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.
0.5: There are some restrictions on the electoral process
2. Are elections for the national legislature and head of government fair?
0.5: Significant irregularities occur (intimidation, fraud) but do not affect significantly the overall outcome
Score 0 if score for question 1 is 0.
3. Are municipal elections both free and fair?
0.5: Are free but not 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).
1: Yes
5. Can citizens cast their vote free of significant threats to their security from state or non-state bodies?
0: No
6. Do laws provide for broadly equal campaigning opportunities?
0.5: Yes formally, but in practice opportunities are limited for some candidates
7. Is the process of financing political parties transparent and generally accepted?
0: No
8. Following elections, are the constitutional mechanisms for the orderly transfer of power from one government to another clear, established and accepted?
0.5: Two of the three criteria are fulfilled
9. Are citizens free to form political parties that are independent of the government?
1. Yes
10. Do opposition parties have a realistic prospect of achieving government?
0: No
11. Is potential access to public office open to all citizens?
0.5: Formally unrestricted, but in practice restricted for some groups, or for citizens from some parts of the country
12. Are citizens free to form political and civic organisations, free of state interference and surveillance?
0.5: Officially free, but subject to some restrictions or interference
II Functioning of government
13. Do freely elected representatives determine government policy?
0.5: Exercise some meaningful influence
14. Is the legislature the supreme political body, with a clear supremacy over other branches of government?
1: Yes
15. Is there an effective system of checks and balances on the exercise of government authority?
0: No
16. Government is free of undue influence by the military or the security services.
0.5: Influence is low, but the defence minister is not a civilian. If the current risk of a military coup is extremely low, but the country has a recent history of military rule or coups
17. Foreign powers do not determine important government functions or policies.
1: Yes
18. Special economic, religious or other powerful domestic groups do not exercise significant political power, parallel to democratic institutions?
0.5: Exercise some meaningful influence
19. Are sufficient mechanisms and institutions in place for assuring government accountability to the electorate in between elections?
0: No
20. Does the government’s authority extend over the full territory of the country?
1: Yes
21. Is the functioning of government open and transparent, with sufficient public access to information?
0: No
22. How pervasive is corruption?
0.5: Corruption is a significant issue
23. Is the civil service willing and capable of implementing government policy?
1: Yes
24. Popular perceptions of the extent to which they have free choice and control over their lives
0.5: Moderate
25. Public confidence in government.
1: High
26. Public confidence in political parties.
0.5: Moderate
III Political participation
27. Voter participation/turnout for national elections.
0.5 if between 50% and 70%
28. Do ethnic, religious and other minorities have a reasonable degree of autonomy and voice in the political process?
0.5: Yes, but serious flaws exist
29. Women in parliament.
% of members of parliament who are women
0.5 if 10-20%
30. Extent of political participation.
Membership of political parties and political non-governmental organisations.
0.5 if 4% to 7%
31. Citizens’ engagement with politics.
0.5: Moderate
32. The preparedness of population to take part in lawful demonstrations.
0.5: Moderate
33. Adult literacy.
1 if over 90%
34. Extent to which adult population shows an interest in and follows politics in the news.
1: High
35. The authorities make a serious effort to promote political participation.
0: No
IV Democratic political culture
36. Is there a sufficient degree of societal consensus and cohesion to underpin a stable, functioning democracy?
0.5: Yes, but some serious doubts and risks
37. Perceptions of leadership; proportion of the population that desires a strong leader who bypasses parliament and elections.
0: High
38. Perceptions of military rule; proportion of the population that would prefer military.
0.5: Moderate
39. Perceptions of rule by experts or technocratic government; proportion of the population that would prefer rule by experts or technocrats.
1: Low
40. Perception of democracy and public order; proportion of the population that believes that democracies are not good at maintaining public order.
0.5: Moderate
41. Perception of democracy and the economic system; proportion of the population that believes that democracy benefits economic performance.
1 if more than 80%
42. Degree of popular support for democracy.
1: High
43. There is a strong tradition of the separation of church and state.
0.5: Some residual influence of church on state
V Civil liberties
44. Is there a free electronic media?
1: Yes
45. Is there a free print media?
0.5: Pluralistic, but state-controlled media are heavily favoured. There is high degree of concentration of private ownership of national newspapers
46. Is there freedom of expression and protest (bar only generally accepted restrictions such as banning advocacy of violence)?
0.5: Minority viewpoints are subject to some official harassment. Libel laws restrict heavily scope for free expression
47. Is media coverage robust? Is there open and free discussion of public issues, with a reasonable diversity of opinions?
0.5: There is formal freedom, but high degree of conformity of opinion, including through self-censorship, or discouragement of minority or marginal views
48. Are there political restrictions on access to the internet?
1: No
49. Are citizens free to form professional organisations and trade unions?
0.5: Officially free, but subject to some restrictions
50. Do institutions provide citizens with the opportunity to successfully petition government to redress grievances?
0: No
51. The use of torture by the state
0: Torture is used
52. The degree to which the judiciary is independent of government influence. Consider the views of international legal and judicial watch dogs. Have the courts ever issued an important judgment against the government, or a senior government official?
0: 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?
0.5: Moderate
54. The degree to which citizens are treated equally under the law. Consider whether favoured members of groups are spared prosecution under the law.
0: Low
55. Do citizens enjoy basic security?
1: Yes
56. Extent to which private property rights protected and private business is free from undue government influence.
0.5: Moderate
57. Extent to which citizens enjoy personal freedoms. Consider gender equality, right to travel, choice of work and study.
0.5: Moderate
58. Popular perceptions on human rights protection; proportion of the population that think that basic human rights are well-protected.
0.5: Moderate
If available, from World Values
Survey % of people who think that human rights are respected in their country
0.5 if 50% to 70%
59. There is no significant discrimination on the basis of people’s race, colour or creed.
0.5: Yes, but some significant exceptions
60. Extent to which the government invokes new risks and threats as an excuse for curbing civil liberties.
0: High