V-Dem Institute

The U.S. democracy is currently in a much faster deterioration process than any other democracy in modern times.

Within only one year, the USA’s score on the V-Dem Liberal Democracy index (LDI) has declined by 24 percent, from 0.75 in 2024 to 0.57 in 2025.

The graph shows how fast democracy has declined in the USA compared to five prominent cases of autocratization in the last 25 years. It measures the total drop in the LDI from the moment autocratization began in each country.

The dramatic decline in the U.S. took Hungary over four years, Serbia eight years, and both India and Türkiye about a decade.

Read more about which aspects of the U.S. democracy are declining the most and why the U.S. is not falling even further on the Liberal Democracy index in the V-Dem Institute Democracy Report 2026: https://v-dem.net/publications/democracy-reports/

Explore the U.S. data with the V-Dem graphing tools: https://v-dem.net/graphing/graphing-tools/
Download the V-Dem Dataset: https://v-dem.net/data/the-v-dem-dataset/

In 2025, a total of 62 countries are in episodes of regime transformation – autocratizing (becoming less democratic, in red) or democratizing (becoming more democratic, in blue), according to the Episodes of Regime Transformation (ERT) methodology.

The color intensity shows the magnitude of the change. Countries in gray are not in anepisode of regime transformation in 2025 according to ERT.

Most countries have stable levels of democracy, be they low or high. The 44 countries autocratizing are home to 3.4 billion people, or 41% of the world population. Only 18 countries are democratizing.

This graph shows change over time. It does not say anything about the level of democracy of each country, it shows the direction the countries have been heading and the magnitude of the change since the start of the transformation.

Read the Democracy Report: https://v-dem.net/publications/democracy-reports/
Download the V-Dem Dataset: https://v-dem.net/data/the-v-dem-dataset/
Explore the data with the V-Dem graphing tools: https://v-dem.net/graphing/graphing-tools/
The ERT dataset: https://v-dem.net/data/ert-dataset/

📢 V-Dem Dataset v16 is out!
Version 16 of the V-Dem dataset is now released. The dataset includes several hundred indicators along with five indices that measure a country’s overall degree of democracy, according to different definitions of democracy.

Read the V-Dem Steering Committee’s comments on the new data, the development of key indices over the last decade, and the ratings for the U.S.: https://v-dem.net/release-statement-for-v16-of-the-v-dem-dataset/

Download the V-Dem Dataset (v16): https://v-dem.net/data/the-v-dem-dataset/
Explore the new data with the V-Dem Graphing tools: https://v-dem.net/graphing/graphing-tools/

PS: Unsure which version of the dataset to use?
Check the FAQ “Why does the V-Dem dataset come in different versions?” for an overview of the different units of analysis to find out which fits your purpose the best: https://v-dem.net/about/faq/

📢 Out Now! V-Dem Dataset v16 and the V-Dem Institute Democracy Report 2026

Explore the new data with the V-Dem Graphing tools: https://v-dem.net/graphing/graphing-tools/
Download the Dataset: https://v-dem.net/data/the-v-dem-dataset/

Read the Report "Unraveling The Democratic Era?”: https://v-dem.net/publications/democracy-reports/

The new V-Dem dataset covers 202 countries and territories from 1789 – 2025.

The image shows the state of liberal democracy according to the V-Dem Liberal Democracy index for 2025 and 2024. The higher the score (or darker blue), the more democratic the country. Lower scores (or dark red) mean less democratic.



Please note: The V-Dem dataset v16 contains data for up to and including 2025. Events in 2026 do not affect the data in the v16 dataset or ratings on the V-Dem Democracy Indices.

📢 V-Dem dataset version 16, updated with data for 2025, and the V-Dem Institute Democracy Report 2026 will be released on March 17!

Make sure to follow us so you don't miss the announcement.

📢 We are hiring: Combined Postdoc position at V-Dem Institute and GLD!
Applications are open for a Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Cross-National Survey Methodology in Political Science.

The work includes leading systematic validation of existing survey instruments within the V-Dem thematic surveys and the Local Governance Process Indicators survey. This involves identifying underperforming survey items, developing and testing revised questions, and assessing measurement validity and cross-national comparability.

The position also entails designing and implementing studies to evaluate mode effects related to digital survey administration, as well as contributing to methodological development in questionnaire design, answer scale construction, and survey implementation in both expert and household surveys.

More information and application: https://web103.reachmee.com/ext/I005/1035/job?site=7&lang=UK&validator=9b89bead79bb7258ad55c8d75228e5b7&job_id=39893 👈

📅 Application Deadline: April 1, 2026.
🌍 Location: Department of Political Science, University of Gothenburg, Sweden.

Information about V-Dem Institute (V-Dem): https://v-dem.net/
Information about Governance and Local Development Institute (GLD): https://gld.gu.se/en

📌Are you a interested in research? Applications are now open for positions at V-Dem Institute during fall 2026.

We especially welcome applicants with an interest in either quantitative research and data collection, or in social science research communication. Or perhaps a combination of both?

Application details and more information on the V-Dem website: https://v-dem.net/about/internships/

📆 Application deadline: April 12