Free and Fair Elections Index in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: Free and Fair Elections Index was 0.171 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
0.171
Change on year
up 1.8%
World rank
137th
of 176 countries
All-time high
0.715
in 1935
All-time low
0
in 1978
Years of data
126
1900–2025
Free and Fair Elections Index in Zimbabwe, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Zimbabwe recorded 0.171 for free and fair elections index in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.8% on the previous year and down 11.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, free and fair elections index in Zimbabwe peaked at 0.715 in 1935 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1978.
Zimbabwe ranks 137th 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.
Free and Fair Elections Index in Zimbabwe, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 0.697 | — |
| 1901 | 0.697 | +0.0% |
| 1902 | 0.698 | +0.1% |
| 1903 | 0.699 | +0.1% |
| 1904 | 0.699 | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 0.693 | -0.9% |
| 1906 | 0.692 | -0.1% |
| 1907 | 0.692 | +0.0% |
| 1908 | 0.696 | +0.6% |
| 1909 | 0.698 | +0.3% |
| 1910 | 0.698 | +0.0% |
| 1911 | 0.699 | +0.1% |
| 1912 | 0.699 | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 0.699 | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 0.698 | -0.1% |
| 1915 | 0.698 | +0.0% |
| 1916 | 0.698 | +0.0% |
| 1917 | 0.698 | +0.0% |
| 1918 | 0.698 | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 0.698 | +0.0% |
| 1920 | 0.697 | -0.1% |
| 1921 | 0.697 | +0.0% |
| 1922 | 0.697 | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 0.702 | +0.7% |
| 1924 | 0.705 | +0.4% |
| 1925 | 0.707 | +0.3% |
| 1926 | 0.707 | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 0.707 | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 0.707 | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 0.706 | -0.1% |
| 1930 | 0.706 | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 0.706 | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 0.706 | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 0.706 | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 0.707 | +0.1% |
| 1935 | 0.715 | +1.1% |
| 1936 | 0.715 | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 0.715 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 0.715 | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 0.702 | -1.8% |
| 1940 | 0.697 | -0.7% |
| 1941 | 0.697 | +0.0% |
| 1942 | 0.697 | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 0.697 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 0.697 | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 0.697 | +0.0% |
| 1946 | 0.694 | -0.4% |
| 1947 | 0.693 | -0.1% |
| 1948 | 0.693 | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 0.693 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 0.693 | +0.0% |
| 1951 | 0.693 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 0.693 | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 0.7 | +1.0% |
| 1954 | 0.693 | -1.0% |
| 1955 | 0.692 | -0.1% |
| 1956 | 0.692 | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 0.692 | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 0.697 | +0.7% |
| 1959 | 0.7 | +0.4% |
| 1960 | 0.7 | +0.0% |
| 1961 | 0.7 | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 0.699 | -0.1% |
| 1963 | 0.675 | -3.4% |
| 1964 | 0.674 | -0.1% |
| 1965 | 0.631 | -6.4% |
| 1966 | 0.609 | -3.5% |
| 1967 | 0.609 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 0.609 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 0.609 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 0.619 | +1.6% |
| 1971 | 0.622 | +0.5% |
| 1972 | 0.622 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 0.622 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 0.629 | +1.1% |
| 1975 | 0.638 | +1.4% |
| 1976 | 0.638 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 0.625 | -2.0% |
| 1978 | 0 | -100.0% |
| 1979 | 0.389 | — |
| 1980 | 0.291 | -25.2% |
| 1981 | 0.264 | -9.3% |
| 1982 | 0.264 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 0.264 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 0.264 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 0.243 | -8.0% |
| 1986 | 0.223 | -8.2% |
| 1987 | 0.223 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 0.223 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 0.223 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 0.234 | +4.9% |
| 1991 | 0.237 | +1.3% |
| 1992 | 0.237 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 0.237 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 0.237 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 0.234 | -1.3% |
| 1996 | 0.232 | -0.9% |
| 1997 | 0.232 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 0.232 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 0.232 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 0.138 | -40.5% |
| 2001 | 0.087 | -37.0% |
| 2002 | 0.088 | +1.1% |
| 2003 | 0.089 | +1.1% |
| 2004 | 0.089 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 0.086 | -3.4% |
| 2006 | 0.093 | +8.1% |
| 2007 | 0.093 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 0.064 | -31.2% |
| 2009 | 0.056 | -12.5% |
| 2010 | 0.062 | +10.7% |
| 2011 | 0.062 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 0.062 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 0.136 | +119.4% |
| 2014 | 0.194 | +42.6% |
| 2015 | 0.194 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 0.19 | -2.1% |
| 2017 | 0.188 | -1.1% |
| 2018 | 0.185 | -1.6% |
| 2019 | 0.175 | -5.4% |
| 2020 | 0.189 | +8.0% |
| 2021 | 0.191 | +1.1% |
| 2022 | 0.18 | -5.8% |
| 2023 | 0.183 | +1.7% |
| 2024 | 0.168 | -8.2% |
| 2025 | 0.171 | +1.8% |
Zimbabwe compared with similar countries
- Zimbabwe's 0.171 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.321, 53% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Zimbabwe's 0.171 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.2905, 59% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Free and Fair Elections Index in Zimbabwe 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | +119.4% | 0.062 | 0.136 |
| 1978 | -100.0% | 0.625 | 0 |
| 2014 | +42.6% | 0.136 | 0.194 |
| 2000 | -40.5% | 0.232 | 0.138 |
| 2001 | -37.0% | 0.138 | 0.087 |
| 2008 | -31.2% | 0.093 | 0.064 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 0.6961 | 0.692 | 0.699 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0.6983 | 0.698 | 0.699 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.7032 | 0.697 | 0.707 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.7093 | 0.702 | 0.715 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.6955 | 0.693 | 0.697 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.6945 | 0.692 | 0.7 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.6515 | 0.609 | 0.7 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.5404 | 0 | 0.638 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.2482 | 0.223 | 0.291 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.2344 | 0.232 | 0.237 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.0883 | 0.056 | 0.138 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.1448 | 0.062 | 0.194 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.1803 | 0.168 | 0.191 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Zimbabwe
More reference data data for Zimbabwe
- Exchange rate, new LCU per USD extended backward, period average 58,959 (2026)
- Exchange rate, old LCU per USD extended forward, period average 58,959 (2026)
- Official exchange rate, LCU per USD, period average 58,959 (2026)
- Global number of reported disasters by size, gaps filled 0 events (2024)
- Annual precipitation, annual growth rate 122.78 % change on previous year (2025)
- Free country, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, gaps filled 5 (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, per capita 0 units per person (2025)
- Consumer price index 11,077 2010 = 100 (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is free and fair elections index in Zimbabwe?
- Free and fair elections index in Zimbabwe was 0.171 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest free and fair elections index recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 0.715 in 1935.
- What is the lowest free and fair elections index recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1978.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for free and fair elections index?
- Zimbabwe ranks 137th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is free and fair elections index rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zimbabwe 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 — 126 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.