Free and Fair Elections Index in Laos
Laos: Free and Fair Elections Index was 0.236 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
0.236
Change on year
up 4.4%
World rank
126th
of 176 countries
All-time high
0.299
in 1955
All-time low
0
in 1789
Years of data
230
1789–2025
Free and Fair Elections Index in Laos, 1789–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for free and fair elections index in Laos is 0.236, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 4.4% on the previous year and up 77.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, free and fair elections index in Laos peaked at 0.299 in 1955 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1789.
That places Laos 126th out of 176 countries with data for 2025, putting it 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 Laos, 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 | — |
| 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 | 0.012 | — |
| 1947 | 0.284 | +2266.7% |
| 1948 | 0.285 | +0.4% |
| 1949 | 0.285 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 0.285 | +0.0% |
| 1951 | 0.287 | +0.7% |
| 1952 | 0.291 | +1.4% |
| 1953 | 0.291 | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 0.291 | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 0.299 | +2.7% |
| 1956 | 0.282 | -5.7% |
| 1957 | 0.282 | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 0.269 | -4.6% |
| 1959 | 0.248 | -7.8% |
| 1960 | 0.174 | -29.8% |
| 1961 | 0.141 | -19.0% |
| 1962 | 0.141 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 0.141 | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 0.141 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 0.163 | +15.6% |
| 1966 | 0.19 | +16.6% |
| 1967 | 0.192 | +1.1% |
| 1968 | 0.192 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 0.192 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 0.192 | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 0.192 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 0.228 | +18.8% |
| 1973 | 0.228 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 0.228 | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 0.197 | -13.6% |
| 1976 | 0 | -100.0% |
| 1977 | 0 | — |
| 1978 | 0 | — |
| 1979 | 0 | — |
| 1980 | 0 | — |
| 1981 | 0 | — |
| 1982 | 0 | — |
| 1983 | 0 | — |
| 1984 | 0 | — |
| 1985 | 0 | — |
| 1986 | 0 | — |
| 1987 | 0 | — |
| 1988 | 0 | — |
| 1989 | 0.085 | — |
| 1990 | 0.11 | +29.4% |
| 1991 | 0.109 | -0.9% |
| 1992 | 0.109 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 0.119 | +9.2% |
| 1994 | 0.119 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 0.119 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 0.119 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 0.119 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 0.122 | +2.5% |
| 1999 | 0.122 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 0.122 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 0.122 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 0.146 | +19.7% |
| 2003 | 0.151 | +3.4% |
| 2004 | 0.151 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 0.151 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 0.146 | -3.3% |
| 2007 | 0.144 | -1.4% |
| 2008 | 0.144 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 0.144 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 0.151 | +4.9% |
| 2011 | 0.135 | -10.6% |
| 2012 | 0.133 | -1.5% |
| 2013 | 0.133 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 0.133 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 0.133 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 0.157 | +18.0% |
| 2017 | 0.16 | +1.9% |
| 2018 | 0.16 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 0.16 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 0.163 | +1.9% |
| 2021 | 0.217 | +33.1% |
| 2022 | 0.228 | +5.1% |
| 2023 | 0.209 | -8.3% |
| 2024 | 0.226 | +8.1% |
| 2025 | 0.236 | +4.4% |
Laos compared with similar countries
- Laos's 0.236 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.321, 74% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Laos's 0.236 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.5335, 44% of the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Free and Fair Elections Index in Laos 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1947 | +2266.7% | 0.012 | 0.284 |
| 1976 | -100.0% | 0.197 | 0 |
| 2021 | +33.1% | 0.163 | 0.217 |
| 1960 | -29.8% | 0.248 | 0.174 |
| 1990 | +29.4% | 0.085 | 0.11 |
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 | 3 |
| 1900s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.0866 | 0 | 0.285 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.2825 | 0.248 | 0.299 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.1667 | 0.141 | 0.192 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.1265 | 0 | 0.228 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.0085 | 0 | 0.085 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.1167 | 0.109 | 0.122 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.1421 | 0.122 | 0.151 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.1455 | 0.133 | 0.16 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.2132 | 0.163 | 0.236 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Laos
More reference data data for Laos
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.6615 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.913 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.88 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.3021 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 1.88 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 2.22 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 3.96 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 5.07 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 12.95 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.64 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is free and fair elections index in Laos?
- Free and fair elections index in Laos was 0.236 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest free and fair elections index recorded in Laos?
- The highest recorded value was 0.299 in 1955.
- What is the lowest free and fair elections index recorded in Laos?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1789.
- How does Laos rank for free and fair elections index?
- Laos ranks 126th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is free and fair elections index rising or falling in Laos?
- Over the last ten years it is up 77.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Laos 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 — 230 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.