What is participatory democracy index in Belgium?

Participatory democracy index in Belgium was 0.633 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest participatory democracy index recorded in Belgium?

The highest recorded value was 0.651 in 2013.

What is the lowest participatory democracy index recorded in Belgium?

The lowest recorded value was 0.022 in 1814.

How does Belgium rank for participatory democracy index?

Belgium ranks 8th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.

Is participatory democracy index rising or falling in Belgium?

Over the last ten years it is down 2.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.

Where does this Belgium data come from?

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

Participatory Democracy Index in Belgium

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

Belgium: Participatory Democracy Index was 0.633 in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)

0.633

Change on year

down 0.5%

World rank

8th

of 176 countries

All-time high

0.651

in 2013

All-time low

0.022

in 1814

Years of data

236

1789–2025

Participatory Democracy Index in Belgium, 1789–2025

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

Analysis

In 2025, participatory democracy index in Belgium stood at 0.633.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.5% on the previous year and down 2.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, participatory democracy index in Belgium peaked at 0.651 in 2013 and was at its lowest, 0.022, in 1814.

That places Belgium 8th 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.

Participatory Democracy Index in Belgium, year by year

Annual values for Participatory Democracy Index in Belgium, 1789 to 2025.
Year	Value	Change
1789	0.032	—
1790	0.032	+0.0%
1791	0.032	+0.0%
1792	0.032	+0.0%
1793	0.032	+0.0%
1794	0.031	-3.1%
1796	0.113	+264.5%
1797	0.113	+0.0%
1798	0.113	+0.0%
1799	0.112	-0.9%
1800	0.074	-33.9%
1801	0.055	-25.7%
1802	0.055	+0.0%
1803	0.055	+0.0%
1804	0.055	+0.0%
1805	0.055	+0.0%
1806	0.055	+0.0%
1807	0.055	+0.0%
1808	0.055	+0.0%
1809	0.055	+0.0%
1810	0.055	+0.0%
1811	0.055	+0.0%
1812	0.055	+0.0%
1813	0.055	+0.0%
1814	0.022	-60.0%
1815	0.07	+218.2%
1816	0.078	+11.4%
1817	0.078	+0.0%
1818	0.078	+0.0%
1819	0.078	+0.0%
1820	0.078	+0.0%
1821	0.078	+0.0%
1822	0.078	+0.0%
1823	0.078	+0.0%
1824	0.078	+0.0%
1825	0.078	+0.0%
1826	0.078	+0.0%
1827	0.078	+0.0%
1828	0.078	+0.0%
1829	0.078	+0.0%
1830	0.159	+103.8%
1831	0.168	+5.7%
1832	0.185	+10.1%
1833	0.184	-0.5%
1834	0.184	+0.0%
1835	0.184	+0.0%
1836	0.184	+0.0%
1837	0.185	+0.5%
1838	0.185	+0.0%
1839	0.184	-0.5%
1840	0.2	+8.7%
1841	0.203	+1.5%
1842	0.203	+0.0%
1843	0.204	+0.5%
1844	0.204	+0.0%
1845	0.204	+0.0%
1846	0.204	+0.0%
1847	0.204	+0.0%
1848	0.206	+1.0%
1849	0.206	+0.0%
1850	0.206	+0.0%
1851	0.206	+0.0%
1852	0.206	+0.0%
1853	0.205	-0.5%
1854	0.205	+0.0%
1855	0.205	+0.0%
1856	0.206	+0.5%
1857	0.206	+0.0%
1858	0.206	+0.0%
1859	0.206	+0.0%
1860	0.206	+0.0%
1861	0.206	+0.0%
1862	0.206	+0.0%
1863	0.206	+0.0%
1864	0.206	+0.0%
1865	0.206	+0.0%
1866	0.206	+0.0%
1867	0.206	+0.0%
1868	0.207	+0.5%
1869	0.209	+1.0%
1870	0.209	+0.0%
1871	0.209	+0.0%
1872	0.208	-0.5%
1873	0.208	+0.0%
1874	0.208	+0.0%
1875	0.209	+0.5%
1876	0.209	+0.0%
1877	0.208	-0.5%
1878	0.213	+2.4%
1879	0.217	+1.9%
1880	0.217	+0.0%
1881	0.217	+0.0%
1882	0.217	+0.0%
1883	0.217	+0.0%
1884	0.217	+0.0%
1885	0.217	+0.0%
1886	0.212	-2.3%
1887	0.212	+0.0%
1888	0.212	+0.0%
1889	0.212	+0.0%
1890	0.211	-0.5%
1891	0.211	+0.0%
1892	0.211	+0.0%
1893	0.215	+1.9%
1894	0.279	+29.8%
1895	0.279	+0.0%
1896	0.278	-0.4%
1897	0.278	+0.0%
1898	0.277	-0.4%
1899	0.277	+0.0%
1900	0.284	+2.5%
1901	0.285	+0.4%
1902	0.286	+0.4%
1903	0.287	+0.3%
1904	0.284	-1.0%
1905	0.283	-0.4%
1906	0.286	+1.1%
1907	0.288	+0.7%
1908	0.287	-0.3%
1909	0.286	-0.3%
1910	0.287	+0.3%
1911	0.287	+0.0%
1912	0.288	+0.3%
1913	0.286	-0.7%
1914	0.17	-40.6%
1915	0.123	-27.6%
1916	0.123	+0.0%
1917	0.123	+0.0%
1918	0.137	+11.4%
1919	0.19	+38.7%
1920	0.238	+25.3%
1921	0.307	+29.0%
1922	0.309	+0.7%
1923	0.309	+0.0%
1924	0.309	+0.0%
1925	0.308	-0.3%
1926	0.308	+0.0%
1927	0.308	+0.0%
1928	0.308	+0.0%
1929	0.308	+0.0%
1930	0.306	-0.6%
1931	0.306	+0.0%
1932	0.306	+0.0%
1933	0.307	+0.3%
1934	0.307	+0.0%
1935	0.307	+0.0%
1936	0.309	+0.7%
1937	0.311	+0.6%
1938	0.311	+0.0%
1939	0.311	+0.0%
1940	0.173	-44.4%
1941	0.122	-29.5%
1942	0.121	-0.8%
1943	0.121	+0.0%
1944	0.125	+3.3%
1945	0.167	+33.6%
1946	0.35	+109.6%
1947	0.363	+3.7%
1948	0.363	+0.0%
1949	0.474	+30.6%
1950	0.505	+6.5%
1951	0.49	-3.0%
1952	0.49	+0.0%
1953	0.49	+0.0%
1954	0.494	+0.8%
1955	0.495	+0.2%
1956	0.495	+0.0%
1957	0.495	+0.0%
1958	0.495	+0.0%
1959	0.494	-0.2%
1960	0.573	+16.0%
1961	0.575	+0.3%
1962	0.58	+0.9%
1963	0.58	+0.0%
1964	0.58	+0.0%
1965	0.581	+0.2%
1966	0.582	+0.2%
1967	0.582	+0.0%
1968	0.579	-0.5%
1969	0.578	-0.2%
1970	0.583	+0.9%
1971	0.584	+0.2%
1972	0.588	+0.7%
1973	0.588	+0.0%
1974	0.585	-0.5%
1975	0.585	+0.0%
1976	0.585	+0.0%
1977	0.589	+0.7%
1978	0.591	+0.3%
1979	0.589	-0.3%
1980	0.598	+1.5%
1981	0.593	-0.8%
1982	0.595	+0.3%
1983	0.595	+0.0%
1984	0.595	+0.0%
1985	0.595	+0.0%
1986	0.602	+1.2%
1987	0.6	-0.3%
1988	0.597	-0.5%
1989	0.601	+0.7%
1990	0.615	+2.3%
1991	0.616	+0.2%
1992	0.625	+1.5%
1993	0.625	+0.0%
1994	0.629	+0.6%
1995	0.633	+0.6%
1996	0.634	+0.2%
1997	0.634	+0.0%
1998	0.634	+0.0%
1999	0.635	+0.2%
2000	0.637	+0.3%
2001	0.637	+0.0%
2002	0.637	+0.0%
2003	0.638	+0.2%
2004	0.619	-3.0%
2005	0.635	+2.6%
2006	0.636	+0.2%
2007	0.643	+1.1%
2008	0.649	+0.9%
2009	0.649	+0.0%
2010	0.649	+0.0%
2011	0.65	+0.2%
2012	0.65	+0.0%
2013	0.651	+0.2%
2014	0.65	-0.2%
2015	0.65	+0.0%
2016	0.647	-0.5%
2017	0.645	-0.3%
2018	0.645	+0.0%
2019	0.645	+0.0%
2020	0.64	-0.8%
2021	0.64	+0.0%
2022	0.638	-0.3%
2023	0.638	+0.0%
2024	0.636	-0.3%
2025	0.633	-0.5%

Belgium compared with similar countries

Belgium's 0.633 is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.529, 1.2× the median. (55 countries reporting)
Belgium's 0.633 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.4995, 1.3× the median. (48 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1780s	0.032	0.032	0.032	1
1790s	0.0678	0.031	0.113	9
1800s	0.0569	0.055	0.074	10
1810s	0.0624	0.022	0.078	10
1820s	0.078	0.078	0.078	10
1830s	0.1802	0.159	0.185	10
1840s	0.2038	0.2	0.206	10
1850s	0.2057	0.205	0.206	10
1860s	0.2064	0.206	0.209	10
1870s	0.2098	0.208	0.217	10
1880s	0.215	0.212	0.217	10
1890s	0.2516	0.211	0.279	10
1900s	0.2856	0.283	0.288	10
1910s	0.2014	0.123	0.288	10
1920s	0.3012	0.238	0.309	10
1930s	0.3081	0.306	0.311	10
1940s	0.2379	0.121	0.474	10
1950s	0.4943	0.49	0.505	10
1960s	0.579	0.573	0.582	10
1970s	0.5867	0.583	0.591	10
1980s	0.5971	0.593	0.602	10
1990s	0.628	0.615	0.635	10
2000s	0.638	0.619	0.649	10
2010s	0.6482	0.645	0.651	10
2020s	0.6375	0.633	0.64	6

Countries ranked near Belgium

5 Australia 0.648 compare
6 Norway 0.638 compare
7 Sweden 0.635 compare
9 Estonia 0.621 compare
10 Ireland 0.619 compare
11 Costa Rica 0.606 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More social development data for Belgium

Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 186,393 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 113 (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 113 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0156 units per person (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)

All data for Belgium →

Frequently asked questions

What is participatory democracy index in Belgium?: Participatory democracy index in Belgium was 0.633 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest participatory democracy index recorded in Belgium?: The highest recorded value was 0.651 in 2013.
What is the lowest participatory democracy index recorded in Belgium?: The lowest recorded value was 0.022 in 1814.
How does Belgium rank for participatory democracy index?: Belgium ranks 8th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is participatory democracy index rising or falling in Belgium?: Over the last ten years it is down 2.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Belgium data come from?: The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Participatory Democracy Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Participatory Democracy Index in Belgium. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 22 September 2026, from https://social-development.statizoid.com/stat/participatory-democracy-index/belgium/

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About this data

Indicator: Participatory Democracy Index
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 176 places, 29,363 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed: 18 September 2026

Central estimate of the extent of suffrage, the freedom and fairness of elections, freedoms of association and expression, as well as the extent to which citizens can engage in regional and local government, civil society organizations, and direct democracy.