Search WorldAudit Democracy and human rights in the news Democracy statistics Publisher's Overview Home Regional information
home > democracy audit > political rights




Democracy Table

Civil Liberties
Press Freedom
Rule of Law
Corruption
Human Rights
Methodology

Economic Freedom Table


The Freedom House Annual Survey employs the Political Rights checklist to help determine the degree to which people can participate in the political process of their country. Each country is then rated on a seven-category scale, 1 representing the most free and 7 the least free. These 7 categories are laid out below. To purchase the Annual Survey print edition visit the store.

Country 2009 Political Rights Score 2007 Political Rights Score Democracy Rank 2009
Afghanistan 5 5 138
Albania 3 3 61
Algeria 6 6 99
Angola 6 6 116
Argentina 2 2 62
Armenia 6q 5 113
Australia 1 1 9
Austria 1 1 13
Azerbaijan 6 6 130
Bangladesh 4p 5q 108
Belarus 7 7 143
Belgium 1 1 12
Benin 2 2 47
Bhutan 4p 6 76
Bolivia 3 3 58
Bosnia and Herzegovina 4 4q 80
Botswana 2 2 39
Brazil 2 2 50
Bulgaria 2q 1 45
Burkina Faso 5 5 74
Burundi 4 4 132
Cambodia 6 6 113
Cameroon 6 6 117
Country 2009 Political Rights Score 2007 Political Rights Score

Democracy Rank 2009

Canada 1 1 8
Central African Republic 5 5 113
Chad 7 7q 137
Chile 1 1 21
China 7 7 121
Colombia 3 3 86
Congo, Republic of the 6 6 99
Costa Rica 1 1 23
Cote d'Ivoire 7 7 119
Croatia 2 2 44
Cuba 7 7 123
Czech Republic 1 1 24
Dem. Rep. of the Congo 6q 5 139
Denmark 1 1 1
Dominican Republic 2 2 56
Ecuador 3 3 63
Egypt 6 6 95
El Salvador 2 2 54
Eritrea 7 7 145
Estonia 1 1 16
Ethiopia 5 5 121
Finland 1 1 4
France 1 1 17
Gabon 6 6 111
Gambia, The 5 5 123
Georgia 4 4q 81
Germany 1 1 11
Ghana 1 1 33
Greece 1 1 35
Guatemala 3 3 90
Guinea 7q 6 120
Guinea-Bissau 4 4 97
Haiti 4 4 103
Honduras 3 3 67
Hungary 1 1 26
Country 2009 Political Rights Score 2007 Political Rights Score Democracy Rank 2009
India 2 2 47
Indonesia 2 2 66
Iran 6 6 143
Iraq 6 6 126
Ireland 1 1 9
Israel 1 1 30
Italy 1 1 34
Jamaica 2 2 41
Japan 1 1 29
Jordan 5 5 77
Kazakhstan 6 6 125
Kenya 4 4q 106
Korea, North 7 7 72
Korea, South 1 1 32
Kuwait 4 4 77
Kyrgyzstan 5 5 128
Laos 7 7 141
Latvia 2 2q 38
Lebanon 5 5 93
Lesotho 2 2 58
Liberia 3 3 95
Libya 7 7 146
Lithuania 1 1 24
Macedonia 3 3 55
Madagascar 4 4 84
Malawi 4 4 87
Malaysia 4 4 82
Mali 2 2 45
Mauritania 6q 4p 97
Mauritius 1 1 31
Mexico 2 2 63
Moldova 4q 3 99
Mongolia 2 2 57
Morocco 5 5 93
Mozambique 3 3 60
Myanmar 7 7 150
Namibia 2 2 41
Nepal 4p 5 99
Netherlands 1 1 6
New Zealand 1 1 3
Nicaragua 4q 3 82
Niger 3 3 103
Nigeria 5q 4 92
Norway 1 1 6
Country 2009 Political Rights Score 2007 Political Rights Score Democracy Rank 2009
Oman 6 6 79
Pakistan 4p 6 106
Panama 1 1 36
Papua New Guinea 4q 3 74
Paraguay 3 3 70
Peru 2 2 53
Philippines 4 4q 84
Poland 1 1 27
Portugal 1 1 18
Romania 2 2 51
Russia 6 6 134
Rwanda 6 6 126
Saudi Arabia 7 7 108
Senegal 3q 2 65
Serbia 3 3 49
Sierra Leone 3 3p 69
Singapore 5 5 71
Slovakia 1 1 28
Slovenia 1 1 18
Somalia 7 7 147
South Africa 2 2 40
Spain 1 1 22
Sri Lanka 4 4 108
Sudan 7 7 140
Sweden 1 1 2
Switzerland 1 1 5
Syria 7 7 132
Taiwan 2 2 37
Tajikistan 6 6 134
Tanzania 4 4 89
Thailand 5p 6p 87
Togo 5 5p 118
Trinidad and Tobago 2 2 43
Tunisia 7 7q 111
Turkey 3 3 51
Turkmenistan 7 7 149
Uganda 5 5 91
Ukraine 3 3 68
United Arab Emirates 6 6 73
United Kingdom 1 1 13
United States 1 1 15
Uruguay 1 1 20
Uzbekistan 7 7 148
Venezuela 4 4 129
Vietnam 7 7 131
Yemen 5 5 134
Zambia 3 3 103
Zimbabwe 7 7 141




 

Is the head of state and/or head of government or other chief of authority elected through free and fair elections?

Are the legislative representatives elected through free and fair elections?

Are their fair electoral laws, equal campaigning opportunities, fair polling and honest tabulation of ballots?

Are the voters able to endow their freely elected representatives with real power?

Do the people have the right to organise in different political parties or other competitive political groupings of their choice, and is the system open to the rise and fall of these competing parties or groupings?

Is there a significant opposition vote, de facto opposition power, and a realistic possibility for the opposition to increase its support or gain power through elections?

Are the people free from domination by the military, foreign powers, totalitarian parties, religious hierarchies, economic oligarchies or any other powerful group?

Do cultural, ethnic and other minority groups have reasonable self-determination, self-government, autonomy or participation through informal consensus in the decision-making process?

Additional discretionary questions:

For traditional monarchies that have no parties or electoral process, does the system provide for consultation with the people, encourage discussion of policy, and allow the right to petition the ruler?

Is the government or occupying power deliberately changing the ethnic composition of a country or territory so as to destroy a culture or tip the political balance in favour of another group?
About us Audits Countries Help Home News Search

Copyright ©2001 World Audit. All rights reserved.
Contact:editor@worldaudit.org