Key features of liberal democracy in Spain
Spain: Key features of liberal democracy was 0.741 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Key features of liberal democracy in Spain, 1789–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, key features of liberal democracy in Spain stood at 0.741.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.3% on the previous year and down 2.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, key features of liberal democracy in Spain peaked at 0.825 in 2010 and was at its lowest, 0.047, in 1940.
That places Spain 21st out of 176 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Key features of liberal democracy in Spain, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1789 | 0.07 | — |
| 1790 | 0.07 | +0.0% |
| 1791 | 0.07 | +0.0% |
| 1792 | 0.07 | +0.0% |
| 1793 | 0.07 | +0.0% |
| 1794 | 0.07 | +0.0% |
| 1795 | 0.07 | +0.0% |
| 1796 | 0.07 | +0.0% |
| 1797 | 0.07 | +0.0% |
| 1798 | 0.07 | +0.0% |
| 1799 | 0.07 | +0.0% |
| 1800 | 0.07 | +0.0% |
| 1801 | 0.07 | +0.0% |
| 1802 | 0.07 | +0.0% |
| 1803 | 0.07 | +0.0% |
| 1804 | 0.07 | +0.0% |
| 1805 | 0.07 | +0.0% |
| 1806 | 0.07 | +0.0% |
| 1807 | 0.07 | +0.0% |
| 1808 | 0.071 | +1.4% |
| 1809 | 0.073 | +2.8% |
| 1810 | 0.076 | +4.1% |
| 1811 | 0.076 | +0.0% |
| 1812 | 0.107 | +40.8% |
| 1813 | 0.111 | +3.7% |
| 1814 | 0.103 | -7.2% |
| 1815 | 0.095 | -7.8% |
| 1816 | 0.095 | +0.0% |
| 1817 | 0.095 | +0.0% |
| 1818 | 0.095 | +0.0% |
| 1819 | 0.095 | +0.0% |
| 1820 | 0.123 | +29.5% |
| 1821 | 0.132 | +7.3% |
| 1822 | 0.132 | +0.0% |
| 1823 | 0.127 | -3.8% |
| 1824 | 0.096 | -24.4% |
| 1825 | 0.096 | +0.0% |
| 1826 | 0.096 | +0.0% |
| 1827 | 0.096 | +0.0% |
| 1828 | 0.096 | +0.0% |
| 1829 | 0.096 | +0.0% |
| 1830 | 0.096 | +0.0% |
| 1831 | 0.096 | +0.0% |
| 1832 | 0.096 | +0.0% |
| 1833 | 0.096 | +0.0% |
| 1834 | 0.111 | +15.6% |
| 1835 | 0.119 | +7.2% |
| 1836 | 0.135 | +13.4% |
| 1837 | 0.138 | +2.2% |
| 1838 | 0.139 | +0.7% |
| 1839 | 0.139 | +0.0% |
| 1840 | 0.144 | +3.6% |
| 1841 | 0.134 | -6.9% |
| 1842 | 0.134 | +0.0% |
| 1843 | 0.133 | -0.7% |
| 1844 | 0.133 | +0.0% |
| 1845 | 0.133 | +0.0% |
| 1846 | 0.133 | +0.0% |
| 1847 | 0.133 | +0.0% |
| 1848 | 0.131 | -1.5% |
| 1849 | 0.131 | +0.0% |
| 1850 | 0.131 | +0.0% |
| 1851 | 0.131 | +0.0% |
| 1852 | 0.133 | +1.5% |
| 1853 | 0.133 | +0.0% |
| 1854 | 0.136 | +2.3% |
| 1855 | 0.138 | +1.5% |
| 1856 | 0.138 | +0.0% |
| 1857 | 0.134 | -2.9% |
| 1858 | 0.134 | +0.0% |
| 1859 | 0.135 | +0.7% |
| 1860 | 0.135 | +0.0% |
| 1861 | 0.135 | +0.0% |
| 1862 | 0.135 | +0.0% |
| 1863 | 0.135 | +0.0% |
| 1864 | 0.135 | +0.0% |
| 1865 | 0.135 | +0.0% |
| 1866 | 0.135 | +0.0% |
| 1867 | 0.134 | -0.7% |
| 1868 | 0.14 | +4.5% |
| 1869 | 0.182 | +30.0% |
| 1870 | 0.189 | +3.8% |
| 1871 | 0.189 | +0.0% |
| 1872 | 0.189 | +0.0% |
| 1873 | 0.189 | +0.0% |
| 1874 | 0.163 | -13.8% |
| 1875 | 0.154 | -5.5% |
| 1876 | 0.155 | +0.6% |
| 1877 | 0.155 | +0.0% |
| 1878 | 0.155 | +0.0% |
| 1879 | 0.149 | -3.9% |
| 1880 | 0.149 | +0.0% |
| 1881 | 0.15 | +0.7% |
| 1882 | 0.153 | +2.0% |
| 1883 | 0.153 | +0.0% |
| 1884 | 0.154 | +0.7% |
| 1885 | 0.154 | +0.0% |
| 1886 | 0.153 | -0.6% |
| 1887 | 0.153 | +0.0% |
| 1888 | 0.153 | +0.0% |
| 1889 | 0.153 | +0.0% |
| 1890 | 0.157 | +2.6% |
| 1891 | 0.164 | +4.5% |
| 1892 | 0.164 | +0.0% |
| 1893 | 0.165 | +0.6% |
| 1894 | 0.164 | -0.6% |
| 1895 | 0.164 | +0.0% |
| 1896 | 0.165 | +0.6% |
| 1897 | 0.165 | +0.0% |
| 1898 | 0.164 | -0.6% |
| 1899 | 0.164 | +0.0% |
| 1900 | 0.164 | +0.0% |
| 1901 | 0.164 | +0.0% |
| 1902 | 0.164 | +0.0% |
| 1903 | 0.164 | +0.0% |
| 1904 | 0.164 | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 0.164 | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 0.164 | +0.0% |
| 1907 | 0.164 | +0.0% |
| 1908 | 0.163 | -0.6% |
| 1909 | 0.163 | +0.0% |
| 1910 | 0.163 | +0.0% |
| 1911 | 0.163 | +0.0% |
| 1912 | 0.163 | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 0.163 | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 0.162 | -0.6% |
| 1915 | 0.162 | +0.0% |
| 1916 | 0.162 | +0.0% |
| 1917 | 0.162 | +0.0% |
| 1918 | 0.162 | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 0.162 | +0.0% |
| 1920 | 0.163 | +0.6% |
| 1921 | 0.163 | +0.0% |
| 1922 | 0.16 | -1.8% |
| 1923 | 0.115 | -28.1% |
| 1924 | 0.082 | -28.7% |
| 1925 | 0.082 | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 0.082 | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 0.082 | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 0.082 | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 0.082 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 0.083 | +1.2% |
| 1931 | 0.131 | +57.8% |
| 1932 | 0.407 | +210.7% |
| 1933 | 0.406 | -0.2% |
| 1934 | 0.395 | -2.7% |
| 1935 | 0.395 | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 0.341 | -13.7% |
| 1937 | 0.235 | -31.1% |
| 1938 | 0.229 | -2.6% |
| 1939 | 0.11 | -52.0% |
| 1940 | 0.047 | -57.3% |
| 1941 | 0.048 | +2.1% |
| 1942 | 0.049 | +2.1% |
| 1943 | 0.056 | +14.3% |
| 1944 | 0.057 | +1.8% |
| 1945 | 0.057 | +0.0% |
| 1946 | 0.059 | +3.5% |
| 1947 | 0.059 | +0.0% |
| 1948 | 0.059 | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 0.059 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 0.061 | +3.4% |
| 1951 | 0.061 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 0.061 | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 0.061 | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 0.061 | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 0.061 | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 0.06 | -1.6% |
| 1957 | 0.06 | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 0.062 | +3.3% |
| 1959 | 0.062 | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 0.066 | +6.5% |
| 1961 | 0.066 | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 0.066 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 0.066 | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 0.066 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 0.066 | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 0.067 | +1.5% |
| 1967 | 0.068 | +1.5% |
| 1968 | 0.071 | +4.4% |
| 1969 | 0.071 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 0.072 | +1.4% |
| 1971 | 0.072 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 0.073 | +1.4% |
| 1973 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 0.095 | +30.1% |
| 1976 | 0.109 | +14.7% |
| 1977 | 0.276 | +153.2% |
| 1978 | 0.657 | +138.0% |
| 1979 | 0.78 | +18.7% |
| 1980 | 0.788 | +1.0% |
| 1981 | 0.788 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 0.791 | +0.4% |
| 1983 | 0.804 | +1.6% |
| 1984 | 0.804 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 0.804 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 0.805 | +0.1% |
| 1987 | 0.81 | +0.6% |
| 1988 | 0.81 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 0.81 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 0.811 | +0.1% |
| 1991 | 0.811 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 0.811 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 0.818 | +0.9% |
| 1994 | 0.818 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 0.818 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 0.82 | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 0.82 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 0.82 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 0.82 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 0.817 | -0.4% |
| 2001 | 0.817 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 0.817 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 0.796 | -2.6% |
| 2004 | 0.808 | +1.5% |
| 2005 | 0.811 | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 0.812 | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 0.808 | -0.5% |
| 2008 | 0.819 | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 0.821 | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 0.825 | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 0.821 | -0.5% |
| 2012 | 0.799 | -2.7% |
| 2013 | 0.778 | -2.6% |
| 2014 | 0.774 | -0.5% |
| 2015 | 0.759 | -1.9% |
| 2016 | 0.766 | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 0.757 | -1.2% |
| 2018 | 0.776 | +2.5% |
| 2019 | 0.804 | +3.6% |
| 2020 | 0.786 | -2.2% |
| 2021 | 0.775 | -1.4% |
| 2022 | 0.782 | +0.9% |
| 2023 | 0.759 | -2.9% |
| 2024 | 0.743 | -2.1% |
| 2025 | 0.741 | -0.3% |
Spain compared with similar countries
- Spain's 0.741 is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.689, 1.1× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Spain's 0.741 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.591, 1.3× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1780s | 0.07 | 0.07 | 0.07 | 1 |
| 1790s | 0.07 | 0.07 | 0.07 | 10 |
| 1800s | 0.0704 | 0.07 | 0.073 | 10 |
| 1810s | 0.0948 | 0.076 | 0.111 | 10 |
| 1820s | 0.109 | 0.096 | 0.132 | 10 |
| 1830s | 0.1165 | 0.096 | 0.139 | 10 |
| 1840s | 0.1339 | 0.131 | 0.144 | 10 |
| 1850s | 0.1343 | 0.131 | 0.138 | 10 |
| 1860s | 0.1401 | 0.134 | 0.182 | 10 |
| 1870s | 0.1687 | 0.149 | 0.189 | 10 |
| 1880s | 0.1525 | 0.149 | 0.154 | 10 |
| 1890s | 0.1636 | 0.157 | 0.165 | 10 |
| 1900s | 0.1638 | 0.163 | 0.164 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0.1624 | 0.162 | 0.163 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.1093 | 0.082 | 0.163 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.2732 | 0.083 | 0.407 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.055 | 0.047 | 0.059 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.061 | 0.06 | 0.062 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.0673 | 0.066 | 0.071 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.228 | 0.072 | 0.78 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.8014 | 0.788 | 0.81 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.8167 | 0.811 | 0.82 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.8126 | 0.796 | 0.821 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.7859 | 0.757 | 0.825 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.7643 | 0.741 | 0.786 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Spain
More social development data for Spain
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 511,079 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 186 (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 186 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0104 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 Spain?
- Key features of liberal democracy in Spain was 0.741 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest key features of liberal democracy recorded in Spain?
- The highest recorded value was 0.825 in 2010.
- What is the lowest key features of liberal democracy recorded in Spain?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.047 in 1940.
- How does Spain rank for key features of liberal democracy?
- Spain ranks 21st out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is key features of liberal democracy rising or falling in Spain?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Spain 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
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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.