Democracy in Poland
Poland: Democracy was 6 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
6
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
42nd
of 176 countries
All-time high
9
in 2008
All-time low
0
in 1789
Years of data
169
1789–2025
Democracy in Poland, 1789–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for democracy in Poland is 6, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 25.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, democracy in Poland peaked at 9 in 2008 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1789.
Poland ranks 42nd of 176 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Democracy in Poland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1789 | 0 | — |
| 1790 | 0 | — |
| 1791 | 0 | — |
| 1792 | 0 | — |
| 1793 | 0 | — |
| 1794 | 0 | — |
| 1795 | 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 | — |
| 1918 | 0 | — |
| 1919 | 3 | — |
| 1920 | 6 | +100.0% |
| 1921 | 7 | +16.7% |
| 1922 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1924 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 3 | -57.1% |
| 1927 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 0 | -100.0% |
| 1945 | 0 | — |
| 1946 | 0 | — |
| 1947 | 3 | — |
| 1948 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1951 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 0 | -100.0% |
| 1953 | 0 | — |
| 1954 | 0 | — |
| 1955 | 0 | — |
| 1956 | 0 | — |
| 1957 | 2 | — |
| 1958 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1961 | 0 | -100.0% |
| 1962 | 0 | — |
| 1963 | 0 | — |
| 1964 | 0 | — |
| 1965 | 0 | — |
| 1966 | 0 | — |
| 1967 | 0 | — |
| 1968 | 0 | — |
| 1969 | 0 | — |
| 1970 | 0 | — |
| 1971 | 0 | — |
| 1972 | 0 | — |
| 1973 | 0 | — |
| 1974 | 0 | — |
| 1975 | 0 | — |
| 1976 | 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 | 3 | — |
| 1990 | 7 | +133.3% |
| 1991 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 8 | +14.3% |
| 1994 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 9 | +12.5% |
| 2009 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 8 | -11.1% |
| 2014 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 6 | -25.0% |
| 2017 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 6 | +0.0% |
Poland compared with similar countries
- Poland's 6 is below the median for high income countries, which is 8, 75% of the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Poland's 6 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 6, 1.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1780s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1790s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 1800s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 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 | 8 |
| 1910s | 1.5 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| 1920s | 5.3 | 3 | 7 | 10 |
| 1930s | 3 | 3 | 3 | 9 |
| 1940s | 1.5 | 0 | 3 | 6 |
| 1950s | 1.2 | 0 | 3 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.2 | 0 | 2 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.3 | 0 | 3 | 10 |
| 1990s | 7.7 | 7 | 8 | 10 |
| 2000s | 8.2 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.5 | 6 | 9 | 10 |
| 2020s | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Poland
- 42 Argentina 6 compare
- 42 Armenia 6 compare
- 42 Bolivia 6 compare
- 42 Botswana 6 compare
- 42 Bulgaria 6 compare
- 42 Cape Verde 6 compare
- 42 Colombia 6 compare
- 42 Croatia 6 compare
- 42 Dominican Republic 6 compare
- 42 East Timor 6 compare
- 42 Ecuador 6 compare
- 42 Ghana 6 compare
- 42 Greece 6 compare
- 42 Guatemala 6 compare
- 42 Jamaica 6 compare
- 42 Lesotho 6 compare
- 42 Liberia 6 compare
- 42 Nepal 6 compare
- 42 Panama 6 compare
- 42 Paraguay 6 compare
- 42 Peru 6 compare
- 42 Portugal 6 compare
- 42 Romania 6 compare
- 42 Sao Tome and Principe 6 compare
- 42 Senegal 6 compare
- 42 Slovakia 6 compare
- 42 Slovenia 6 compare
- 42 Solomon Islands 6 compare
- 42 South Africa 6 compare
- 42 Sri Lanka 6 compare
- 42 Suriname 6 compare
More reference data data for Poland
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 2.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.499 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 9.36 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.8896 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 9.36 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 8.77 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 5.77 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 2.57 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 43.86 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 4.84 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is democracy in Poland?
- Democracy in Poland was 6 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest democracy recorded in Poland?
- The highest recorded value was 9 in 2008.
- What is the lowest democracy recorded in Poland?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1789.
- How does Poland rank for democracy?
- Poland ranks 42nd out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is democracy rising or falling in Poland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 25.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Poland data come from?
- The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Democracy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 169 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Political regime of a country using the Regimes of the World classification by political scientists Anna Lührmann, Marcus Tannenberg and Staffan Lindberg, including ambiguous categories.