In Europe, the number of liberal democracies decreased since 2009, when 28 countries were classified as such. In 2022, 20 countries were ranked as liberal democracies. During the same period, the number of electoral autocracies increased. In recent years, countries such as Poland, Hungary, and Serbia have received attention for shrinking democratic spaces in the countries and the rise of dominant leaders such as Viktor Orbán (Hungary) and Aleksandar Vučić (Serbia).
Number of countries in Europe from 1990 to 2022, by regime type
The V-Dem Institute defines the different regimes as follows:
Closed autocracy: citizens do not have the right to choose either the chief executive of the government or the legislature through multi-party elections.
Electoral autocracy: citizens have the right to choose the chief executive and the legislature through multi-party elections; but they lack some freedoms, such as the freedoms of association or expression that make the elections meaningful, free, and fair.
Electoral democracy: citizens have the right to choose the chief executive and the legislature in meaningful, free and fair, and multi-party elections.
Liberal democracy: electoral democracy and citizens enjoy individual and minority rights, are equal before the law, and the actions of the executive are constrained by the legislative and the courts.
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OWID. (March 2, 2023). Number of countries in Europe from 1990 to 2022, by regime type [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved December 23, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1379470/countries-europe-regime-type/
OWID. "Number of countries in Europe from 1990 to 2022, by regime type." Chart. March 2, 2023. Statista. Accessed December 23, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1379470/countries-europe-regime-type/
OWID. (2023). Number of countries in Europe from 1990 to 2022, by regime type. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: December 23, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1379470/countries-europe-regime-type/
OWID. "Number of Countries in Europe from 1990 to 2022, by Regime Type." Statista, Statista Inc., 2 Mar 2023, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1379470/countries-europe-regime-type/
OWID, Number of countries in Europe from 1990 to 2022, by regime type Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1379470/countries-europe-regime-type/ (last visited December 23, 2024)
Number of countries in Europe from 1990 to 2022, by regime type [Graph], OWID, March 2, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1379470/countries-europe-regime-type/
