compare
- 1 Moldova 2 compare
- 1 Mongolia 2 compare
- 1 Montenegro 2 compare
- 1 Namibia 2 compare
- 1 Nepal 2 compare
- 1 Netherlands 2 compare
- 1 New Zealand 2 compare
- 1 Nigeria 2 compare
- 1 North Macedonia 2 compare
- 1 Norway 2 compare
- 1 Panama 2 compare
- 1 Paraguay 2 compare
- 1 Peru 2 compare
- 1 Poland 2 compare
- 1 Portugal 2 compare
- 1 Romania 2 compare
- 1 Sao Tome and Principe 2 compare
- 1 Senegal 2 compare
- 1 Seychelles 2 compare
- 1 Slovakia 2 compare
- 1 Slovenia 2 compare
- 1 Solomon Islands 2 compare
- 1 South Africa 2 compare
- 1 South Korea 2 compare
- 1 Spain 2 compare
- 1 Sri Lanka 2 compare
- 1 Suriname 2 compare
- 1 Sweden 2 compare
- 1 Switzerland 2 compare
- 1 Taiwan 2 compare
- 1 Trinidad and Tobago 2 compare
- 1 United Kingdom 2 compare
- 1 United States 2 compare
- 1 Uruguay 2 compare
- 1 Vanuatu 2 compare
More social development data for Ireland
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 137,869 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 69 (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 69 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0251 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 electoral democracy in Ireland?
- Electoral democracy in Ireland was 2 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest electoral democracy recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 2 in 1922.
- What is the lowest electoral democracy recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1789.
- How does Ireland rank for electoral democracy?
- Ireland ranks 1st out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is electoral democracy rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Electoral democracy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 237 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Identifies the political regime of a country using the Regimes of the World classification by political scientists Anna Lührmann, Marcus Tannenberg and Staffan Lindberg.