Free and Fair Elections Index in Iran
Iran: Free and Fair Elections Index was 0.235 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
0.235
Change on year
up 2.2%
World rank
127th
of 176 countries
All-time high
0.43
in 2001
All-time low
0
in 1789
Years of data
237
1789–2025
Free and Fair Elections Index in Iran, 1789–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Iran recorded 0.235 for free and fair elections index in 2025.
That represents a change of up 2.2% on the previous year and down 38.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, free and fair elections index in Iran peaked at 0.43 in 2001 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1789.
Iran ranks 127th of 176 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Free and Fair Elections Index in Iran, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1789 | 0 | — |
| 1790 | 0 | — |
| 1791 | 0 | — |
| 1792 | 0 | — |
| 1793 | 0 | — |
| 1794 | 0 | — |
| 1795 | 0 | — |
| 1796 | 0 | — |
| 1797 | 0 | — |
| 1798 | 0 | — |
| 1799 | 0 | — |
| 1800 | 0 | — |
| 1801 | 0 | — |
| 1802 | 0 | — |
| 1803 | 0 | — |
| 1804 | 0 | — |
| 1805 | 0 | — |
| 1806 | 0 | — |
| 1807 | 0 | — |
| 1808 | 0 | — |
| 1809 | 0 | — |
| 1810 | 0 | — |
| 1811 | 0 | — |
| 1812 | 0 | — |
| 1813 | 0 | — |
| 1814 | 0 | — |
| 1815 | 0 | — |
| 1816 | 0 | — |
| 1817 | 0 | — |
| 1818 | 0 | — |
| 1819 | 0 | — |
| 1820 | 0 | — |
| 1821 | 0 | — |
| 1822 | 0 | — |
| 1823 | 0 | — |
| 1824 | 0 | — |
| 1825 | 0 | — |
| 1826 | 0 | — |
| 1827 | 0 | — |
| 1828 | 0 | — |
| 1829 | 0 | — |
| 1830 | 0 | — |
| 1831 | 0 | — |
| 1832 | 0 | — |
| 1833 | 0 | — |
| 1834 | 0 | — |
| 1835 | 0 | — |
| 1836 | 0 | — |
| 1837 | 0 | — |
| 1838 | 0 | — |
| 1839 | 0 | — |
| 1840 | 0 | — |
| 1841 | 0 | — |
| 1842 | 0 | — |
| 1843 | 0 | — |
| 1844 | 0 | — |
| 1845 | 0 | — |
| 1846 | 0 | — |
| 1847 | 0 | — |
| 1848 | 0 | — |
| 1849 | 0 | — |
| 1850 | 0 | — |
| 1851 | 0 | — |
| 1852 | 0 | — |
| 1853 | 0 | — |
| 1854 | 0 | — |
| 1855 | 0 | — |
| 1856 | 0 | — |
| 1857 | 0 | — |
| 1858 | 0 | — |
| 1859 | 0 | — |
| 1860 | 0 | — |
| 1861 | 0 | — |
| 1862 | 0 | — |
| 1863 | 0 | — |
| 1864 | 0 | — |
| 1865 | 0 | — |
| 1866 | 0 | — |
| 1867 | 0 | — |
| 1868 | 0 | — |
| 1869 | 0 | — |
| 1870 | 0 | — |
| 1871 | 0 | — |
| 1872 | 0 | — |
| 1873 | 0 | — |
| 1874 | 0 | — |
| 1875 | 0 | — |
| 1876 | 0 | — |
| 1877 | 0 | — |
| 1878 | 0 | — |
| 1879 | 0 | — |
| 1880 | 0 | — |
| 1881 | 0 | — |
| 1882 | 0 | — |
| 1883 | 0 | — |
| 1884 | 0 | — |
| 1885 | 0 | — |
| 1886 | 0 | — |
| 1887 | 0 | — |
| 1888 | 0 | — |
| 1889 | 0 | — |
| 1890 | 0 | — |
| 1891 | 0 | — |
| 1892 | 0 | — |
| 1893 | 0 | — |
| 1894 | 0 | — |
| 1895 | 0 | — |
| 1896 | 0 | — |
| 1897 | 0 | — |
| 1898 | 0 | — |
| 1899 | 0 | — |
| 1900 | 0 | — |
| 1901 | 0 | — |
| 1902 | 0 | — |
| 1903 | 0 | — |
| 1904 | 0 | — |
| 1905 | 0 | — |
| 1906 | 0 | — |
| 1907 | 0 | — |
| 1908 | 0 | — |
| 1909 | 0 | — |
| 1910 | 0 | — |
| 1911 | 0 | — |
| 1912 | 0 | — |
| 1913 | 0 | — |
| 1914 | 0 | — |
| 1915 | 0 | — |
| 1916 | 0 | — |
| 1917 | 0 | — |
| 1918 | 0 | — |
| 1919 | 0 | — |
| 1920 | 0 | — |
| 1921 | 0 | — |
| 1922 | 0 | — |
| 1923 | 0 | — |
| 1924 | 0 | — |
| 1925 | 0 | — |
| 1926 | 0 | — |
| 1927 | 0 | — |
| 1928 | 0 | — |
| 1929 | 0 | — |
| 1930 | 0 | — |
| 1931 | 0 | — |
| 1932 | 0 | — |
| 1933 | 0 | — |
| 1934 | 0 | — |
| 1935 | 0 | — |
| 1936 | 0 | — |
| 1937 | 0 | — |
| 1938 | 0 | — |
| 1939 | 0 | — |
| 1940 | 0 | — |
| 1941 | 0 | — |
| 1942 | 0 | — |
| 1943 | 0 | — |
| 1944 | 0 | — |
| 1945 | 0 | — |
| 1946 | 0 | — |
| 1947 | 0 | — |
| 1948 | 0 | — |
| 1949 | 0 | — |
| 1950 | 0 | — |
| 1951 | 0 | — |
| 1952 | 0 | — |
| 1953 | 0 | — |
| 1954 | 0 | — |
| 1955 | 0 | — |
| 1956 | 0 | — |
| 1957 | 0 | — |
| 1958 | 0 | — |
| 1959 | 0 | — |
| 1960 | 0 | — |
| 1961 | 0 | — |
| 1962 | 0 | — |
| 1963 | 0.058 | — |
| 1964 | 0.2 | +244.8% |
| 1965 | 0.2 | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 0.2 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 0.204 | +2.0% |
| 1968 | 0.209 | +2.5% |
| 1969 | 0.209 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 0.209 | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 0.208 | -0.5% |
| 1972 | 0.206 | -1.0% |
| 1973 | 0.206 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 0.206 | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 0.207 | +0.5% |
| 1976 | 0.208 | +0.5% |
| 1977 | 0.208 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 0.208 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 0.189 | -9.1% |
| 1980 | 0.312 | +65.1% |
| 1981 | 0.289 | -7.4% |
| 1982 | 0.218 | -24.6% |
| 1983 | 0.218 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 0.227 | +4.1% |
| 1985 | 0.24 | +5.7% |
| 1986 | 0.251 | +4.6% |
| 1987 | 0.251 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 0.269 | +7.2% |
| 1989 | 0.295 | +9.7% |
| 1990 | 0.276 | -6.4% |
| 1991 | 0.276 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 0.274 | -0.7% |
| 1993 | 0.289 | +5.5% |
| 1994 | 0.301 | +4.2% |
| 1995 | 0.301 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 0.336 | +11.6% |
| 1997 | 0.38 | +13.1% |
| 1998 | 0.427 | +12.4% |
| 1999 | 0.427 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 0.414 | -3.0% |
| 2001 | 0.43 | +3.9% |
| 2002 | 0.42 | -2.3% |
| 2003 | 0.42 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 0.283 | -32.6% |
| 2005 | 0.246 | -13.1% |
| 2006 | 0.236 | -4.1% |
| 2007 | 0.236 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 0.202 | -14.4% |
| 2009 | 0.159 | -21.3% |
| 2010 | 0.127 | -20.1% |
| 2011 | 0.127 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 0.235 | +85.0% |
| 2013 | 0.334 | +42.1% |
| 2014 | 0.382 | +14.4% |
| 2015 | 0.382 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 0.382 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 0.37 | -3.1% |
| 2018 | 0.367 | -0.8% |
| 2019 | 0.367 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 0.266 | -27.5% |
| 2021 | 0.241 | -9.4% |
| 2022 | 0.226 | -6.2% |
| 2023 | 0.233 | +3.1% |
| 2024 | 0.23 | -1.3% |
| 2025 | 0.235 | +2.2% |
Iran compared with similar countries
- Iran's 0.235 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.5655, 42% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
- Iran's 0.235 is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 0.235, 1.0× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Free and Fair Elections Index in Iran 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.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | +244.8% | 0.058 | 0.2 |
| 2012 | +85.0% | 0.127 | 0.235 |
| 1980 | +65.1% | 0.189 | 0.312 |
| 2013 | +42.1% | 0.235 | 0.334 |
| 2004 | -32.6% | 0.42 | 0.283 |
| 2020 | -27.5% | 0.367 | 0.266 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1780s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1790s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1800s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1810s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1820s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1830s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1840s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1850s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1860s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1870s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1880s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1890s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1900s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.128 | 0 | 0.209 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.2055 | 0.189 | 0.209 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.257 | 0.218 | 0.312 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.3287 | 0.274 | 0.427 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.3046 | 0.159 | 0.43 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.3073 | 0.127 | 0.382 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.2385 | 0.226 | 0.266 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Iran
More reference data data for Iran
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 12.01 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.34 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.47 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 26.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 26.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Direct emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 8.15 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) - Enteric Fermentation 35,629 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) - Crop Residues 1,936 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Direct emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 34.53 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) - Burning - Crop residues 281.19 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is free and fair elections index in Iran?
- Free and fair elections index in Iran was 0.235 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest free and fair elections index recorded in Iran?
- The highest recorded value was 0.43 in 2001.
- What is the lowest free and fair elections index recorded in Iran?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1789.
- How does Iran rank for free and fair elections index?
- Iran ranks 127th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is free and fair elections index rising or falling in Iran?
- Over the last ten years it is down 38.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Iran data come from?
- The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Free and Fair Elections Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 237 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Central estimate of the extent to which registration fraud, systematic irregularities, government intimidation of the opposition, vote buying, and election violence are absent, and the election management body is autonomous and has enough staff and resources.