Democracy Index Calculator

Source: Kekić, Laža. "The Economist Intelligence Unit’s index of democracy" (2006)

I · Electoral process and pluralism

1 · Are elections for the national legislature and head of government free? Consider whether elections are competitive in that electors are free to vote and are offered a range of choices.

Essentially unrestricted conditions for the presentation of candidates (for example, no bans on major parties)
There are some restrictions on the electoral process
A single-party system or major impediments exist (for example, bans on a major party or candidate)

2 · Are elections for the national legislature and head of government fair?

No major irregularities in the voting process
Significant irregularities occur (intimidation, fraud), but do not affect significantly the overall outcome
Major irregularities occur and affect the outcome

3 · Are municipal elections both free and fair?

Are free and fair
Are free but not fair
Are neither free nor fair

4 · Is there universal suffrage for all adults? Bar generally accepted exclusions (for example, non-nationals; criminals; members of armed forces in some countries).

Yes
No

5 · Can citizens cast their vote free of significant threats to their security from state or non-state bodies?

Yes
No

6 · Do laws provide for broadly equal campaigning opportunities?

Yes
Yes formally, but in practice opportunities are limited for some candidates
No

7 · Is the process of financing political parties transparent and generally accepted?

Yes
Not fully transparent
No

8 · Following elections, are the constitutional mechanisms for the orderly transfer of power from one government to another clear, established and accepted?

All three criteria are fulfilled
Two of the three criteria are fulfilled
Only one or none of the criteria is satisfied

9 · Are citizens free to form political parties that are independent of the government?

Yes
There are some restrictions
No

10 · Do opposition parties have a realistic prospect of achieving government?

Yes
There is a dominant two-party system in which other political forces never have any effective chance of taking part in national government
No

11 · Is potential access to public office open to all citizens?

Yes
Formally unrestricted, but in practice restricted for some groups, or for citizens from some parts of the country
No

12 · Are citizens free to form political and civic organisations, free of state interference and surveillance?

Yes
Officially free, but subject to some restrictions or interference
No

II · Functioning of government

13 · Do freely elected representatives determine government policy?

Yes
Exercise some meaningful influence
No

14 · Is the legislature the supreme political body, with a clear supremacy over other branches of government?

Yes
No

15 · Is there an effective system of checks and balances on the exercise of government authority?

Yes
Yes, but there are some serious flaws
No

16 · Government is free of undue influence by the military or the security services.

Yes
Influence is low, but the defence minister is not a civilian or Current risk of a military coup is extremely low, but the country has a recent history of military rule or coups
No

17 · Foreign powers do not determine important government functions or policies.

Yes
Some features of a protectorate
No (significant presence of foreign troops; important decisions taken by foreign power; country is a protectorate)

18 · Special economic, religious or other powerful domestic groups do not exercise significant political power, parallel to democratic institutions?

Yes
Exercise some meaningful influence
No

19 · Are sufficient mechanisms and institutions in place for assuring government accountability to the electorate in between elections?

Yes
Yes, but serious flaws exist
No

20 · Does the government’s authority extend over the full territory of the country?

Yes
No

21 · Is the functioning of government open and transparent, with sufficient public access to information?

Yes
Yes, but serious flaws exist
No

22 · How pervasive is corruption?

Corruption is not a major problem
Corruption is a significant issue
Pervasive corruption exists

23 · Is the civil service willing and capable of implementing government policy?

Yes
Yes, but serious flaws exist
No

24 · Popular perceptions of the extent to which they have free choice and control over their lives

High (more than 70% of people think that they have a great deal of choice/control)
Moderate (50-70% of people think that they have a great deal of choice/control)
Low (less than 50% of people think that they have a great deal of choice/control)

25 · Public confidence in government

High (more than 40% of people have a “great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in government)
Moderate (25-40% of people have a “great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in government)
Low (less than 25% of people have a “great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in government)

26 · Public confidence in political parties

High (more than 40% of people have a “great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence)
Moderate (25-40% of people have a “great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence)
Low (less than 25% of people have a “great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence)

III · Political participation

27 · Voter participation/turnout for national elections. (average turnout in parliamentary and/or presidential elections since 2000. Turnout as proportion of population of voting age)

Consistently above 70%
Between 50% and 70%
Below 50% or Voting is obligatory

28 · Do ethnic, religious and other minorities have a reasonable degree of autonomy and voice in the political process?

Yes
Yes, but serious flaws exist
No

29 · Women in parliament. % of members of parliament who are women

More than 20% of seats
Between 10-20% of seats
Less than 10% of seats

30 · Extent of political participation. Membership of political parties and political non-governmental organisations

Over 7% of population for either
Between 4-7% of population for either
Under 4% of population for either or Participation is forced

31 · Citizens’ engagement with politics

High (more than 60% of people are very or somewhat interested in politics)
Moderate (40-60% of people are very or somewhat interested in politics)
Low (less than 40% of people are very or somewhat interested in politics)

32 · The preparedness of population to take part in lawful demonstrations.

High (more than 40% of people have taken part in or would consider attending lawful demonstrations)
Moderate (30-40% of people have taken part in or would consider attending lawful demonstrations)
Low (less than 30% of people have taken part in or would consider attending lawful demonstrations)

33 · Adult literacy.

Over 90%
Between 70-90%
Less than 70%

34 · Extent to which adult population shows an interest in and follows politics in the news.

High (more than 50% of population follows politics in the news media (print, TV or radio) every day)
Moderate (30-50% of population follows politics in the news media (print, TV or radio) every day)
Low (less than 30% of population follows politics in the news media (print, TV or radio) every day)

35 · The authorities make a serious effort to promote political participation. Consider the role of the education system, and other promotional efforts. Consider measures to facilitate voting by members of the diaspora.

Yes
Some attempts
No or Participation is forced

IV · Democratic political culture

36 · Is there a sufficient degree of societal consensus and cohesion to underpin a stable, functioning democracy?

Yes
Yes, but some serious doubts and risks
No

37 · Perceptions of leadership; proportion of the population that desires a strong leader who bypasses parliament and elections.

Low (less than 30% people think it would be good or fairly good to have a strong leader who does not bother with parliament and elections)
Moderate (30-50% people think it would be good or fairly good to have a strong leader who does not bother with parliament and elections)
High (more than 50% people think it would be good or fairly good to have a strong leader who does not bother with parliament and elections)

38 · Perceptions of military rule; proportion of the population that would prefer military.

Low (less than 10% people think it would be very or fairly good to have army rule)
Moderate (10-30% people think it would be very or fairly good to have army rule)
High (more than 30% people think it would be very or fairly good to have army rule)

39 · Perceptions of rule by experts or technocratic government; proportion of the population that would prefer rule by experts or technocrats.

Low (less than 50% people think it would be very or fairly good to have experts, not government, make decisions for the country)
Moderate (50-70% people think it would be very or fairly good to have experts, not government, make decisions for the country)
High (more than 70% people think it would be very or fairly good to have experts, not government, make decisions for the country)

40 · Perception of democracy and public order; proportion of the population that believes that democracies are not good at maintaining public order.

Low (more than 70% people disagree with the view that democracies are not good at maintaining order)
Moderate (50-70% people disagree with the view that democracies are not good at maintaining order)
High (less than 50% disagree with the view that democracies are not good at maintaining order)

41 · Perception of democracy and the economic system; proportion of the population that believes that democracy benefits economic performance.

Low (more than 80% people disagree with the view that the economic system runs badly in democracies)
Moderate (60-80% people disagree with the view that the economic system runs badly in democracies)
High (less than 60% people disagree with the view that the economic system runs badly in democracies)

42 · Degree of popular support for democracy.

High (more than 90% people agree or strongly agree that democracy is better than any other form of government)
Moderate (75-90% people agree or strongly agree that democracy is better than any other form of government)
Low (less than 75% people agree or strongly agree that democracy is better than any other form of government)

43 · There is a strong tradition of the separation of church and state.

Yes
Some residual influence of church on state
No

V · Civil liberties

44 · Is there a free electronic media?

Yes
Pluralistic, but state-controlled media are heavily favoured. One or two private owners dominate the media
No

45 · Is there a free print media?

Yes
Pluralistic, but state-controlled media are heavily favoured. There is high degree of concentration of private ownership of national newspapers
No

46 · Is there freedom of expression and protest? (bar only generally accepted restrictions such as banning advocacy of violence)

Yes
Minority viewpoints are subject to some official harassment. Libel laws restrict heavily scope for free expression
No

47 · Is media coverage robust? Is there open and free discussion of public issues, with a reasonable diversity of opinions?

Yes
There is formal freedom, but high degree of conformity of opinion, including through self-censorship, or discouragement of minority or marginal views
No

48 · Are there political restrictions on access to the internet?

No
Some moderate restrictions
Yes

49 · Are citizens free to form professional organisations and trade unions?

Yes
Officially free, but subject to some restrictions
No

50 · Do institutions provide citizens with the opportunity to successfully petition government to redress grievances?

Yes
Some opportunities
No

51 · The use of torture by the state

Torture is not used
Torture is used

52 · The degree to which the judiciary is independent of government influence. Consider the views of international legal and judicial watchdogs. Have the courts ever issued an important judgment against the government, or a senior government official?

High
Moderate
Low

53 · The degree of religious tolerance and freedom of religious expression. Are all religions permitted to operate freely, or are some restricted? Is the right to worship permitted both publicly and privately? Do some religious groups feel intimidated by others, even if the law requires equality and protection?

High
Moderate
Low

54 · The degree to which citizens are treated equally under the law. Consider whether favoured members of groups are spared prosecution under the law.

High
Moderate
Low

55 · Do citizens enjoy basic security?

Yes
Crime is so pervasive as to endanger security for large segments
No

56 · Extent to which private property rights protected and private business is free from undue government influence.

High
Moderate
Low

57 · Extent to which citizens enjoy personal freedoms. Consider gender equality, right to travel, choice of work and study.

High
Moderate
Low

58 · Popular perceptions on human rights protection; proportion of the population that think that basic human rights are well-protected.

High (more than 70% of people think that human rights are respected in their country)
Moderate (50-70% of people think that human rights are respected in their country)
Low (less than 50% of people think that human rights are respected in their country)

59 · There is no significant discrimination on the basis of people’s race, colour or creed.

Yes
Yes, but some significant exceptions
No

60 · Extent to which the government invokes new risks and threats as an excuse for curbing civil liberties.

Low
Moderate
High