Participatory Democracy Index in Portugal
Portugal: Participatory Democracy Index was 0.529 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Participatory Democracy Index in Portugal, 1789–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, participatory democracy index in Portugal stood at 0.529.
That represents a change of down 5.7% on the previous year and down 17.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, participatory democracy index in Portugal peaked at 0.66 in 2010 and was at its lowest, 0.008, in 1789.
That places Portugal 29th out of 176 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1780s | 0.008 | 0.008 | 0.008 | 1 |
| 1790s | 0.008 | 0.008 | 0.008 | 10 |
| 1800s | 0.008 | 0.008 | 0.008 | 10 |
| 1810s | 0.008 | 0.008 | 0.008 | 10 |
| 1820s | 0.0282 | 0.011 | 0.041 | 10 |
| 1830s | 0.064 | 0.011 | 0.114 | 10 |
| 1840s | 0.0601 | 0.038 | 0.111 | 10 |
| 1850s | 0.0488 | 0.038 | 0.055 | 10 |
| 1860s | 0.057 | 0.057 | 0.057 | 10 |
| 1870s | 0.0634 | 0.056 | 0.116 | 10 |
| 1880s | 0.0972 | 0.056 | 0.116 | 10 |
| 1890s | 0.0583 | 0.053 | 0.065 | 10 |
| 1900s | 0.0677 | 0.062 | 0.087 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0.1164 | 0.099 | 0.125 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.0817 | 0.036 | 0.123 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.0438 | 0.042 | 0.054 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.043 | 0.043 | 0.043 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.0439 | 0.043 | 0.044 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.0443 | 0.043 | 0.047 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.2256 | 0.047 | 0.485 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.563 | 0.539 | 0.589 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.5893 | 0.579 | 0.617 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.6361 | 0.619 | 0.656 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.6423 | 0.623 | 0.66 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.5793 | 0.529 | 0.621 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Portugal
- 26 Netherlands 0.553 compare
- 27 South Korea 0.551 compare
- 28 United Kingdom 0.533 compare
- 29 Malta 0.529 compare
- 31 Brazil 0.528 compare
- 32 Japan 0.526 compare
More social development data for Portugal
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy 70,349 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of ori 109 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
- Key features of liberal democracy 0.717 (2025)
- Varieties of democracy 0.822 (2025)
- Freedom of Expression Index 0.899 (2025)
- Freedom of Association Index 0.874 (2025)
- Electoral Democracy Index 0.822 (2025)
- Liberal democracy 2 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is participatory democracy index in Portugal?
- Participatory democracy index in Portugal 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 Portugal?
- The highest recorded value was 0.66 in 2010.
- What is the lowest participatory democracy index recorded in Portugal?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.008 in 1789.
- How does Portugal rank for participatory democracy index?
- Portugal ranks 29th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is participatory democracy index rising or falling in Portugal?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Portugal 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 — 237 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.