Key features of liberal democracy in France
France: Key features of liberal democracy was 0.8 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Key features of liberal democracy in France, 1789–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
France recorded 0.8 for key features of liberal democracy in 2025.
That represents a change of down 1.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, key features of liberal democracy in France peaked at 0.822 in 2013 and was at its lowest, 0.059, in 1944.
That places France 9th out of 176 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.
Key features of liberal democracy in France, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1789 | 0.219 | — |
| 1790 | 0.225 | +2.7% |
| 1791 | 0.208 | -7.6% |
| 1792 | 0.163 | -21.6% |
| 1793 | 0.176 | +8.0% |
| 1794 | 0.18 | +2.3% |
| 1795 | 0.223 | +23.9% |
| 1796 | 0.224 | +0.4% |
| 1797 | 0.224 | +0.0% |
| 1798 | 0.224 | +0.0% |
| 1799 | 0.202 | -9.8% |
| 1800 | 0.101 | -50.0% |
| 1801 | 0.103 | +2.0% |
| 1802 | 0.103 | +0.0% |
| 1803 | 0.103 | +0.0% |
| 1804 | 0.103 | +0.0% |
| 1805 | 0.103 | +0.0% |
| 1806 | 0.103 | +0.0% |
| 1807 | 0.103 | +0.0% |
| 1808 | 0.103 | +0.0% |
| 1809 | 0.103 | +0.0% |
| 1810 | 0.103 | +0.0% |
| 1811 | 0.103 | +0.0% |
| 1812 | 0.103 | +0.0% |
| 1813 | 0.103 | +0.0% |
| 1814 | 0.099 | -3.9% |
| 1815 | 0.163 | +64.6% |
| 1816 | 0.168 | +3.1% |
| 1817 | 0.169 | +0.6% |
| 1818 | 0.169 | +0.0% |
| 1819 | 0.169 | +0.0% |
| 1820 | 0.154 | -8.9% |
| 1821 | 0.165 | +7.1% |
| 1822 | 0.163 | -1.2% |
| 1823 | 0.163 | +0.0% |
| 1824 | 0.163 | +0.0% |
| 1825 | 0.163 | +0.0% |
| 1826 | 0.163 | +0.0% |
| 1827 | 0.162 | -0.6% |
| 1828 | 0.162 | +0.0% |
| 1829 | 0.162 | +0.0% |
| 1830 | 0.195 | +20.4% |
| 1831 | 0.195 | +0.0% |
| 1832 | 0.195 | +0.0% |
| 1833 | 0.195 | +0.0% |
| 1834 | 0.195 | +0.0% |
| 1835 | 0.195 | +0.0% |
| 1836 | 0.195 | +0.0% |
| 1837 | 0.195 | +0.0% |
| 1838 | 0.195 | +0.0% |
| 1839 | 0.195 | +0.0% |
| 1840 | 0.195 | +0.0% |
| 1841 | 0.195 | +0.0% |
| 1842 | 0.195 | +0.0% |
| 1843 | 0.195 | +0.0% |
| 1844 | 0.195 | +0.0% |
| 1845 | 0.195 | +0.0% |
| 1846 | 0.195 | +0.0% |
| 1847 | 0.195 | +0.0% |
| 1848 | 0.338 | +73.3% |
| 1849 | 0.384 | +13.6% |
| 1850 | 0.384 | +0.0% |
| 1851 | 0.186 | -51.6% |
| 1852 | 0.145 | -22.0% |
| 1853 | 0.148 | +2.1% |
| 1854 | 0.148 | +0.0% |
| 1855 | 0.148 | +0.0% |
| 1856 | 0.148 | +0.0% |
| 1857 | 0.149 | +0.7% |
| 1858 | 0.149 | +0.0% |
| 1859 | 0.149 | +0.0% |
| 1860 | 0.149 | +0.0% |
| 1861 | 0.165 | +10.7% |
| 1862 | 0.166 | +0.6% |
| 1863 | 0.166 | +0.0% |
| 1864 | 0.166 | +0.0% |
| 1865 | 0.166 | +0.0% |
| 1866 | 0.166 | +0.0% |
| 1867 | 0.166 | +0.0% |
| 1868 | 0.166 | +0.0% |
| 1869 | 0.173 | +4.2% |
| 1870 | 0.242 | +39.9% |
| 1871 | 0.308 | +27.3% |
| 1872 | 0.365 | +18.5% |
| 1873 | 0.365 | +0.0% |
| 1874 | 0.382 | +4.7% |
| 1875 | 0.394 | +3.1% |
| 1876 | 0.396 | +0.5% |
| 1877 | 0.396 | +0.0% |
| 1878 | 0.43 | +8.6% |
| 1879 | 0.44 | +2.3% |
| 1880 | 0.449 | +2.0% |
| 1881 | 0.448 | -0.2% |
| 1882 | 0.447 | -0.2% |
| 1883 | 0.447 | +0.0% |
| 1884 | 0.447 | +0.0% |
| 1885 | 0.448 | +0.2% |
| 1886 | 0.449 | +0.2% |
| 1887 | 0.449 | +0.0% |
| 1888 | 0.449 | +0.0% |
| 1889 | 0.448 | -0.2% |
| 1890 | 0.446 | -0.4% |
| 1891 | 0.446 | +0.0% |
| 1892 | 0.446 | +0.0% |
| 1893 | 0.444 | -0.4% |
| 1894 | 0.447 | +0.7% |
| 1895 | 0.447 | +0.0% |
| 1896 | 0.447 | +0.0% |
| 1897 | 0.447 | +0.0% |
| 1898 | 0.453 | +1.3% |
| 1899 | 0.454 | +0.2% |
| 1900 | 0.456 | +0.4% |
| 1901 | 0.46 | +0.9% |
| 1902 | 0.46 | +0.0% |
| 1903 | 0.46 | +0.0% |
| 1904 | 0.46 | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 0.463 | +0.7% |
| 1906 | 0.463 | +0.0% |
| 1907 | 0.462 | -0.2% |
| 1908 | 0.462 | +0.0% |
| 1909 | 0.462 | +0.0% |
| 1910 | 0.466 | +0.9% |
| 1911 | 0.467 | +0.2% |
| 1912 | 0.467 | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 0.467 | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 0.42 | -10.1% |
| 1915 | 0.42 | +0.0% |
| 1916 | 0.419 | -0.2% |
| 1917 | 0.419 | +0.0% |
| 1918 | 0.424 | +1.2% |
| 1919 | 0.441 | +4.0% |
| 1920 | 0.465 | +5.4% |
| 1921 | 0.465 | +0.0% |
| 1922 | 0.465 | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 0.465 | +0.0% |
| 1924 | 0.465 | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 0.462 | -0.6% |
| 1926 | 0.462 | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 0.462 | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 0.462 | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 0.462 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 0.462 | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 0.462 | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 0.462 | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 0.461 | -0.2% |
| 1934 | 0.461 | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 0.459 | -0.4% |
| 1936 | 0.456 | -0.7% |
| 1937 | 0.456 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 0.456 | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 0.441 | -3.3% |
| 1940 | 0.121 | -72.6% |
| 1941 | 0.06 | -50.4% |
| 1942 | 0.06 | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 0.06 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 0.059 | -1.7% |
| 1945 | 0.179 | +203.4% |
| 1946 | 0.267 | +49.2% |
| 1947 | 0.596 | +123.2% |
| 1948 | 0.621 | +4.2% |
| 1949 | 0.621 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 0.629 | +1.3% |
| 1951 | 0.63 | +0.2% |
| 1952 | 0.63 | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 0.63 | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 0.601 | -4.6% |
| 1955 | 0.614 | +2.2% |
| 1956 | 0.62 | +1.0% |
| 1957 | 0.628 | +1.3% |
| 1958 | 0.63 | +0.3% |
| 1959 | 0.63 | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 0.633 | +0.5% |
| 1961 | 0.633 | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 0.636 | +0.5% |
| 1963 | 0.666 | +4.7% |
| 1964 | 0.666 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 0.666 | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 0.666 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 0.672 | +0.9% |
| 1968 | 0.672 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 0.719 | +7.0% |
| 1970 | 0.75 | +4.3% |
| 1971 | 0.755 | +0.7% |
| 1972 | 0.748 | -0.9% |
| 1973 | 0.76 | +1.6% |
| 1974 | 0.763 | +0.4% |
| 1975 | 0.772 | +1.2% |
| 1976 | 0.772 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 0.772 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 0.773 | +0.1% |
| 1979 | 0.773 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 0.773 | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 0.788 | +1.9% |
| 1982 | 0.793 | +0.6% |
| 1983 | 0.793 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 0.793 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 0.793 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 0.79 | -0.4% |
| 1987 | 0.789 | -0.1% |
| 1988 | 0.8 | +1.4% |
| 1989 | 0.802 | +0.3% |
| 1990 | 0.802 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 0.802 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 0.803 | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 0.798 | -0.6% |
| 1994 | 0.801 | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 0.798 | -0.4% |
| 1996 | 0.802 | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 0.8 | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 0.798 | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 0.798 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 0.798 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 0.798 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 0.801 | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 0.802 | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 0.802 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 0.802 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 0.802 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 0.807 | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 0.816 | +1.1% |
| 2009 | 0.816 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 0.816 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 0.818 | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 0.82 | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 0.822 | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 0.821 | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 0.812 | -1.1% |
| 2016 | 0.812 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 0.817 | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 0.802 | -1.8% |
| 2019 | 0.793 | -1.1% |
| 2020 | 0.789 | -0.5% |
| 2021 | 0.789 | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 0.807 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | 0.807 | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 0.8 | -0.9% |
| 2025 | 0.8 | +0.0% |
France compared with similar countries
- France's 0.8 is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.689, 1.2× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- France's 0.8 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.591, 1.4× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1780s | 0.219 | 0.219 | 0.219 | 1 |
| 1790s | 0.2049 | 0.163 | 0.225 | 10 |
| 1800s | 0.1028 | 0.101 | 0.103 | 10 |
| 1810s | 0.1349 | 0.099 | 0.169 | 10 |
| 1820s | 0.162 | 0.154 | 0.165 | 10 |
| 1830s | 0.195 | 0.195 | 0.195 | 10 |
| 1840s | 0.2282 | 0.195 | 0.384 | 10 |
| 1850s | 0.1754 | 0.145 | 0.384 | 10 |
| 1860s | 0.1649 | 0.149 | 0.173 | 10 |
| 1870s | 0.3718 | 0.242 | 0.44 | 10 |
| 1880s | 0.4481 | 0.447 | 0.449 | 10 |
| 1890s | 0.4477 | 0.444 | 0.454 | 10 |
| 1900s | 0.4608 | 0.456 | 0.463 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0.441 | 0.419 | 0.467 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.4635 | 0.462 | 0.465 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.4576 | 0.441 | 0.462 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.2644 | 0.059 | 0.621 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.6242 | 0.601 | 0.63 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.6629 | 0.633 | 0.719 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.7638 | 0.748 | 0.773 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.7914 | 0.773 | 0.802 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.8002 | 0.798 | 0.803 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.8044 | 0.798 | 0.816 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.8133 | 0.793 | 0.822 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.7987 | 0.789 | 0.807 | 6 |
Countries ranked near France
More social development data for France
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 788,419 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 166 (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 166 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0115 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 key features of liberal democracy in France?
- Key features of liberal democracy in France was 0.8 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest key features of liberal democracy recorded in France?
- The highest recorded value was 0.822 in 2013.
- What is the lowest key features of liberal democracy recorded in France?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.059 in 1944.
- How does France rank for key features of liberal democracy?
- France ranks 9th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is key features of liberal democracy rising or falling in France?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this France data come from?
- The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Key features of liberal democracy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Central estimate of the extent of suffrage, the freedom and fairness of elections, freedoms of association and expression, individual and minority rights, equality before the law, and executive constraints.