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