Respect for Counterarguments Score by country
Central estimate of the extent to which political elites acknowledge and respect counterarguments when considering important policy changes.
Countries reporting
172
Highest
3.67
Seychelles
Lowest
-3.06
North Korea
Median
0.474
Years covered
126
1900–2025
Data points
20,802
What the numbers show
Respect for Counterarguments Score is currently reported for 172 countries. The highest value is 3.67 in Seychelles; the lowest is -3.06 in North Korea.
The median across all reporting countries is 0.474, and the mean is 0.3078.
Over the past decade 63 countries rose and 104 fell. The largest increase was in Ethiopia (up 283.4%), and the largest decrease in Hong Kong (down 3,986.1%).
Respect for Counterarguments Score: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seychelles | 3.67 | 2025 | up 196.9% | volatile |
| 3 | Japan | 2.7 | 2025 | up 33.4% | volatile |
| 4 | Bhutan | 2.48 | 2025 | up 41.8% | volatile |
| 5 | Liberia | 2.27 | 2025 | up 16.2% | volatile |
| 6 | Switzerland | 2.13 | 2025 | down 2.7% | flat |
| 7 | Norway | 2.07 | 2025 | down 0.7% | volatile |
| 8 | Senegal | 1.97 | 2025 | up 71.5% | volatile |
| 9 | Chile | 1.97 | 2025 | up 18.6% | volatile |
| 10 | Somalia | 1.83 | 2025 | up 242.7% | volatile |
| 11 | Ghana | 1.8 | 2025 | up 150.7% | volatile |
| 12 | Morocco | 1.7 | 2025 | up 111.9% | volatile |
| 13 | Sierra Leone | 1.69 | 2025 | up 25.9% | volatile |
| 14 | Togo | 1.67 | 2025 | down 12.3% | volatile |
| 15 | Costa Rica | 1.67 | 2025 | down 27.5% | volatile |
| 16 | Dominican Republic | 1.65 | 2025 | up 218.7% | volatile |
| 17 | Slovenia | 1.65 | 2025 | up 6.6% | volatile |
| 18 | Tunisia | 1.63 | 2025 | down 33.6% | volatile |
| 19 | Mauritius | 1.63 | 2025 | up 13.2% | rising |
| 20 | South Africa | 1.59 | 2025 | up 53.1% | volatile |
| 21 | Sweden | 1.56 | 2025 | down 25.7% | rising |
| 22 | United Kingdom | 1.55 | 2025 | up 25.7% | falling |
| 23 | Tanzania | 1.55 | 2025 | up 2.9% | volatile |
| 24 | Denmark | 1.52 | 2025 | down 31.7% | rising |
| 25 | Australia | 1.52 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 26 | Sri Lanka | 1.51 | 2025 | up 155.7% | volatile |
| 27 | Germany | 1.45 | 2025 | down 17.4% | volatile |
| 28 | Portugal | 1.45 | 2025 | down 15.5% | volatile |
| 29 | Greece | 1.45 | 2025 | up 103.5% | volatile |
| 30 | France | 1.44 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 31 | Mongolia | 1.44 | 2025 | up 16.5% | volatile |
| 32 | Niger | 1.42 | 2025 | down 10.8% | volatile |
| 33 | Iceland | 1.37 | 2025 | up 77.1% | volatile |
| 34 | Jamaica | 1.36 | 2025 | down 24.8% | volatile |
| 35 | Jordan | 1.35 | 2025 | up 183.6% | volatile |
| 36 | Gambia | 1.34 | 2025 | up 196.2% | volatile |
| 37 | Moldova | 1.31 | 2025 | up 84.3% | volatile |
| 38 | South Korea | 1.26 | 2025 | down 2.1% | volatile |
| 39 | Barbados | 1.24 | 2025 | up 8.5% | volatile |
| 40 | Kenya | 1.2 | 2025 | down 35.7% | volatile |
| 41 | Libya | 1.19 | 2025 | up 154.2% | volatile |
| 42 | Austria | 1.18 | 2025 | down 20.6% | volatile |
| 43 | Netherlands | 1.18 | 2025 | down 29.0% | rising |
| 44 | Vanuatu | 1.18 | 2025 | up 16.7% | volatile |
| 46 | Taiwan | 1.17 | 2025 | down 26.0% | volatile |
| 47 | Syria | 1.14 | 2025 | up 159.1% | volatile |
| 48 | Botswana | 1.06 | 2025 | up 4.1% | volatile |
| 49 | Finland | 1.03 | 2025 | down 39.5% | volatile |
| 49 | Latvia | 1.03 | 2025 | up 22.5% | volatile |
| 51 | Belgium | 1.03 | 2025 | down 17.8% | rising |
| 52 | Malawi | 1.02 | 2025 | down 7.9% | volatile |
| 53 | Estonia | 1.01 | 2025 | down 33.4% | volatile |
| 54 | Czechia | 0.991 | 2025 | down 31.2% | volatile |
| 55 | Montenegro | 0.987 | 2025 | down 7.9% | volatile |
| 56 | Uruguay | 0.975 | 2025 | down 38.7% | volatile |
| 57 | Brazil | 0.962 | 2025 | down 33.4% | volatile |
| 58 | Lithuania | 0.939 | 2025 | down 48.3% | volatile |
| 59 | Nepal | 0.911 | 2025 | up 45.8% | volatile |
| 60 | Fiji | 0.91 | 2025 | up 61.1% | volatile |
| 61 | Georgia | 0.847 | 2025 | down 17.2% | volatile |
| 63 | Ukraine | 0.812 | 2025 | up 132.7% | volatile |
| 64 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 0.807 | 2025 | up 29.7% | volatile |
| 65 | Singapore | 0.788 | 2025 | down 4.5% | volatile |
| 66 | Peru | 0.773 | 2025 | down 25.3% | volatile |
| 67 | Croatia | 0.761 | 2025 | down 18.3% | volatile |
| 68 | Rwanda | 0.76 | 2025 | up 251.9% | volatile |
| 69 | Indonesia | 0.717 | 2025 | down 58.8% | volatile |
| 70 | Suriname | 0.715 | 2025 | up 1.4% | volatile |
| 71 | Spain | 0.699 | 2025 | down 47.0% | volatile |
| 72 | Israel | 0.689 | 2025 | down 30.8% | volatile |
| 73 | Panama | 0.667 | 2025 | down 34.6% | volatile |
| 74 | Lesotho | 0.653 | 2025 | down 32.0% | volatile |
| 75 | Namibia | 0.635 | 2025 | down 36.2% | volatile |
| 76 | Poland | 0.624 | 2025 | up 32.5% | volatile |
| 77 | Canada | 0.603 | 2025 | down 49.2% | falling |
| 78 | Mauritania | 0.601 | 2025 | down 39.6% | volatile |
| 79 | Honduras | 0.571 | 2025 | up 22.3% | volatile |
| 79 | Mali | 0.571 | 2025 | down 27.7% | volatile |
| 81 | Solomon Islands | 0.568 | 2025 | down 26.5% | volatile |
| 82 | North Macedonia | 0.562 | 2025 | up 210.8% | volatile |
| 83 | Zambia | 0.537 | 2025 | up 44.4% | volatile |
| 84 | United States | 0.532 | 2025 | down 69.3% | rising |
| 85 | Comoros | 0.531 | 2025 | down 60.8% | volatile |
| 86 | Maldives | 0.53 | 2025 | up 106.2% | volatile |
| 87 | Nigeria | 0.515 | 2025 | down 55.3% | volatile |
| 88 | Guatemala | 0.489 | 2025 | up 201.9% | volatile |
| 89 | Kuwait | 0.479 | 2025 | down 39.4% | volatile |
| 90 | Malaysia | 0.469 | 2025 | down 30.9% | volatile |
| 91 | Democratic Republic of Congo | 0.465 | 2025 | up 210.5% | volatile |
| 92 | East Timor | 0.451 | 2025 | down 49.9% | volatile |
| 93 | Lebanon | 0.422 | 2025 | down 54.5% | volatile |
| 94 | Cyprus | 0.375 | 2025 | down 69.7% | volatile |
| 95 | Ethiopia | 0.365 | 2025 | up 283.4% | volatile |
| 96 | Uganda | 0.355 | 2025 | down 69.7% | volatile |
| 97 | Colombia | 0.333 | 2025 | down 81.5% | volatile |
| 98 | Gabon | 0.301 | 2025 | up 81.3% | volatile |
| 99 | Italy | 0.292 | 2025 | down 84.4% | volatile |
| 100 | Eswatini | 0.242 | 2025 | down 27.5% | volatile |
| 101 | Philippines | 0.236 | 2025 | down 86.4% | volatile |
| 102 | Uzbekistan | 0.231 | 2025 | up 108.3% | volatile |
| 103 | Trinidad and Tobago | 0.229 | 2025 | down 76.1% | volatile |
| 104 | Ecuador | 0.154 | 2025 | up 147.1% | volatile |
| 105 | Argentina | 0.151 | 2025 | up 16.2% | volatile |
| 106 | Thailand | 0.14 | 2025 | up 108.7% | volatile |
| 107 | Papua New Guinea | 0.136 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 108 | Mozambique | 0.131 | 2025 | down 54.2% | volatile |
| 109 | Sao Tome and Principe | 0.122 | 2025 | down 4.7% | volatile |
| 110 | Paraguay | 0.062 | 2025 | down 74.5% | volatile |
| 111 | Qatar | 0.015 | 2025 | down 97.8% | volatile |
| 112 | Serbia | 0.008 | 2025 | down 98.5% | volatile |
| 113 | Bangladesh | -0.05 | 2025 | up 92.6% | falling |
| 113 | Bulgaria | -0.05 | 2025 | down 105.4% | volatile |
| 115 | Benin | -0.06 | 2025 | down 104.1% | volatile |
| 116 | Pakistan | -0.072 | 2025 | down 112.2% | volatile |
| 117 | Romania | -0.083 | 2025 | down 122.0% | volatile |
| 118 | Armenia | -0.12 | 2025 | down 141.4% | volatile |
| 119 | Guyana | -0.121 | 2025 | down 70.4% | volatile |
| 120 | Chad | -0.143 | 2025 | up 29.9% | volatile |
| 121 | Angola | -0.153 | 2025 | up 40.9% | rising |
| 122 | Cameroon | -0.165 | 2025 | down 4.4% | volatile |
| 123 | New Zealand | -0.181 | 2025 | down 117.1% | rising |
| 124 | Cape Verde | -0.193 | 2025 | down 125.6% | volatile |
| 125 | Cote d'Ivoire | -0.204 | 2025 | down 119.2% | volatile |
| 126 | Egypt | -0.205 | 2025 | up 77.9% | volatile |
| 127 | Slovakia | -0.212 | 2025 | down 120.3% | volatile |
| 128 | Congo | -0.213 | 2025 | down 1,738.5% | volatile |
| 129 | Iran | -0.221 | 2025 | down 342.9% | volatile |
| 130 | Hungary | -0.233 | 2025 | down 255.3% | volatile |
| 131 | Central African Republic | -0.235 | 2025 | down 358.2% | volatile |
| 132 | India | -0.283 | 2025 | down 138.9% | volatile |
| 133 | Zimbabwe | -0.299 | 2025 | down 908.1% | volatile |
| 134 | Guinea | -0.305 | 2025 | up 47.1% | volatile |
| 135 | Burundi | -0.317 | 2025 | up 50.1% | volatile |
| 136 | Madagascar | -0.397 | 2025 | down 1,423.3% | volatile |
| 137 | Guinea-Bissau | -0.406 | 2025 | down 2,036.8% | volatile |
| 138 | Kazakhstan | -0.502 | 2025 | up 32.0% | volatile |
| 139 | Djibouti | -0.507 | 2025 | down 21.0% | rising |
| 140 | Mexico | -0.521 | 2025 | down 138.8% | volatile |
| 141 | Bolivia | -0.566 | 2025 | down 474.8% | volatile |
| 142 | Kyrgyzstan | -0.571 | 2025 | down 161.9% | volatile |
| 143 | Albania | -0.6 | 2025 | down 245.3% | volatile |
| 144 | Vietnam | -0.635 | 2025 | down 18.7% | rising |
| 145 | Haiti | -0.66 | 2025 | down 42.9% | volatile |
| 146 | Algeria | -0.707 | 2025 | down 180.6% | volatile |
| 147 | Iraq | -0.717 | 2025 | down 660.2% | volatile |
| 148 | Palestine | -0.755 | 1948 | unchanged | flat |
| 149 | Bahrain | -0.761 | 2025 | up 30.6% | volatile |
| 150 | Sudan | -0.811 | 2025 | up 17.2% | falling |
| 151 | El Salvador | -0.925 | 2025 | down 425.7% | volatile |
| 152 | Turkey | -0.969 | 2025 | down 165.5% | volatile |
| 153 | Cambodia | -1.19 | 2025 | down 182.2% | volatile |
| 154 | South Sudan | -1.22 | 2025 | up 9.2% | falling |
| 155 | Oman | -1.26 | 2025 | up 24.8% | rising |
| 156 | Myanmar | -1.28 | 2025 | down 220.5% | volatile |
| 157 | Azerbaijan | -1.29 | 2025 | down 70.9% | rising |
| 158 | Saudi Arabia | -1.4 | 2025 | down 9.4% | rising |
| 159 | Yemen | -1.42 | 2025 | down 44.9% | volatile |
| 160 | Laos | -1.45 | 2025 | up 31.0% | volatile |
| 161 | United Arab Emirates | -1.47 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 162 | Russia | -1.57 | 2025 | down 91.1% | volatile |
| 163 | Cuba | -1.69 | 2025 | down 4.3% | volatile |
| 164 | Hong Kong | -1.76 | 2025 | down 3,986.1% | volatile |
| 165 | Belarus | -1.86 | 2025 | down 58.5% | rising |
| 166 | Venezuela | -1.88 | 2025 | down 18.7% | volatile |
| 167 | Eritrea | -1.89 | 2025 | up 17.8% | falling |
| 168 | Equatorial Guinea | -1.97 | 2025 | down 55.8% | rising |
| 169 | Turkmenistan | -2.04 | 2025 | up 28.9% | falling |
| 170 | China | -2.07 | 2025 | down 46.3% | volatile |
| 171 | Tajikistan | -2.2 | 2025 | down 24.8% | volatile |
| 172 | Burkina Faso | -2.4 | 2025 | down 257.9% | volatile |
| 173 | Afghanistan | -2.57 | 2025 | down 288.2% | volatile |
| 174 | Nicaragua | -2.69 | 2025 | down 277.7% | volatile |
| 175 | North Korea | -3.06 | 2025 | up 5.6% | falling |
About this data
Central estimate of the extent to which political elites acknowledge and respect counterarguments when considering important policy changes.