Statizoid

Clientelism Index in Belgium

Belgium: Clientelism Index was 0.059 in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)
0.059
Change on year
up 1.7%
World rank
166th
of 176 countries
All-time high
0.704
in 1789
All-time low
0.051
in 2008
Years of data
203
1789–2025

Clientelism Index in Belgium, 1789–2025

00.20.40.60.8178919072025

Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

Analysis

Belgium recorded 0.059 for clientelism index in 2025.

The figure is up 1.7% on the previous year and up 15.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, clientelism index in Belgium peaked at 0.704 in 1789 and was at its lowest, 0.051, in 2008.

That places Belgium 166th out of 176 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Clientelism Index in Belgium, year by year

Year Value Change
1789 0.704 —
1790 0.704 +0.0%
1791 0.704 +0.0%
1792 0.704 +0.0%
1793 0.704 +0.0%
1794 0.704 +0.0%
1795 0.704 +0.0%
1830 0.175 -75.1%
1831 0.162 -7.4%
1832 0.162 +0.0%
1833 0.143 -11.7%
1834 0.143 +0.0%
1835 0.159 +11.2%
1836 0.159 +0.0%
1837 0.158 -0.6%
1838 0.158 +0.0%
1839 0.15 -5.1%
1840 0.15 +0.0%
1841 0.147 -2.0%
1842 0.147 +0.0%
1843 0.161 +9.5%
1844 0.161 +0.0%
1845 0.151 -6.2%
1846 0.151 +0.0%
1847 0.159 +5.3%
1848 0.161 +1.3%
1849 0.158 -1.9%
1850 0.156 -1.3%
1851 0.154 -1.3%
1852 0.151 -1.9%
1853 0.149 -1.3%
1854 0.156 +4.7%
1855 0.161 +3.2%
1856 0.152 -5.6%
1857 0.145 -4.6%
1858 0.146 +0.7%
1859 0.154 +5.5%
1860 0.161 +4.5%
1861 0.154 -4.3%
1862 0.149 -3.2%
1863 0.151 +1.3%
1864 0.152 +0.7%
1865 0.151 -0.7%
1866 0.152 +0.7%
1867 0.153 +0.7%
1868 0.157 +2.6%
1869 0.161 +2.5%
1870 0.158 -1.9%
1871 0.156 -1.3%
1872 0.157 +0.6%
1873 0.159 +1.3%
1874 0.157 -1.3%
1875 0.156 -0.6%
1876 0.157 +0.6%
1877 0.158 +0.6%
1878 0.155 -1.9%
1879 0.153 -1.3%
1880 0.149 -2.6%
1881 0.146 -2.0%
1882 0.153 +4.8%
1883 0.159 +3.9%
1884 0.159 +0.0%
1885 0.159 +0.0%
1886 0.159 +0.0%
1887 0.159 +0.0%
1888 0.155 -2.5%
1889 0.152 -1.9%
1890 0.153 +0.7%
1891 0.154 +0.7%
1892 0.151 -1.9%
1893 0.149 -1.3%
1894 0.15 +0.7%
1895 0.153 +2.0%
1896 0.152 -0.7%
1897 0.152 +0.0%
1898 0.153 +0.7%
1899 0.154 +0.7%
1900 0.166 +7.8%
1901 0.174 +4.8%
1902 0.186 +6.9%
1903 0.193 +3.8%
1904 0.186 -3.6%
1905 0.181 -2.7%
1906 0.184 +1.7%
1907 0.186 +1.1%
1908 0.18 -3.2%
1909 0.176 -2.2%
1910 0.175 -0.6%
1911 0.174 -0.6%
1912 0.18 +3.4%
1913 0.183 +1.7%
1914 0.17 -7.1%
1915 0.165 -2.9%
1916 0.165 +0.0%
1917 0.165 +0.0%
1918 0.181 +9.7%
1919 0.181 +0.0%
1920 0.178 -1.7%
1921 0.18 +1.1%
1922 0.197 +9.4%
1923 0.197 +0.0%
1924 0.197 +0.0%
1925 0.186 -5.6%
1926 0.183 -1.6%
1927 0.183 +0.0%
1928 0.183 +0.0%
1929 0.181 -1.1%
1930 0.18 -0.6%
1931 0.18 +0.0%
1932 0.18 +0.0%
1933 0.183 +1.7%
1934 0.183 +0.0%
1935 0.183 +0.0%
1936 0.184 +0.5%
1937 0.184 +0.0%
1938 0.184 +0.0%
1939 0.187 +1.6%
1940 0.165 -11.8%
1941 0.165 +0.0%
1942 0.165 +0.0%
1943 0.165 +0.0%
1944 0.165 +0.0%
1945 0.233 +41.2%
1946 0.206 -11.6%
1947 0.205 -0.5%
1948 0.205 +0.0%
1949 0.198 -3.4%
1950 0.185 -6.6%
1951 0.18 -2.7%
1952 0.18 +0.0%
1953 0.18 +0.0%
1954 0.183 +1.7%
1955 0.184 +0.5%
1956 0.184 +0.0%
1957 0.184 +0.0%
1958 0.182 -1.1%
1959 0.181 -0.5%
1960 0.166 -8.3%
1961 0.174 +4.8%
1962 0.177 +1.7%
1963 0.177 +0.0%
1964 0.177 +0.0%
1965 0.162 -8.5%
1966 0.152 -6.2%
1967 0.152 +0.0%
1968 0.173 +13.8%
1969 0.179 +3.5%
1970 0.179 +0.0%
1971 0.175 -2.2%
1972 0.149 -14.9%
1973 0.149 +0.0%
1974 0.148 -0.7%
1975 0.148 +0.0%
1976 0.148 +0.0%
1977 0.15 +1.4%
1978 0.151 +0.7%
1979 0.144 -4.6%
1980 0.147 +2.1%
1981 0.145 -1.4%
1982 0.136 -6.2%
1983 0.136 +0.0%
1984 0.136 +0.0%
1985 0.122 -10.3%
1986 0.124 +1.6%
1987 0.124 +0.0%
1988 0.129 +4.0%
1989 0.129 +0.0%
1990 0.129 +0.0%
1991 0.123 -4.7%
1992 0.073 -40.7%
1993 0.073 +0.0%
1994 0.073 +0.0%
1995 0.078 +6.8%
1996 0.082 +5.1%
1997 0.082 +0.0%
1998 0.082 +0.0%
1999 0.077 -6.1%
2000 0.074 -3.9%
2001 0.074 +0.0%
2002 0.074 +0.0%
2003 0.064 -13.5%
2004 0.058 -9.4%
2005 0.058 +0.0%
2006 0.058 +0.0%
2007 0.054 -6.9%
2008 0.051 -5.6%
2009 0.051 +0.0%
2010 0.052 +2.0%
2011 0.053 +1.9%
2012 0.053 +0.0%
2013 0.053 +0.0%
2014 0.052 -1.9%
2015 0.051 -1.9%
2016 0.051 +0.0%
2017 0.051 +0.0%
2018 0.051 +0.0%
2019 0.056 +9.8%
2020 0.062 +10.7%
2021 0.067 +8.1%
2022 0.064 -4.5%
2023 0.079 +23.4%
2024 0.058 -26.6%
2025 0.059 +1.7%

Belgium compared with similar countries

  • Belgium's 0.059 is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.131, 45% of the median. (55 countries reporting)
  • Belgium's 0.059 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.182, 32% of the median. (48 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Clientelism Index in Belgium changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
1830 -75.1% 0.704 0.175
1945 +41.2% 0.165 0.233
1992 -40.7% 0.123 0.073
2024 -26.6% 0.079 0.058

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1780s 0.704 0.704 0.704 1
1790s 0.704 0.704 0.704 6
1830s 0.1569 0.143 0.175 10
1840s 0.1546 0.147 0.161 10
1850s 0.1524 0.145 0.161 10
1860s 0.1541 0.149 0.161 10
1870s 0.1566 0.153 0.159 10
1880s 0.155 0.146 0.159 10
1890s 0.1521 0.149 0.154 10
1900s 0.1812 0.166 0.193 10
1910s 0.1739 0.165 0.183 10
1920s 0.1865 0.178 0.197 10
1930s 0.1828 0.18 0.187 10
1940s 0.1872 0.165 0.233 10
1950s 0.1823 0.18 0.185 10
1960s 0.1689 0.152 0.179 10
1970s 0.1541 0.144 0.179 10
1980s 0.1328 0.122 0.147 10
1990s 0.0872 0.073 0.129 10
2000s 0.0616 0.051 0.074 10
2010s 0.0523 0.051 0.056 10
2020s 0.0648 0.058 0.079 6

Countries ranked near Belgium

  1. 163 United Kingdom 0.065 compare
  2. 164 Sweden 0.061 compare
  3. 165 Portugal 0.06 compare
  4. 166 Switzerland 0.059 compare
  5. 168 Canada 0.058 compare
  6. 168 Estonia 0.058 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More reference data data for Belgium

All data for Belgium →

Frequently asked questions

What is clientelism index in Belgium?
Clientelism index in Belgium was 0.059 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest clientelism index recorded in Belgium?
The highest recorded value was 0.704 in 1789.
What is the lowest clientelism index recorded in Belgium?
The lowest recorded value was 0.051 in 2008.
How does Belgium rank for clientelism index?
Belgium ranks 166th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is clientelism index rising or falling in Belgium?
Over the last ten years it is up 15.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Belgium data come from?
The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Clientelism Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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CSV · JSON — 203 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

Relationships involving this indicator

Comparisons with other indicators across countries. Each was re-measured with population and national income held constant, so a relationship that only reflected country size is not listed here.

All correlations →

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Clientelism Index in Belgium. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 22 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/clientelism-index/belgium/

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About this data

Indicator
Clientelism Index
Source
V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
176 places, 24,366 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed

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.