What is liberal democracy index in Switzerland?

Liberal democracy index in Switzerland was 0.843 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest liberal democracy index recorded in Switzerland?

The highest recorded value was 0.862 in 2012.

What is the lowest liberal democracy index recorded in Switzerland?

The lowest recorded value was 0.176 in 1804.

How does Switzerland rank for liberal democracy index?

Switzerland ranks 4th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.

Is liberal democracy index rising or falling in Switzerland?

Over the last ten years it is down 1.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.

Where does this Switzerland data come from?

The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Liberal Democracy Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Liberal Democracy Index in Switzerland

Name: Liberal Democracy Index in Switzerland
Creator: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

Switzerland: Liberal Democracy Index was 0.843 in 2025. ▲ Rising

Latest (2025)

0.843

Change on year

unchanged

World rank

4th

of 176 countries

All-time high

0.862

in 2012

All-time low

0.176

in 1804

Years of data

228

1798–2025

Liberal Democracy Index in Switzerland, 1798–2025

Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

Analysis

The most recent figure for liberal democracy index in Switzerland is 0.843, measured in 2025.

That represents a change of down 1.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, liberal democracy index in Switzerland peaked at 0.862 in 2012 and was at its lowest, 0.176, in 1804.

Switzerland ranks 4th of 176 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 228 years of available data.

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1790s	0.264	0.264	0.264	2
1800s	0.2004	0.176	0.26	10
1810s	0.176	0.176	0.176	10
1820s	0.176	0.176	0.176	10
1830s	0.1868	0.176	0.188	10
1840s	0.229	0.188	0.466	10
1850s	0.4657	0.464	0.467	10
1860s	0.4655	0.464	0.466	10
1870s	0.5012	0.467	0.529	10
1880s	0.5279	0.527	0.529	10
1890s	0.5279	0.526	0.529	10
1900s	0.54	0.532	0.545	10
1910s	0.543	0.542	0.545	10
1920s	0.5495	0.549	0.55	10
1930s	0.5508	0.548	0.553	10
1940s	0.5509	0.542	0.562	10
1950s	0.5613	0.561	0.562	10
1960s	0.5669	0.565	0.569	10
1970s	0.7518	0.571	0.803	10
1980s	0.8134	0.809	0.817	10
1990s	0.8349	0.829	0.839	10
2000s	0.8415	0.836	0.85	10
2010s	0.8581	0.85	0.862	10
2020s	0.8465	0.838	0.856	6

Countries ranked near Switzerland

1 Denmark 0.884 compare
2 Sweden 0.853 compare
3 Norway 0.847 compare
5 Estonia 0.837 compare
7 Costa Rica 0.809 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More social development data for Switzerland

Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy 208,287 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of ori 6 (2025)
Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
Liberal democracy 3 (2025)
Electoral democracy 2 (2025)
Human Rights Index 0.95 (2025)
Participatory Democracy Index 0.785 (2025)
Key features of human rights 0.95 (2025)
Key features of electoral democracy 0.882 (2025)

All data for Switzerland →

Frequently asked questions

What is liberal democracy index in Switzerland?: Liberal democracy index in Switzerland was 0.843 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest liberal democracy index recorded in Switzerland?: The highest recorded value was 0.862 in 2012.
What is the lowest liberal democracy index recorded in Switzerland?: The lowest recorded value was 0.176 in 1804.
How does Switzerland rank for liberal democracy index?: Switzerland ranks 4th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is liberal democracy index rising or falling in Switzerland?: Over the last ten years it is down 1.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Switzerland data come from?: The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Liberal Democracy Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 228 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator: Liberal Democracy Index
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 176 places, 28,671 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed: 07 August 2026

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.