Political Polarization Score in Belgium

Belgium: Political Polarization Score was -0.98 in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)
-0.98
Change on year
down 47.1%
World rank
132nd
of 174 countries
All-time high
1.02
in 1940
All-time low
-1.98
in 1990
Years of data
126
1900–2025

Political Polarization Score in Belgium, 1900–2025

-2-101190019622025

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

Analysis

Belgium recorded -0.98 for political polarization score in 2025.

The figure is down 47.1% on the previous year and up 38.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, political polarization score in Belgium peaked at 1.02 in 1940 and was at its lowest, -1.98, in 1990.

That places Belgium 132nd out of 174 countries with data for 2025, putting it 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
1900s -0.908 -0.908 -0.908 10
1910s -0.0899 -0.942 0.735 10
1920s -0.992 -0.992 -0.992 10
1930s -0.8192 -0.992 -0.704 10
1940s 0.2239 -1.21 1.02 10
1950s -1.21 -1.22 -1.14 10
1960s -1.44 -1.66 -1.21 10
1970s -1.66 -1.73 -1.51 10
1980s -1.73 -1.73 -1.73 10
1990s -1.89 -1.98 -1.84 10
2000s -1.82 -1.84 -1.78 10
2010s -1.6 -1.6 -1.6 10
2020s -0.921 -1.64 -0.666 6

Countries ranked near Belgium

  1. 129 Bhutan -0.894 compare
  2. 130 Dominican Republic -0.903 compare
  3. 131 Ghana -0.955 compare
  4. 133 Jordan -0.998 compare
  5. 134 North Korea -1.04 compare
  6. 135 Greece -1.06 compare

See the full ranking of 174 places →

More reference data data for Belgium

All data for Belgium →

Frequently asked questions

What is political polarization score in Belgium?
Political polarization score in Belgium was -0.98 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest political polarization score recorded in Belgium?
The highest recorded value was 1.02 in 1940.
What is the lowest political polarization score recorded in Belgium?
The lowest recorded value was -1.98 in 1990.
How does Belgium rank for political polarization score?
Belgium ranks 132nd out of 174 countries with data for 2025.
Is political polarization score rising or falling in Belgium?
Over the last ten years it is up 38.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Belgium data come from?
The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Political Polarization Score. 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

Indicator
Political Polarization Score
Source
V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
174 places, 20,575 data points, 1900–2025
Last refreshed

Central estimate of the extent to which society is divided into hostile political camps, where political differences undermine social relationships and discourage interaction across ideological lines.