Clientelism Index in Portugal

Portugal: Clientelism Index was 0.06 in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)
0.06
Change on year
up 20.0%
World rank
165th
of 176 countries
All-time high
0.946
in 1820
All-time low
0.023
in 2018
Years of data
206
1820–2025

Clientelism Index in Portugal, 1820–2025

00.20.40.60.81182019222025

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

Analysis

Portugal recorded 0.06 for clientelism index in 2025.

That represents a change of up 20.0% on the previous year and up 30.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, clientelism index in Portugal peaked at 0.946 in 1820 and was at its lowest, 0.023, in 2018.

Portugal ranks 165th of 176 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

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

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1820s 0.9004 0.844 0.946 10
1830s 0.837 0.812 0.864 10
1840s 0.8166 0.814 0.818 10
1850s 0.8165 0.811 0.822 10
1860s 0.7727 0.757 0.822 10
1870s 0.7588 0.757 0.765 10
1880s 0.7652 0.761 0.767 10
1890s 0.7596 0.749 0.768 10
1900s 0.7639 0.755 0.773 10
1910s 0.7134 0.68 0.759 10
1920s 0.7175 0.705 0.742 10
1930s 0.7014 0.67 0.742 10
1940s 0.6718 0.663 0.693 10
1950s 0.6841 0.676 0.696 10
1960s 0.6862 0.667 0.706 10
1970s 0.4162 0.197 0.694 10
1980s 0.1027 0.079 0.12 10
1990s 0.0835 0.083 0.084 10
2000s 0.0484 0.039 0.083 10
2010s 0.0369 0.023 0.046 10
2020s 0.037 0.024 0.06 6

Countries ranked near Portugal

  1. 162 Czechia 0.068 compare
  2. 163 United Kingdom 0.065 compare
  3. 164 Sweden 0.061 compare
  4. 166 Belgium 0.059 compare
  5. 166 Switzerland 0.059 compare
  6. 168 Canada 0.058 compare
  7. 168 Estonia 0.058 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More reference data data for Portugal

All data for Portugal →

Frequently asked questions

What is clientelism index in Portugal?
Clientelism index in Portugal was 0.06 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest clientelism index recorded in Portugal?
The highest recorded value was 0.946 in 1820.
What is the lowest clientelism index recorded in Portugal?
The lowest recorded value was 0.023 in 2018.
How does Portugal rank for clientelism index?
Portugal ranks 165th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is clientelism index rising or falling in Portugal?
Over the last ten years it is up 30.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Portugal 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.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 206 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

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.