Democracy Index: most democratic countries 2023

According to the Democracy Index, Norway was deemed the most democratic country in 2023. Countries are given a score from 0 to 10 with scores closer to 10 meaning the country is more democratic. In 2023, Norway scored 9.81 points. New Zealand and Iceland followed behind. On the other hand, China was ranked as the least democratic country in the world with an index score of 2.12.

Shrinking democratic space

The world saw an increase in the number of democracies during the latter half of the previous century, but the trend has turned since the early 2010s. Democratically elected leaders in countries such as India and Hungary use their power to limit the space for political opposition. However, it is not only recently established democracies that experience democratic decline, but also long-standing democracies.

Democratic decline in the U.S.

The United States, seen by many as the oldest democracy worldwide, has seen decreasing levels of democracy in recent years. Increasing political polarization, limiting of voting rights, and a lack of trust in political institutions have put the American democracy to a test, and in 2016, the country was degraded from a liberal democracy to a flawed democracy on the Democracy Index. The 2024 presidential election will be another major test for the state of democracy in the country.