Key features of liberal democracy in Ireland
Ireland: Key features of liberal democracy was 0.822 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Key features of liberal democracy in Ireland, 1789–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for key features of liberal democracy in Ireland is 0.822, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.0% on the previous year and down 0.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, key features of liberal democracy in Ireland peaked at 0.833 in 2021 and was at its lowest, 0.229, in 1789.
Ireland ranks 6th of 176 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 237 years of available data.
Key features of liberal democracy in Ireland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1789 | 0.229 | — |
| 1790 | 0.239 | +4.4% |
| 1791 | 0.244 | +2.1% |
| 1792 | 0.243 | -0.4% |
| 1793 | 0.243 | +0.0% |
| 1794 | 0.243 | +0.0% |
| 1795 | 0.242 | -0.4% |
| 1796 | 0.248 | +2.5% |
| 1797 | 0.246 | -0.8% |
| 1798 | 0.246 | +0.0% |
| 1799 | 0.246 | +0.0% |
| 1800 | 0.246 | +0.0% |
| 1801 | 0.249 | +1.2% |
| 1802 | 0.249 | +0.0% |
| 1803 | 0.247 | -0.8% |
| 1804 | 0.247 | +0.0% |
| 1805 | 0.247 | +0.0% |
| 1806 | 0.249 | +0.8% |
| 1807 | 0.249 | +0.0% |
| 1808 | 0.246 | -1.2% |
| 1809 | 0.246 | +0.0% |
| 1810 | 0.249 | +1.2% |
| 1811 | 0.247 | -0.8% |
| 1812 | 0.249 | +0.8% |
| 1813 | 0.247 | -0.8% |
| 1814 | 0.247 | +0.0% |
| 1815 | 0.247 | +0.0% |
| 1816 | 0.245 | -0.8% |
| 1817 | 0.245 | +0.0% |
| 1818 | 0.247 | +0.8% |
| 1819 | 0.242 | -2.0% |
| 1820 | 0.245 | +1.2% |
| 1821 | 0.243 | -0.8% |
| 1822 | 0.243 | +0.0% |
| 1823 | 0.243 | +0.0% |
| 1824 | 0.243 | +0.0% |
| 1825 | 0.25 | +2.9% |
| 1826 | 0.255 | +2.0% |
| 1827 | 0.252 | -1.2% |
| 1828 | 0.252 | +0.0% |
| 1829 | 0.251 | -0.4% |
| 1830 | 0.261 | +4.0% |
| 1831 | 0.261 | +0.0% |
| 1832 | 0.265 | +1.5% |
| 1833 | 0.272 | +2.6% |
| 1834 | 0.275 | +1.1% |
| 1835 | 0.285 | +3.6% |
| 1836 | 0.282 | -1.1% |
| 1837 | 0.285 | +1.1% |
| 1838 | 0.283 | -0.7% |
| 1839 | 0.286 | +1.1% |
| 1840 | 0.289 | +1.0% |
| 1841 | 0.292 | +1.0% |
| 1842 | 0.289 | -1.0% |
| 1843 | 0.289 | +0.0% |
| 1844 | 0.29 | +0.3% |
| 1845 | 0.29 | +0.0% |
| 1846 | 0.29 | +0.0% |
| 1847 | 0.294 | +1.4% |
| 1848 | 0.291 | -1.0% |
| 1849 | 0.291 | +0.0% |
| 1850 | 0.292 | +0.3% |
| 1851 | 0.293 | +0.3% |
| 1852 | 0.296 | +1.0% |
| 1853 | 0.292 | -1.4% |
| 1854 | 0.292 | +0.0% |
| 1855 | 0.292 | +0.0% |
| 1856 | 0.292 | +0.0% |
| 1857 | 0.295 | +1.0% |
| 1858 | 0.293 | -0.7% |
| 1859 | 0.296 | +1.0% |
| 1860 | 0.293 | -1.0% |
| 1861 | 0.298 | +1.7% |
| 1862 | 0.298 | +0.0% |
| 1863 | 0.298 | +0.0% |
| 1864 | 0.298 | +0.0% |
| 1865 | 0.305 | +2.3% |
| 1866 | 0.305 | +0.0% |
| 1867 | 0.314 | +3.0% |
| 1868 | 0.318 | +1.3% |
| 1869 | 0.314 | -1.3% |
| 1870 | 0.318 | +1.3% |
| 1871 | 0.319 | +0.3% |
| 1872 | 0.319 | +0.0% |
| 1873 | 0.321 | +0.6% |
| 1874 | 0.33 | +2.8% |
| 1875 | 0.328 | -0.6% |
| 1876 | 0.328 | +0.0% |
| 1877 | 0.328 | +0.0% |
| 1878 | 0.328 | +0.0% |
| 1879 | 0.328 | +0.0% |
| 1880 | 0.339 | +3.4% |
| 1881 | 0.339 | +0.0% |
| 1882 | 0.339 | +0.0% |
| 1883 | 0.348 | +2.7% |
| 1884 | 0.368 | +5.7% |
| 1885 | 0.37 | +0.5% |
| 1886 | 0.386 | +4.3% |
| 1887 | 0.388 | +0.5% |
| 1888 | 0.388 | +0.0% |
| 1889 | 0.388 | +0.0% |
| 1890 | 0.388 | +0.0% |
| 1891 | 0.388 | +0.0% |
| 1892 | 0.393 | +1.3% |
| 1893 | 0.402 | +2.3% |
| 1894 | 0.402 | +0.0% |
| 1895 | 0.399 | -0.7% |
| 1896 | 0.402 | +0.8% |
| 1897 | 0.402 | +0.0% |
| 1898 | 0.405 | +0.7% |
| 1899 | 0.405 | +0.0% |
| 1900 | 0.412 | +1.7% |
| 1901 | 0.416 | +1.0% |
| 1902 | 0.416 | +0.0% |
| 1903 | 0.416 | +0.0% |
| 1904 | 0.416 | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 0.416 | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 0.415 | -0.2% |
| 1907 | 0.415 | +0.0% |
| 1908 | 0.415 | +0.0% |
| 1909 | 0.415 | +0.0% |
| 1910 | 0.416 | +0.2% |
| 1911 | 0.417 | +0.2% |
| 1912 | 0.417 | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 0.417 | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 0.406 | -2.6% |
| 1915 | 0.405 | -0.2% |
| 1916 | 0.403 | -0.5% |
| 1917 | 0.403 | +0.0% |
| 1918 | 0.403 | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 0.231 | -42.7% |
| 1920 | 0.233 | +0.9% |
| 1921 | 0.32 | +37.3% |
| 1922 | 0.451 | +40.9% |
| 1923 | 0.518 | +14.9% |
| 1924 | 0.6 | +15.8% |
| 1925 | 0.606 | +1.0% |
| 1926 | 0.61 | +0.7% |
| 1927 | 0.614 | +0.7% |
| 1928 | 0.625 | +1.8% |
| 1929 | 0.626 | +0.2% |
| 1930 | 0.626 | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 0.626 | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 0.636 | +1.6% |
| 1933 | 0.638 | +0.3% |
| 1934 | 0.638 | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 0.641 | +0.5% |
| 1936 | 0.649 | +1.2% |
| 1937 | 0.651 | +0.3% |
| 1938 | 0.646 | -0.8% |
| 1939 | 0.634 | -1.9% |
| 1940 | 0.634 | +0.0% |
| 1941 | 0.634 | +0.0% |
| 1942 | 0.634 | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 0.637 | +0.5% |
| 1944 | 0.639 | +0.3% |
| 1945 | 0.641 | +0.3% |
| 1946 | 0.657 | +2.5% |
| 1947 | 0.657 | +0.0% |
| 1948 | 0.655 | -0.3% |
| 1949 | 0.663 | +1.2% |
| 1950 | 0.666 | +0.5% |
| 1951 | 0.666 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 0.67 | +0.6% |
| 1953 | 0.67 | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 0.669 | -0.1% |
| 1955 | 0.669 | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 0.669 | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 0.67 | +0.1% |
| 1958 | 0.672 | +0.3% |
| 1959 | 0.673 | +0.1% |
| 1960 | 0.677 | +0.6% |
| 1961 | 0.683 | +0.9% |
| 1962 | 0.695 | +1.8% |
| 1963 | 0.696 | +0.1% |
| 1964 | 0.706 | +1.4% |
| 1965 | 0.703 | -0.4% |
| 1966 | 0.704 | +0.1% |
| 1967 | 0.706 | +0.3% |
| 1968 | 0.706 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 0.703 | -0.4% |
| 1970 | 0.711 | +1.1% |
| 1971 | 0.711 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 0.711 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 0.711 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 0.728 | +2.4% |
| 1975 | 0.728 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 0.728 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 0.728 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 0.728 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 0.728 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 0.728 | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 0.734 | +0.8% |
| 1982 | 0.73 | -0.5% |
| 1983 | 0.734 | +0.5% |
| 1984 | 0.738 | +0.5% |
| 1985 | 0.742 | +0.5% |
| 1986 | 0.746 | +0.5% |
| 1987 | 0.754 | +1.1% |
| 1988 | 0.755 | +0.1% |
| 1989 | 0.752 | -0.4% |
| 1990 | 0.76 | +1.1% |
| 1991 | 0.779 | +2.5% |
| 1992 | 0.782 | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 0.788 | +0.8% |
| 1994 | 0.788 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 0.789 | +0.1% |
| 1996 | 0.793 | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 0.802 | +1.1% |
| 1998 | 0.804 | +0.2% |
| 1999 | 0.804 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 0.809 | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 0.809 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 0.807 | -0.2% |
| 2003 | 0.806 | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 0.806 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 0.806 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 0.806 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 0.815 | +1.1% |
| 2008 | 0.82 | +0.6% |
| 2009 | 0.82 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 0.82 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 0.821 | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 0.822 | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 0.823 | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 0.824 | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 0.825 | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 0.815 | -1.2% |
| 2017 | 0.821 | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 0.821 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 0.822 | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 0.824 | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 0.833 | +1.1% |
| 2022 | 0.827 | -0.7% |
| 2023 | 0.829 | +0.2% |
| 2024 | 0.83 | +0.1% |
| 2025 | 0.822 | -1.0% |
Ireland compared with similar countries
- Ireland's 0.822 is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.689, 1.2× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Ireland's 0.822 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.591, 1.4× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Key features of liberal democracy in Ireland changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1919 | -42.7% | 0.403 | 0.231 |
| 1922 | +40.9% | 0.32 | 0.451 |
| 1921 | +37.3% | 0.233 | 0.32 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1780s | 0.229 | 0.229 | 0.229 | 1 |
| 1790s | 0.244 | 0.239 | 0.248 | 10 |
| 1800s | 0.2475 | 0.246 | 0.249 | 10 |
| 1810s | 0.2465 | 0.242 | 0.249 | 10 |
| 1820s | 0.2477 | 0.243 | 0.255 | 10 |
| 1830s | 0.2755 | 0.261 | 0.286 | 10 |
| 1840s | 0.2905 | 0.289 | 0.294 | 10 |
| 1850s | 0.2933 | 0.292 | 0.296 | 10 |
| 1860s | 0.3041 | 0.293 | 0.318 | 10 |
| 1870s | 0.3247 | 0.318 | 0.33 | 10 |
| 1880s | 0.3653 | 0.339 | 0.388 | 10 |
| 1890s | 0.3986 | 0.388 | 0.405 | 10 |
| 1900s | 0.4152 | 0.412 | 0.416 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0.3918 | 0.231 | 0.417 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.5203 | 0.233 | 0.626 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.6385 | 0.626 | 0.651 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.6451 | 0.634 | 0.663 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.6694 | 0.666 | 0.673 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.6979 | 0.677 | 0.706 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.7212 | 0.711 | 0.728 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.7413 | 0.728 | 0.755 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.7889 | 0.76 | 0.804 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.8104 | 0.806 | 0.82 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.8214 | 0.815 | 0.825 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.8275 | 0.822 | 0.833 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
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 key features of liberal democracy in Ireland?
- Key features of liberal democracy in Ireland was 0.822 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest key features of liberal democracy recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 0.833 in 2021.
- What is the lowest key features of liberal democracy recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.229 in 1789.
- How does Ireland rank for key features of liberal democracy?
- Ireland ranks 6th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is key features of liberal democracy rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.4%. 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 Key features of liberal 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
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.