Clientelism Index by country
Composite index measuring the extent to which politics hinge on clientelistic exchanges of targeted goods, jobs, or cash for electoral support; higher values denote more pervasive clientelism.
Countries reporting
173
Highest
0.948
Afghanistan
Lowest
0.028
Netherlands
Median
0.502
Years covered
237
1789–2025
Data points
24,366
What the numbers show
Clientelism Index is currently reported for 173 countries. The highest value is 0.948 in Afghanistan; the lowest is 0.028 in Netherlands.
The median across all reporting countries is 0.502, and the mean is 0.4785.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 34.
Over the past decade 90 countries rose and 80 fell. The largest increase was in Slovenia (up 218.8%), and the largest decrease in Sri Lanka (down 76.2%).
Clientelism Index: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Afghanistan | 0.948 | 2025 | up 44.1% | falling |
| 2 | South Sudan | 0.927 | 2025 | up 2.1% | falling |
| 3 | Chad | 0.9 | 2025 | down 1.5% | rising |
| 4 | Venezuela | 0.898 | 2025 | up 8.5% | rising |
| 5 | Eritrea | 0.884 | 2025 | up 22.8% | rising |
| 6 | Lebanon | 0.882 | 2025 | up 4.8% | rising |
| 7 | Yemen | 0.879 | 2025 | up 20.4% | falling |
| 8 | Myanmar | 0.878 | 2025 | up 98.6% | rising |
| 9 | Haiti | 0.877 | 2025 | up 2.7% | falling |
| 10 | Papua New Guinea | 0.869 | 2025 | down 2.2% | rising |
| 11 | Madagascar | 0.867 | 2025 | up 17.0% | rising |
| 12 | Burundi | 0.862 | 2025 | up 4.0% | falling |
| 13 | Nicaragua | 0.859 | 2025 | up 28.0% | falling |
| 14 | Congo | 0.854 | 2025 | down 3.0% | rising |
| 15 | Turkmenistan | 0.846 | 2025 | up 4.4% | rising |
| 16 | Cameroon | 0.842 | 2025 | down 0.2% | flat |
| 17 | Dominican Republic | 0.841 | 2025 | down 5.1% | falling |
| 18 | Azerbaijan | 0.838 | 2025 | down 5.3% | rising |
| 19 | Philippines | 0.826 | 2025 | up 7.4% | falling |
| 20 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 0.813 | 2025 | down 3.0% | flat |
| 21 | Iraq | 0.802 | 2025 | down 4.6% | rising |
| 22 | Equatorial Guinea | 0.794 | 2025 | down 6.8% | falling |
| 23 | Algeria | 0.784 | 2025 | up 22.1% | rising |
| 24 | Honduras | 0.771 | 2025 | down 8.5% | falling |
| 25 | Albania | 0.769 | 2025 | up 3.4% | volatile |
| 26 | Cambodia | 0.762 | 2025 | up 4.4% | falling |
| 27 | Democratic Republic of Congo | 0.761 | 2025 | down 3.3% | falling |
| 28 | Serbia | 0.756 | 2025 | up 9.7% | falling |
| 29 | Liberia | 0.751 | 2025 | up 16.8% | rising |
| 29 | Somalia | 0.751 | 2025 | down 11.6% | falling |
| 31 | Angola | 0.742 | 2025 | up 1.6% | rising |
| 31 | Guatemala | 0.742 | 2025 | down 5.5% | falling |
| 33 | Kyrgyzstan | 0.74 | 2025 | up 5.1% | falling |
| 34 | Malawi | 0.738 | 2025 | up 34.9% | rising |
| 35 | Uganda | 0.733 | 2025 | up 14.5% | rising |
| 35 | Vatican | 0.733 | 1870 | unchanged | rising |
| 37 | Pakistan | 0.724 | 2025 | up 11.2% | rising |
| 38 | Mauritania | 0.72 | 2025 | down 5.9% | rising |
| 39 | Tajikistan | 0.719 | 2025 | down 4.9% | rising |
| 40 | Indonesia | 0.713 | 2025 | up 12.3% | falling |
| 41 | Turkey | 0.706 | 2025 | up 30.0% | falling |
| 42 | Comoros | 0.705 | 2025 | down 11.5% | falling |
| 42 | Eswatini | 0.705 | 2025 | up 45.1% | falling |
| 44 | Zimbabwe | 0.703 | 2025 | up 2.0% | rising |
| 45 | Nigeria | 0.702 | 2025 | down 7.6% | flat |
| 46 | Djibouti | 0.697 | 2025 | up 4.0% | falling |
| 47 | Mozambique | 0.692 | 2025 | up 35.2% | falling |
| 48 | Solomon Islands | 0.674 | 2025 | down 5.3% | rising |
| 49 | Togo | 0.664 | 2025 | up 16.3% | rising |
| 50 | Ecuador | 0.663 | 2025 | up 14.7% | falling |
| 51 | Guinea-Bissau | 0.651 | 2025 | up 7.6% | flat |
| 52 | Paraguay | 0.648 | 2025 | down 14.1% | falling |
| 53 | Central African Republic | 0.64 | 2025 | down 10.1% | flat |
| 54 | Uzbekistan | 0.636 | 2025 | down 11.9% | falling |
| 55 | Qatar | 0.632 | 2025 | down 25.5% | falling |
| 56 | Ghana | 0.629 | 2025 | up 10.2% | falling |
| 57 | Mongolia | 0.621 | 2025 | up 61.7% | rising |
| 58 | North Macedonia | 0.619 | 2025 | down 12.6% | rising |
| 59 | Bulgaria | 0.618 | 2025 | up 32.3% | volatile |
| 60 | Egypt | 0.6 | 2025 | up 10.3% | rising |
| 61 | Sudan | 0.598 | 2025 | down 6.3% | falling |
| 62 | Colombia | 0.596 | 2025 | down 8.0% | rising |
| 62 | Kuwait | 0.596 | 2025 | down 18.4% | falling |
| 62 | Panama | 0.596 | 2025 | down 7.9% | falling |
| 62 | Peru | 0.596 | 2025 | down 8.3% | falling |
| 66 | Burkina Faso | 0.591 | 2025 | down 15.1% | falling |
| 67 | Syria | 0.59 | 2025 | down 30.3% | rising |
| 68 | Thailand | 0.578 | 2025 | up 19.2% | falling |
| 69 | Ethiopia | 0.574 | 2025 | up 51.9% | falling |
| 70 | Sao Tome and Principe | 0.573 | 2025 | down 1.4% | falling |
| 71 | Bahrain | 0.572 | 2025 | up 12.6% | rising |
| 72 | Saudi Arabia | 0.568 | 2025 | up 3.3% | falling |
| 73 | Kazakhstan | 0.565 | 2025 | down 16.8% | rising |
| 73 | Morocco | 0.565 | 2025 | down 6.6% | falling |
| 75 | Mali | 0.559 | 2025 | down 8.7% | falling |
| 76 | Montenegro | 0.548 | 2025 | down 25.0% | rising |
| 77 | El Salvador | 0.546 | 2025 | up 14.9% | falling |
| 78 | Cote d'Ivoire | 0.54 | 2025 | up 2.1% | falling |
| 79 | Sierra Leone | 0.539 | 2025 | down 28.0% | falling |
| 80 | Guinea | 0.536 | 2025 | down 17.2% | falling |
| 81 | Jordan | 0.515 | 2025 | up 3.0% | rising |
| 82 | Suriname | 0.514 | 2025 | up 37.8% | rising |
| 83 | Guyana | 0.511 | 2025 | up 6.0% | rising |
| 83 | North Korea | 0.511 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 85 | Benin | 0.51 | 2025 | down 10.7% | falling |
| 86 | Cuba | 0.506 | 2025 | up 7.0% | falling |
| 87 | Hungary | 0.502 | 2025 | up 17.6% | falling |
| 88 | Oman | 0.501 | 2025 | down 4.8% | falling |
| 89 | Zambia | 0.488 | 2025 | down 21.0% | rising |
| 90 | Kenya | 0.487 | 2025 | down 1.8% | rising |
| 91 | Russia | 0.485 | 2025 | down 6.6% | rising |
| 92 | Mexico | 0.479 | 2025 | up 5.3% | falling |
| 93 | Hong Kong | 0.478 | 2025 | up 75.7% | falling |
| 94 | United Arab Emirates | 0.457 | 2025 | down 20.5% | falling |
| 95 | Gabon | 0.454 | 2025 | down 15.1% | falling |
| 95 | Tanzania | 0.454 | 2025 | down 10.8% | falling |
| 97 | India | 0.453 | 2025 | down 17.2% | falling |
| 98 | Nepal | 0.45 | 2025 | up 16.3% | falling |
| 99 | Senegal | 0.443 | 2025 | down 11.0% | falling |
| 100 | Argentina | 0.442 | 2025 | down 0.2% | falling |
| 101 | Georgia | 0.435 | 2025 | up 35.9% | falling |
| 102 | Malaysia | 0.43 | 2025 | down 9.3% | falling |
| 103 | Vanuatu | 0.421 | 2025 | down 14.3% | volatile |
| 104 | Bolivia | 0.419 | 2025 | up 20.1% | falling |
| 105 | Armenia | 0.412 | 2025 | down 40.0% | rising |
| 105 | East Timor | 0.412 | 2025 | up 20.1% | falling |
| 107 | Brazil | 0.409 | 2025 | up 24.7% | falling |
| 108 | Fiji | 0.406 | 2025 | up 9.7% | falling |
| 109 | Cape Verde | 0.401 | 2025 | up 99.5% | falling |
| 110 | Bangladesh | 0.396 | 2025 | down 25.7% | rising |
| 110 | Moldova | 0.396 | 2025 | down 5.3% | falling |
| 112 | Botswana | 0.395 | 2025 | up 62.6% | falling |
| 113 | Iran | 0.382 | 2025 | up 24.8% | falling |
| 114 | Maldives | 0.38 | 2025 | down 35.9% | falling |
| 115 | Gambia | 0.373 | 2025 | down 36.1% | falling |
| 116 | Lesotho | 0.372 | 2025 | up 4.8% | rising |
| 117 | Libya | 0.366 | 2025 | up 19.2% | falling |
| 117 | Niger | 0.366 | 2025 | down 28.2% | falling |
| 119 | Romania | 0.356 | 2025 | down 9.4% | falling |
| 120 | Ukraine | 0.351 | 2025 | down 17.0% | flat |
| 121 | Namibia | 0.348 | 2025 | up 21.7% | falling |
| 122 | Bhutan | 0.333 | 2025 | up 19.4% | falling |
| 123 | Mauritius | 0.314 | 2025 | down 22.9% | rising |
| 124 | Trinidad and Tobago | 0.309 | 2025 | down 6.9% | falling |
| 125 | Laos | 0.298 | 2025 | up 27.9% | falling |
| 125 | Rwanda | 0.298 | 2025 | up 57.7% | falling |
| 125 | Tunisia | 0.298 | 2025 | up 7.6% | falling |
| 125 | Vietnam | 0.298 | 2025 | up 97.4% | rising |
| 129 | Jamaica | 0.297 | 2025 | down 49.7% | rising |
| 130 | Palestine | 0.284 | 1948 | unchanged | falling |
| 131 | Barbados | 0.28 | 2025 | up 5.3% | falling |
| 132 | South Africa | 0.259 | 2025 | down 23.4% | falling |
| 133 | Croatia | 0.252 | 2025 | up 30.6% | volatile |
| 134 | Taiwan | 0.236 | 2025 | down 26.9% | falling |
| 135 | Cyprus | 0.232 | 2025 | up 43.2% | falling |
| 136 | Singapore | 0.23 | 2025 | up 16.8% | falling |
| 138 | Italy | 0.218 | 2025 | up 19.1% | falling |
| 139 | Slovenia | 0.204 | 2025 | up 218.8% | falling |
| 140 | China | 0.195 | 2025 | down 7.1% | falling |
| 141 | Seychelles | 0.184 | 2025 | down 9.8% | falling |
| 142 | Greece | 0.16 | 2025 | up 5.3% | falling |
| 144 | Poland | 0.143 | 2025 | up 18.2% | volatile |
| 144 | Slovakia | 0.143 | 2025 | up 26.5% | volatile |
| 146 | Japan | 0.14 | 2025 | down 23.5% | falling |
| 147 | Lithuania | 0.131 | 2025 | down 37.6% | volatile |
| 147 | Latvia | 0.131 | 2025 | down 22.5% | falling |
| 149 | Costa Rica | 0.129 | 2025 | up 22.9% | falling |
| 150 | South Korea | 0.123 | 2025 | down 15.8% | falling |
| 151 | Belarus | 0.118 | 2025 | up 20.4% | falling |
| 152 | Austria | 0.105 | 2025 | up 54.4% | volatile |
| 152 | United States | 0.105 | 2025 | up 45.8% | volatile |
| 154 | Sri Lanka | 0.104 | 2025 | down 76.2% | rising |
| 155 | Spain | 0.1 | 2025 | up 56.2% | falling |
| 155 | Israel | 0.1 | 2025 | up 33.3% | falling |
| 157 | Chile | 0.088 | 2025 | down 33.3% | falling |
| 158 | Iceland | 0.086 | 2025 | down 24.6% | falling |
| 159 | Uruguay | 0.085 | 2025 | up 203.6% | volatile |
| 160 | France | 0.073 | 2025 | up 52.1% | falling |
| 161 | Finland | 0.069 | 2025 | up 7.8% | falling |
| 162 | Czechia | 0.068 | 2025 | down 40.4% | volatile |
| 163 | United Kingdom | 0.065 | 2025 | down 28.6% | volatile |
| 164 | Sweden | 0.061 | 2025 | up 69.4% | volatile |
| 165 | Portugal | 0.06 | 2025 | up 30.4% | volatile |
| 166 | Belgium | 0.059 | 2025 | up 15.7% | volatile |
| 166 | Switzerland | 0.059 | 2025 | up 1.7% | falling |
| 168 | Canada | 0.058 | 2025 | down 3.3% | volatile |
| 168 | Estonia | 0.058 | 2025 | down 4.9% | falling |
| 170 | Australia | 0.056 | 2025 | down 46.2% | falling |
| 170 | New Zealand | 0.056 | 2025 | down 11.1% | volatile |
| 173 | Germany | 0.038 | 2025 | down 13.6% | volatile |
| 174 | Denmark | 0.034 | 2025 | down 2.9% | volatile |
| 175 | Norway | 0.029 | 2025 | up 20.8% | volatile |
| 176 | Netherlands | 0.028 | 2025 | up 47.4% | volatile |
About this data
Composite index measuring the extent to which politics hinge on clientelistic exchanges of targeted goods, jobs, or cash for electoral support; higher values denote more pervasive clientelism.