Visualizing Satisfaction With Democracy, In 26 Countries

Almost half of the world’s population resides in countries that held or will hold executive or legislative elections in 2024.

This prompts a closer look at how people feel about the way democracy is working in their respective nations.

This graphic, via Visual Capitalist's Bruno Venditti, shows the percentage of the population that is satisfied or dissatisfied with democracy in 26 countries.

The data comes from the Pew Research Center.

Methodology

In 2024, the Pew Research Center conducted over 900 interviews in each country via telephone or face-to-face.

Respondents were asked, “How satisfied are you with the way democracy is working in [survey country] – very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, not too satisfied, or not at all satisfied?” Those who did not answer are excluded. Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding.

Decline in Satisfaction with Democracy

Satisfaction with democracy has declined in recent years, particularly in high-income nations. In nine out of the 12 countries where this question has been asked consistently, satisfaction levels are lower today than in 2021.

Notably, six countries have seen a double-digit drop in satisfaction: Canada, Germany, Greece, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Regional Differences

• Europe: 75% of Swedes are satisfied with their democracy, compared to just 22% in Greece.

• Asia-Pacific: More than three-quarters of Indians and Singaporeans are satisfied, whereas only 31% of Japanese are satisfied with their democracy.

• Latin America: About two-thirds or more of Chileans, Colombians, and Peruvians express negative views about their democracies.

According to the Pew Research Center, satisfaction with democracy is strongly related to their perceptions of how the economy is performing. Additionally, views on the governing party also influence assessments of democracy.