Statizoid

Participatory Democracy Index in Poland

Poland: Participatory Democracy Index was 0.519 in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)
0.519
Change on year
up 5.5%
World rank
35th
of 176 countries
All-time high
0.655
in 2010
All-time low
0.011
in 1832
Years of data
169
1789–2025

Participatory Democracy Index in Poland, 1789–2025

00.20.40.6178919072025

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

Analysis

The most recent figure for participatory democracy index in Poland is 0.519, measured in 2025.

The figure is up 5.5% on the previous year and down 15.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, participatory democracy index in Poland peaked at 0.655 in 2010 and was at its lowest, 0.011, in 1832.

Poland ranks 35th 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 Poland, year by year

Year Value Change
1789 0.169 —
1790 0.169 +0.0%
1791 0.169 +0.0%
1792 0.169 +0.0%
1793 0.112 -33.7%
1794 0.084 -25.0%
1795 0.092 +9.5%
1809 0.025 -72.8%
1810 0.027 +8.0%
1811 0.027 +0.0%
1812 0.027 +0.0%
1813 0.012 -55.6%
1814 0.012 +0.0%
1815 0.024 +100.0%
1816 0.024 +0.0%
1817 0.024 +0.0%
1818 0.024 +0.0%
1819 0.022 -8.3%
1820 0.022 +0.0%
1821 0.018 -18.2%
1822 0.016 -11.1%
1823 0.016 +0.0%
1824 0.016 +0.0%
1825 0.016 +0.0%
1826 0.016 +0.0%
1827 0.016 +0.0%
1828 0.016 +0.0%
1829 0.016 +0.0%
1830 0.021 +31.3%
1831 0.046 +119.0%
1832 0.011 -76.1%
1833 0.011 +0.0%
1834 0.011 +0.0%
1835 0.011 +0.0%
1836 0.011 +0.0%
1837 0.012 +9.1%
1838 0.011 -8.3%
1839 0.011 +0.0%
1840 0.011 +0.0%
1841 0.011 +0.0%
1842 0.011 +0.0%
1843 0.011 +0.0%
1844 0.011 +0.0%
1845 0.011 +0.0%
1846 0.011 +0.0%
1847 0.011 +0.0%
1848 0.011 +0.0%
1849 0.011 +0.0%
1850 0.011 +0.0%
1851 0.011 +0.0%
1852 0.011 +0.0%
1853 0.011 +0.0%
1854 0.011 +0.0%
1855 0.011 +0.0%
1856 0.013 +18.2%
1857 0.013 +0.0%
1858 0.013 +0.0%
1859 0.013 +0.0%
1860 0.013 +0.0%
1861 0.015 +15.4%
1862 0.015 +0.0%
1863 0.015 +0.0%
1864 0.013 -13.3%
1865 0.013 +0.0%
1866 0.013 +0.0%
1867 0.013 +0.0%
1918 0.098 +653.8%
1919 0.142 +44.9%
1920 0.247 +73.9%
1921 0.245 -0.8%
1922 0.248 +1.2%
1923 0.248 +0.0%
1924 0.248 +0.0%
1925 0.248 +0.0%
1926 0.165 -33.5%
1927 0.155 -6.1%
1928 0.146 -5.8%
1929 0.143 -2.1%
1930 0.096 -32.9%
1931 0.092 -4.2%
1932 0.092 +0.0%
1933 0.086 -6.5%
1934 0.085 -1.2%
1935 0.104 +22.4%
1936 0.109 +4.8%
1937 0.109 +0.0%
1938 0.108 -0.9%
1944 0.045 -58.3%
1945 0.044 -2.2%
1946 0.058 +31.8%
1947 0.042 -27.6%
1948 0.038 -9.5%
1949 0.029 -23.7%
1950 0.031 +6.9%
1951 0.031 +0.0%
1952 0.031 +0.0%
1953 0.031 +0.0%
1954 0.032 +3.2%
1955 0.032 +0.0%
1956 0.032 +0.0%
1957 0.038 +18.7%
1958 0.038 +0.0%
1959 0.038 +0.0%
1960 0.038 +0.0%
1961 0.036 -5.3%
1962 0.035 -2.8%
1963 0.035 +0.0%
1964 0.035 +0.0%
1965 0.035 +0.0%
1966 0.035 +0.0%
1967 0.035 +0.0%
1968 0.035 +0.0%
1969 0.038 +8.6%
1970 0.038 +0.0%
1971 0.038 +0.0%
1972 0.039 +2.6%
1973 0.039 +0.0%
1974 0.039 +0.0%
1975 0.039 +0.0%
1976 0.038 -2.6%
1977 0.038 +0.0%
1978 0.038 +0.0%
1979 0.038 +0.0%
1980 0.088 +131.6%
1981 0.091 +3.4%
1982 0.039 -57.1%
1983 0.039 +0.0%
1984 0.04 +2.6%
1985 0.041 +2.5%
1986 0.041 +0.0%
1987 0.05 +22.0%
1988 0.042 -16.0%
1989 0.141 +235.7%
1990 0.49 +247.5%
1991 0.586 +19.6%
1992 0.607 +3.6%
1993 0.607 +0.0%
1994 0.612 +0.8%
1995 0.61 -0.3%
1996 0.633 +3.8%
1997 0.631 -0.3%
1998 0.643 +1.9%
1999 0.643 +0.0%
2000 0.638 -0.8%
2001 0.643 +0.8%
2002 0.651 +1.2%
2003 0.651 +0.0%
2004 0.651 +0.0%
2005 0.653 +0.3%
2006 0.643 -1.5%
2007 0.642 -0.2%
2008 0.654 +1.9%
2009 0.653 -0.2%
2010 0.655 +0.3%
2011 0.651 -0.6%
2012 0.64 -1.7%
2013 0.638 -0.3%
2014 0.629 -1.4%
2015 0.616 -2.1%
2016 0.489 -20.6%
2017 0.459 -6.1%
2018 0.457 -0.4%
2019 0.449 -1.8%
2020 0.397 -11.6%
2021 0.368 -7.3%
2022 0.357 -3.0%
2023 0.373 +4.5%
2024 0.492 +31.9%
2025 0.519 +5.5%

Poland compared with similar countries

  • Poland's 0.519 is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.529, 98% of the median. (55 countries reporting)
  • Poland's 0.519 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.4995, 1.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Participatory Democracy Index in Poland 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.

YearChange FromTo
1918 +653.8% 0.013 0.098
1990 +247.5% 0.141 0.49
1989 +235.7% 0.042 0.141
1980 +131.6% 0.038 0.088
1831 +119.0% 0.021 0.046
1815 +100.0% 0.012 0.024

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1780s 0.169 0.169 0.169 1
1790s 0.1325 0.084 0.169 6
1800s 0.025 0.025 0.025 1
1810s 0.0223 0.012 0.027 10
1820s 0.0168 0.016 0.022 10
1830s 0.0156 0.011 0.046 10
1840s 0.011 0.011 0.011 10
1850s 0.0118 0.011 0.013 10
1860s 0.0138 0.013 0.015 8
1910s 0.12 0.098 0.142 2
1920s 0.2093 0.143 0.248 10
1930s 0.0979 0.085 0.109 9
1940s 0.0427 0.029 0.058 6
1950s 0.0334 0.031 0.038 10
1960s 0.0357 0.035 0.038 10
1970s 0.0384 0.038 0.039 10
1980s 0.0612 0.039 0.141 10
1990s 0.6062 0.49 0.643 10
2000s 0.6479 0.638 0.654 10
2010s 0.5683 0.449 0.655 10
2020s 0.4177 0.357 0.519 6

Countries ranked near Poland

  1. 32 Japan 0.526 compare
  2. 33 Jamaica 0.524 compare
  3. 34 Sri Lanka 0.52 compare
  4. 36 United States 0.51 compare
  5. 37 Suriname 0.509 compare
  6. 38 Slovakia 0.508 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More social development data for Poland

All data for Poland →

Frequently asked questions

What is participatory democracy index in Poland?
Participatory democracy index in Poland was 0.519 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest participatory democracy index recorded in Poland?
The highest recorded value was 0.655 in 2010.
What is the lowest participatory democracy index recorded in Poland?
The lowest recorded value was 0.011 in 1832.
How does Poland rank for participatory democracy index?
Poland ranks 35th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is participatory democracy index rising or falling in Poland?
Over the last ten years it is down 15.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Poland 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 Poland. 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/poland/

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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

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.