Countries With the Highest Freedom of Association
Every country with a figure for freedom of association, ranked from highest to lowest. The top three are Sweden (0.931), Denmark (0.929) and Japan (0.924). The middle country of the 175 has 0.758.
What this measures
Freedom of association index, in index (0-1). Source: V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg. For this measure, higher is better.
Whether parties and civic groups may form and operate freely. A part of the electoral democracy index.
The full ranking
Each country’s latest figure, from 2025–2025. The year beside each value says when it was measured.
| Rank | Country | Freedom of association | Year | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sweden | 0.931 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 2 | Denmark | 0.929 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 3 | Japan | 0.924 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 4 | Costa Rica | 0.922 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 5 | Switzerland | 0.917 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 6 | Iceland | 0.917 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 7 | Spain | 0.915 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 8 | Norway | 0.915 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 9 | United States | 0.913 | 2025 | North America |
| 10 | Ireland | 0.912 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 11 | Estonia | 0.908 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 12 | Malta | 0.902 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 13 | Uruguay | 0.902 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 14 | Belgium | 0.896 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 15 | Luxembourg | 0.895 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 16 | Cyprus | 0.894 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 17 | Taiwan | 0.892 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 18 | Colombia | 0.89 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 19 | France | 0.889 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 20 | Ghana | 0.888 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 21 | Latvia | 0.888 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 22 | Mauritius | 0.885 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 23 | New Zealand | 0.885 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 24 | Austria | 0.883 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 25 | Trinidad and Tobago | 0.883 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 26 | Brazil | 0.882 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 27 | Panama | 0.881 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 28 | Suriname | 0.881 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 29 | Barbados | 0.879 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 30 | Jamaica | 0.879 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 31 | Papua New Guinea | 0.879 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 32 | Australia | 0.876 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 33 | Dominican Republic | 0.876 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 34 | Italy | 0.875 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 35 | Cabo Verde | 0.874 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 36 | Portugal | 0.874 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 37 | Solomon Islands | 0.874 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 38 | Lesotho | 0.873 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 39 | Czechia | 0.872 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 40 | Honduras | 0.871 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 41 | Namibia | 0.87 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 42 | South Africa | 0.87 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 43 | Armenia | 0.869 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 44 | Montenegro | 0.868 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 45 | Netherlands | 0.868 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 46 | Nepal | 0.868 | 2025 | South Asia |
| 47 | Canada | 0.865 | 2025 | North America |
| 48 | Finland | 0.864 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 49 | Poland | 0.862 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 50 | Slovenia | 0.861 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 51 | Chile | 0.86 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 52 | United Kingdom | 0.859 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 53 | Sri Lanka | 0.853 | 2025 | South Asia |
| 54 | Germany | 0.852 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 55 | Botswana | 0.85 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 56 | Nigeria | 0.846 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 57 | Timor-Leste | 0.844 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 58 | Lithuania | 0.841 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 59 | Argentina | 0.839 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 60 | Korea, Rep. | 0.839 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 61 | Slovak Republic | 0.839 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 62 | Kosovo | 0.838 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 63 | Sierra Leone | 0.837 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 64 | Guatemala | 0.834 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 65 | Bulgaria | 0.833 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 66 | Seychelles | 0.833 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 67 | Vanuatu | 0.829 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 68 | Guyana | 0.821 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 69 | Croatia | 0.821 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 70 | Madagascar | 0.812 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 71 | Moldova | 0.81 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 72 | Liberia | 0.809 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 73 | Romania | 0.806 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 74 | Bolivia | 0.805 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 75 | Greece | 0.801 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 76 | Paraguay | 0.8 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 77 | Senegal | 0.798 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 78 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 0.793 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 79 | Kenya | 0.793 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 80 | Malaysia | 0.791 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 81 | Albania | 0.785 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 82 | Maldives | 0.777 | 2025 | South Asia |
| 83 | Peru | 0.777 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 84 | Gambia, The | 0.775 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 85 | North Macedonia | 0.768 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 86 | Sao Tome and Principe | 0.768 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 87 | Malawi | 0.767 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 88 | Israel | 0.758 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 89 | Zambia | 0.746 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 90 | Fiji | 0.721 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 91 | Ecuador | 0.719 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 92 | Mongolia | 0.718 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 93 | Lebanon | 0.715 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 94 | Mexico | 0.702 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 95 | Philippines | 0.698 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 96 | Thailand | 0.662 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 97 | Georgia | 0.646 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 98 | El Salvador | 0.646 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 99 | Indonesia | 0.638 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 100 | Benin | 0.619 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 101 | Jordan | 0.616 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 102 | Tanzania | 0.616 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 103 | Cote d'Ivoire | 0.615 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 104 | Haiti | 0.612 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 105 | Angola | 0.61 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 106 | Bhutan | 0.609 | 2025 | South Asia |
| 107 | Gabon | 0.609 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 108 | Hungary | 0.605 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 109 | Singapore | 0.591 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 110 | India | 0.586 | 2025 | South Asia |
| 111 | Iraq | 0.578 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 112 | Serbia | 0.577 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 113 | Niger | 0.57 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 114 | Turkiye | 0.565 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 115 | Morocco | 0.548 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 116 | Ukraine | 0.542 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 117 | Bangladesh | 0.535 | 2025 | South Asia |
| 118 | Togo | 0.533 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 119 | Mozambique | 0.519 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 120 | Comoros | 0.509 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 121 | Guinea-Bissau | 0.509 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 122 | Libya | 0.508 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 123 | Pakistan | 0.495 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 124 | Congo, Dem. Rep. | 0.48 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 125 | Tunisia | 0.479 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 126 | Central African Republic | 0.458 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 127 | Somalia, Fed. Rep. | 0.445 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 128 | Congo, Rep. | 0.433 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 129 | Guinea | 0.424 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 130 | Zimbabwe | 0.424 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 131 | Mauritania | 0.416 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 132 | Chad | 0.399 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 133 | Djibouti | 0.392 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 134 | Uganda | 0.379 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 135 | Ethiopia | 0.342 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 136 | Kyrgyz Republic | 0.338 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 137 | Cameroon | 0.336 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 138 | Mali | 0.315 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 139 | Burkina Faso | 0.309 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 140 | Algeria | 0.303 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 141 | Yemen, Rep. | 0.29 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 142 | Kazakhstan | 0.287 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 143 | Sudan | 0.242 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 144 | Burundi | 0.226 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 145 | Venezuela, RB | 0.224 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 146 | Cambodia | 0.195 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 147 | Hong Kong SAR, China | 0.178 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 148 | Equatorial Guinea | 0.167 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 149 | Egypt, Arab Rep. | 0.159 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 150 | Syrian Arab Republic | 0.159 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 151 | South Sudan | 0.152 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 152 | Uzbekistan | 0.149 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 153 | Rwanda | 0.144 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 154 | Azerbaijan | 0.141 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 155 | Bahrain | 0.139 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 156 | Russian Federation | 0.115 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 157 | Tajikistan | 0.106 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 158 | Myanmar | 0.105 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 159 | Iran, Islamic Rep. | 0.093 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 160 | Belarus | 0.07 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 161 | Kuwait | 0.07 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 162 | Turkmenistan | 0.058 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 163 | Oman | 0.049 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 164 | Lao PDR | 0.047 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 165 | Nicaragua | 0.042 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 166 | United Arab Emirates | 0.04 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 167 | Qatar | 0.039 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 168 | China | 0.03 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 169 | Saudi Arabia | 0.026 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 170 | Korea, Dem. People's Rep. | 0.025 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 171 | Viet Nam | 0.024 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 172 | Afghanistan | 0.023 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 173 | Eritrea | 0.023 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 174 | Eswatini | 0.023 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 175 | Cuba | 0.022 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
More on freedom of association
- Countries With the Lowest Freedom of Association
- Freedom of association by country: trend over time and what it goes with
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A ranking describes countries, not the people in them, and a high or low place does not by itself say why. All country rankings.