V-Dem Institute

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V-Dem Institute

Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) is an approach to conceptualization and measurement of democracy.

Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) is a unique approach to conceptualizing and measuring democracy. We provide a multidimensional and disaggregated dataset that reflects the complexity of the concept of democracy as a system of rule that goes beyond the simple presence of elections. The V-Dem project distinguishes between five high-level principles of democracy: electoral, liberal, participatory, deli

berative, and egalitarian, and collects data to measure these principles. With 5 Principal Investigators (PIs), 18 Project Managers (PMs), 33 Regional Managers (RMs), 134 Country Coordinators (CCs), a set of Research Assistants (RAs), and approximately 3,700 Country Experts (CEs), the V-Dem project is one of the largest ever data collection programs on democracy.

19/03/2026

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/

18/03/2026

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/

17/03/2026

📢 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/

17/03/2026

📢 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.

13/03/2026

💡When does a Country decline on the V-Dem Indices? Watch this reel on V-Dem methodology to find out!

11/03/2026

What does V-Dem mean by Liberal Democracy? Find out in this reel on V-Dem Methodology.

10/03/2026

📢 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.

05/03/2026

How does V-Dem assess the levels of democracy in a country? Watch this reel to find out!

05/03/2026

📢 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

25/02/2026

📌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

Adress

University Of Gothenburg, Department Of Political Science, Sprängkullsgatan 19
Gothenburg
BOX711,40530

Telefon

+46317863043

Webbplats

https://v-dem.net/, https://bsky.app/profile/vdeminstitute.bsky.social

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Our Story

Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) is a new approach to conceptualization and measurement of democracy. It is a collaboration between some 50+ scholars across the world hosted by the Department of Political Science at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden; and the Kellogg Institute at the University of Notre Dame, USA. With 5 Principal Investigators (P*s), three Project Coordinators (PCs), 18 Project Managers (PMs) with special responsibility for issue areas, more than 30 Regional Managers (RMs), 200 Country Coordinators (CCs), and approximately 3,000 Country Experts (CEs), the V-Dem project is one of the largest ever social science research-oriented data collection programs. V-Dem is collecting data on 470+ indicators of various aspects democracy tied to the core of electoral democracy as well as six varying properties: liberal, majoritarian, consensual, participatory, deliberative and egalitarian dimensions of democracy. Today, the database has 28.4 million points, covers 202 countries, from 1789-2019. The data is downloadable through V-Dem website as a public good. Users from anywhere are able to use sophisticated but intuitive and accessible online analysis tools. Today, scholars, political scientists, students and media across the world benefit tremendously from the nuanced comparative and historical data. Governments, development agencies, and NGOs also make more informed decisions, and even go back in time to re-evaluate aid efforts using V-Dem data.