Key media freedoms in Germany
Germany: Key media freedoms was 2.21 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Key media freedoms in Germany, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Germany recorded 2.21 for key media freedoms in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 23.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, key media freedoms in Germany peaked at 3.38 in 1991 and was at its lowest, -2.1, in 1934.
That places Germany 19th out of 175 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.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | -0.04 | -0.04 | -0.04 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0.0632 | -0.209 | 1.42 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.992 | 0.864 | 1.5 | 10 |
| 1930s | -1.06 | -2.1 | 0.864 | 10 |
| 1940s | -2.1 | -2.1 | -2.1 | 5 |
| 1990s | 3.38 | 3.38 | 3.38 | 9 |
| 2000s | 3.38 | 3.38 | 3.38 | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.99 | 2.89 | 3.38 | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.66 | 2.21 | 2.89 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Germany
More social development data for Germany
- Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy 2.66 million (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of ori 327 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Key features of democracy 0.828 (2025)
- Freedom of Expression Index 0.914 (2025)
- Freedom of Association Index 0.852 (2025)
- Electoral Democracy Index 0.828 (2025)
- Participatory Democracy Index 0.593 (2025)
- Liberal Democracy Index 0.782 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is key media freedoms in Germany?
- Key media freedoms in Germany was 2.21 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest key media freedoms recorded in Germany?
- The highest recorded value was 3.38 in 1991.
- What is the lowest key media freedoms recorded in Germany?
- The lowest recorded value was -2.1 in 1934.
- How does Germany rank for key media freedoms?
- Germany ranks 19th out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
- Is key media freedoms rising or falling in Germany?
- Over the last ten years it is down 23.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Germany data come from?
- The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Key media freedoms. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 80 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Central estimate of the extent to which the government directly or indirectly attempts to censor political content in print and broadcast media, through formal restrictions or indirect pressures such as financial control, licensing, or access to distribution channels.