Participatory Democracy Index in Malta
Malta: Participatory Democracy Index was 0.529 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
0.529
Change on year
down 1.7%
World rank
29th
of 176 countries
All-time high
0.574
in 2015
All-time low
0.055
in 1900
Years of data
126
1900–2025
Participatory Democracy Index in Malta, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for participatory democracy index in Malta is 0.529, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 1.7% on the previous year and down 7.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, participatory democracy index in Malta peaked at 0.574 in 2015 and was at its lowest, 0.055, in 1900.
Malta ranks 29th of 176 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Participatory Democracy Index in Malta, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 0.055 | — |
| 1901 | 0.055 | +0.0% |
| 1902 | 0.055 | +0.0% |
| 1903 | 0.055 | +0.0% |
| 1904 | 0.056 | +1.8% |
| 1905 | 0.056 | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 0.056 | +0.0% |
| 1907 | 0.056 | +0.0% |
| 1908 | 0.056 | +0.0% |
| 1909 | 0.056 | +0.0% |
| 1910 | 0.056 | +0.0% |
| 1911 | 0.056 | +0.0% |
| 1912 | 0.056 | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 0.056 | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 0.056 | +0.0% |
| 1915 | 0.056 | +0.0% |
| 1916 | 0.056 | +0.0% |
| 1917 | 0.056 | +0.0% |
| 1918 | 0.056 | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 0.056 | +0.0% |
| 1920 | 0.056 | +0.0% |
| 1921 | 0.067 | +19.6% |
| 1922 | 0.111 | +65.7% |
| 1923 | 0.111 | +0.0% |
| 1924 | 0.111 | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 0.111 | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 0.111 | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 0.111 | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 0.112 | +0.9% |
| 1929 | 0.112 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 0.074 | -33.9% |
| 1931 | 0.067 | -9.5% |
| 1932 | 0.079 | +17.9% |
| 1933 | 0.088 | +11.4% |
| 1934 | 0.067 | -23.9% |
| 1935 | 0.064 | -4.5% |
| 1936 | 0.064 | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 0.064 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 0.064 | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 0.072 | +12.5% |
| 1940 | 0.064 | -11.1% |
| 1941 | 0.064 | +0.0% |
| 1942 | 0.064 | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 0.064 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 0.064 | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 0.071 | +10.9% |
| 1946 | 0.064 | -9.9% |
| 1947 | 0.097 | +51.6% |
| 1948 | 0.218 | +124.7% |
| 1949 | 0.218 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 0.218 | +0.0% |
| 1951 | 0.217 | -0.5% |
| 1952 | 0.217 | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 0.217 | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 0.216 | -0.5% |
| 1955 | 0.214 | -0.9% |
| 1956 | 0.231 | +7.9% |
| 1957 | 0.213 | -7.8% |
| 1958 | 0.107 | -49.8% |
| 1959 | 0.08 | -25.2% |
| 1960 | 0.08 | +0.0% |
| 1961 | 0.08 | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 0.104 | +30.0% |
| 1963 | 0.212 | +103.8% |
| 1964 | 0.302 | +42.5% |
| 1965 | 0.289 | -4.3% |
| 1966 | 0.288 | -0.3% |
| 1967 | 0.288 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 0.288 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 0.288 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 0.288 | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 0.285 | -1.0% |
| 1972 | 0.285 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 0.3 | +5.3% |
| 1974 | 0.3 | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 0.3 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 0.297 | -1.0% |
| 1977 | 0.288 | -3.0% |
| 1978 | 0.288 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 0.288 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 0.288 | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 0.287 | -0.3% |
| 1982 | 0.28 | -2.4% |
| 1983 | 0.28 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 0.28 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 0.28 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 0.28 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 0.311 | +11.1% |
| 1988 | 0.316 | +1.6% |
| 1989 | 0.316 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 0.316 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 0.323 | +2.2% |
| 1992 | 0.505 | +56.3% |
| 1993 | 0.508 | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 0.508 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 0.508 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 0.515 | +1.4% |
| 1997 | 0.516 | +0.2% |
| 1998 | 0.515 | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 0.514 | -0.2% |
| 2000 | 0.514 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 0.514 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 0.54 | +5.1% |
| 2003 | 0.543 | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 0.544 | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 0.544 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 0.544 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 0.538 | -1.1% |
| 2008 | 0.551 | +2.4% |
| 2009 | 0.561 | +1.8% |
| 2010 | 0.559 | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 0.567 | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 0.567 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 0.542 | -4.4% |
| 2014 | 0.53 | -2.2% |
| 2015 | 0.574 | +8.3% |
| 2016 | 0.571 | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 0.557 | -2.5% |
| 2018 | 0.551 | -1.1% |
| 2019 | 0.563 | +2.2% |
| 2020 | 0.546 | -3.0% |
| 2021 | 0.547 | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 0.552 | +0.9% |
| 2023 | 0.547 | -0.9% |
| 2024 | 0.538 | -1.6% |
| 2025 | 0.529 | -1.7% |
Malta compared with similar countries
- Malta's 0.529 is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.529, 1.0× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Malta's 0.529 is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 0.087, 6.1× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Participatory Democracy Index in Malta 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | +124.7% | 0.097 | 0.218 |
| 1963 | +103.8% | 0.104 | 0.212 |
| 1922 | +65.7% | 0.067 | 0.111 |
| 1992 | +56.3% | 0.323 | 0.505 |
| 1947 | +51.6% | 0.064 | 0.097 |
| 1958 | -49.8% | 0.213 | 0.107 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 0.0556 | 0.055 | 0.056 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0.056 | 0.056 | 0.056 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.1013 | 0.056 | 0.112 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.0703 | 0.064 | 0.088 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.0988 | 0.064 | 0.218 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.193 | 0.08 | 0.231 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.2219 | 0.08 | 0.302 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.2919 | 0.285 | 0.3 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.2918 | 0.28 | 0.316 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.4728 | 0.316 | 0.516 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.5393 | 0.514 | 0.561 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.5581 | 0.53 | 0.574 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.5432 | 0.529 | 0.552 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malta
- 26 Netherlands 0.553 compare
- 27 South Korea 0.551 compare
- 28 United Kingdom 0.533 compare
- 29 Portugal 0.529 compare
- 31 Brazil 0.528 compare
- 32 Japan 0.526 compare
More social development data for Malta
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 8,306 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 11 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 2 (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 11 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0143 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 participatory democracy index in Malta?
- Participatory democracy index in Malta was 0.529 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest participatory democracy index recorded in Malta?
- The highest recorded value was 0.574 in 2015.
- What is the lowest participatory democracy index recorded in Malta?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.055 in 1900.
- How does Malta rank for participatory democracy index?
- Malta ranks 29th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is participatory democracy index rising or falling in Malta?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malta 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 126 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, as well as the extent to which citizens can engage in regional and local government, civil society organizations, and direct democracy.