Freedom of Expression Score in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Freedom of Expression Score was 6 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Freedom of Expression Score in Bulgaria, 2005–2025
Source: Bertelsmann Transformation Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for freedom of expression score in Bulgaria is 6, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 11 years on record.
The figure is down 14.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, freedom of expression score in Bulgaria peaked at 8 in 2005 and was at its lowest, 6, in 2019.
That places Bulgaria 41st out of 128 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 11 years of available data.
Freedom of Expression Score in Bulgaria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 8 | — |
| 2007 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 7 | -12.5% |
| 2015 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 6 | -14.3% |
| 2021 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 6 | +0.0% |
Bulgaria compared with similar countries
- Bulgaria's 6 is below the median for high income countries, which is 7, 86% of the median. (24 countries reporting)
- Bulgaria's 6 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 6, 1.0× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 8 | 8 | 8 | 3 |
| 2010s | 7 | 6 | 8 | 5 |
| 2020s | 6 | 6 | 6 | 3 |
Countries ranked near Bulgaria
- 41 Benin 6 compare
- 41 Bosnia and Herzegovina 6 compare
- 41 Central African Republic 6 compare
- 41 Mongolia 6 compare
- 41 Paraguay 6 compare
- 41 South Korea 6 compare
- 41 Syria 6 compare
More social development data for Bulgaria
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 105,596 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 533 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0001 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 533 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0164 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 freedom of expression score in Bulgaria?
- Freedom of expression score in Bulgaria was 6 in 2025, according to Bertelsmann Transformation Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest freedom of expression score recorded in Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 8 in 2005.
- What is the lowest freedom of expression score recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was 6 in 2019.
- How does Bulgaria rank for freedom of expression score?
- Bulgaria ranks 41st out of 128 countries with data for 2025.
- Is freedom of expression score rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Bulgaria data come from?
- The figures come from Bertelsmann Transformation Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Freedom of Expression Score. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 11 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Indicates the extent to which individuals, groups, and the press can express their views free from government interference.