Since 1789, the organization The Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) has been assessing the level of democracy in countries around the world.
According to the report for 2026, Mongolia ranks 75th in the Democracy Index. In the previous two years, 2024 and 2025, the country was in 81st place in the Liberal Democracy Index, indicating a significant improvement of six positions in the current report. This information was published in the latest report prepared by the V-Dem Institute at the University of Gothenburg. Additional information was provided by the publication MiddleAsianNews.
According to the government's Public Relations Department, Mongolia achieved its best results in the Index of Deliberative Democracy, rising 25 positions to 40th place. This reflects the growing attention to discussing political issues and considering diverse opinions in the decision-making process.
As part of Civil Control, we highlight several research institutions, among which the Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) initiative stands out. More than 4,000 scholars from around the world participate in creating the largest global dataset on democracy, covering over 31 million data points for 202 countries from 1789 across 600 different indicators.
In this study, data on various indicators are combined into six key indices.
Liberal Democracy Index includes both liberal and electoral aspects, based on 71 indicators, which are also included in two other indices: the Liberalism Index and the Electoral Democracy Index.
The Electoral Democracy Index covers the integrity, freedom, and fairness of elections, as well as the actual freedom of expression and access to alternative sources of information.
Liberalism Index. In the V-Dem concept, the liberal principle of democracy emphasizes the protection of individual rights and minorities from the tyranny of both the state and the majority. It includes "horizontal" accountability mechanisms among equal institutions that ensure effective checks and balances, limiting executive power. This is achieved through the rule of law and constitutionally protected civil liberties, an independent judiciary, and a strong parliament capable of overseeing and limiting the powers of the executive branch. Three indicators covering these aspects are: equality before the law and individual freedoms, constraints on judicial power over the executive, and legislative constraints on the executive.
Egalitarianism Index. This index measures how all social groups have equal opportunities to participate in political life, based on the idea that democracy is a system of governance "by the people," where citizens can engage in various forms such as informed voting, expressing opinions, and influencing policy. The egalitarian principle of democracy is closely linked to political participation, as inequality in rights and resources for certain groups limits their ability to engage in governance and politics. A more equal distribution of resources leads to political equality and, consequently, to democracy.
Participation Index. This index emphasizes the active involvement of citizens in political processes, both electoral and non-electoral. It highlights direct citizen governance in areas where possible. The Participation Index considers four aspects: civil society organizations, mechanisms of direct democracy, as well as participation and representation at local and regional levels.
Deliberative Component Index assesses how well the deliberative principle of democracy is upheld, defining the political decision-making process. The deliberative process implies public discussion aimed at the common good, which should motivate political decisions rather than succumb to emotional appeals or parochial interests. This principle requires respectful dialogue at all levels of decision-making, involving informed participants open to persuasion.
