Introduction
According to the Democracy Perception Index 2025, released by Nira Data and the Alliance of Democracies, Denmark, Switzerland, and Norway have the highest citizen approval ratings for their governments among Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. The average approval rating across most OECD nations is 2.6 out of 5, indicating that slightly more than half of the citizens trust their governments’ management.
Detailed Findings
The study reveals a wide range of government performance ratings among OECD member countries. Most respondents gave their governments average scores between 2.5 and 3. Denmark (3.07 points), Switzerland (3.01), and Norway (3) received the most favorable evaluations, while countries like the United States (2.5 points), Germany (2.46), France (2.38), and the United Kingdom (2.37) scored lower.
Dissatisfaction with policy implementation and the development of effective democracy was cited as reasons for low ratings. Notably, the study found a negative perception of the United States, with 55% of respondents holding a negative view of the country under Donald Trump’s leadership, while only 45% had a positive outlook.
Anders Fogh Rasmussen, President of the Alliance of Democracies, commented: “I am not surprised that perceptions about the U.S. have fallen so sharply, though I am reassured that support for rules-based international order remains strong globally.”
An interesting revelation from the report is that China now has a more favorable image than the United States, with 79% of respondents finding China more friendly compared to 21% who expressed confidence in the U.S. Rasmussen noted that there have been significant shifts in perceptions of global powers, indicating deeper changes in public opinion across various regions and political systems.
Democracy Index
Respondents were questioned on their confidence in governments’ adherence to fundamental democratic principles, including:
- Freedom of expression
- Rule of law
- Transparency
- Transitions of power
Norway, New Zealand, and Denmark lead in democratic confidence with scores of 3.38, 3.37, and 3.37, respectively. Zimbabue and Bolivia have the lowest ratings.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the Democracy Perception Index 2025? The Democracy Perception Index 2025 is a study conducted by Nira Data and the Alliance of Democracies, which measures citizen approval ratings for governments in OECD countries based on their adherence to democratic principles.
- Which countries have the highest citizen approval ratings for their governments? Denmark, Switzerland, and Norway lead in citizen approval ratings for their governments according to the 2025 Democracy Perception Index.
- What are the reasons for lower approval ratings in some countries? Lower ratings can be attributed to dissatisfaction with policy implementation and the development of effective democracy.
- What is the public perception of the United States under Donald Trump’s leadership? A majority (55%) of respondents held a negative view of the U.S. under Trump’s leadership, while 45% had a positive outlook.
- How has China’s global image changed compared to the United States? China now has a more favorable image than the U.S., with 79% of respondents finding China more friendly compared to 21% who expressed confidence in the U.S.
- What democratic principles were assessed in the study? The study evaluated governments’ adherence to fundamental democratic principles, including freedom of expression, rule of law, transparency, and transitions of power.
