Clientelism Index in Switzerland

Switzerland: Clientelism Index was 0.059 in 2025. ▼ Falling

Latest (2025)
0.059
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
166th
of 176 countries
All-time high
0.098
in 1798
All-time low
0.051
in 2008
Years of data
228
1798–2025

Clientelism Index in Switzerland, 1798–2025

00.020.040.060.080.1179819112025

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

Analysis

The most recent figure for clientelism index in Switzerland is 0.059, measured in 2025.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, clientelism index in Switzerland peaked at 0.098 in 1798 and was at its lowest, 0.051, in 2008.

Switzerland ranks 166th of 176 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 228 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1790s 0.098 0.098 0.098 2
1800s 0.098 0.098 0.098 10
1810s 0.098 0.098 0.098 10
1820s 0.098 0.098 0.098 10
1830s 0.098 0.098 0.098 10
1840s 0.0949 0.073 0.098 10
1850s 0.0695 0.066 0.073 10
1860s 0.0746 0.071 0.08 10
1870s 0.0732 0.07 0.077 10
1880s 0.0738 0.069 0.077 10
1890s 0.0728 0.069 0.076 10
1900s 0.0685 0.066 0.071 10
1910s 0.0671 0.065 0.07 10
1920s 0.0686 0.064 0.072 10
1930s 0.0647 0.061 0.069 10
1940s 0.0663 0.061 0.072 10
1950s 0.067 0.065 0.068 10
1960s 0.0615 0.06 0.065 10
1970s 0.0677 0.065 0.072 10
1980s 0.0657 0.064 0.067 10
1990s 0.0627 0.061 0.066 10
2000s 0.0655 0.051 0.073 10
2010s 0.0553 0.051 0.06 10
2020s 0.0615 0.059 0.063 6

Countries ranked near Switzerland

  1. 163 United Kingdom 0.065 compare
  2. 164 Sweden 0.061 compare
  3. 165 Portugal 0.06 compare
  4. 166 Belgium 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 Switzerland

All data for Switzerland →

Frequently asked questions

What is clientelism index in Switzerland?
Clientelism index in Switzerland was 0.059 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest clientelism index recorded in Switzerland?
The highest recorded value was 0.098 in 1798.
What is the lowest clientelism index recorded in Switzerland?
The lowest recorded value was 0.051 in 2008.
How does Switzerland rank for clientelism index?
Switzerland ranks 166th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is clientelism index rising or falling in Switzerland?
Over the last ten years it is up 1.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Switzerland 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 — 228 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.