A soldier receiving roses from locals in the Thai 2006 coup. Photo: David Yttervik Seetiangtham via flickr.com, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/

Autocracies

Militaries Hold the Key to Power in a Dictator’s Endgame

Which factors shape the armed forces’ decision to boost or bust the rule of an incumbent autocrat in times of political turmoil? Political scientists at Heidelberg University analyzed non-violent mass mobilizations since 1946 and developed a game theory model that aims to explain the different military Responses.

Election Observation in Pakistan

Better Legal Framework but Restrictions on Press Freedom and Competition

On 25 July, the Movement for Justice (Tehreek-e Insaf/PTI) led by former cricket star Imran Khan won the general elections in Pakistan. It prevailed against the governing Pakistani Muslim League (PML-N) and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP). German MEP Michael Gahler headed the EU Election Observation Mission to Pakistan for the third time in a row. In the following, he describes his experiences and takes stock of the election process.

BTI

Transformation Index 2018

Restrictions on free speech, unfair elections and populist hunger for power – it is by no means just autocrats who have been tightening the screw of repression. Governments in democracies have also increasingly been trying to govern with a hard hand. And social division is deeper than it has been for a long time.

Index

View all scores for the state of political and economic transformation as well as transformation management.

Country reports

129 detailed reports provide the basis for the ratings.

Atlas

Explore the data with an interactive tool that provides access to all quantitative and qualitative assessments since 2006.

Rank	Country	Score
1	Czech Republic	9.52
1	Estonia	9.52
3	Taiwan	9.42
4	Lithuania	9.24
5	Uruguay	9.19
6	Slovenia	9.18
7	Chile	8.87
8	Latvia	8.68
9	Slovakia	8.59
10	Poland	8.58
11	South Korea	8.55
12	Costa Rica	8.49
13	Mauritius	8.25
14	Croatia	8.07
15	Romania	8.06
16	Botswana	7.89
17	Bulgaria	7.80
18	Hungary	7.43
19	Serbia	7.40
20	Montenegro	7.35
21	Jamaica	7.31
22	Brazil	7.29
23	Argentina	7.27
24	Singapore	7.15
25	Panama	7.11
26	India	6.96
26	South Africa	6.96
28	El Salvador	6.88
29	Peru	6.85
30	Albania	6.83
31	Macedonia	6.76
32	Ghana	6.75
33	Sri Lanka	6.61
34	Colombia	6.59
34	Mongolia	6.59
36	Ukraine	6.54
37	Namibia	6.50
38	Philippines	6.47
39	Bolivia	6.46
40	Dominican Republic	6.44
41	Benin	6.43
42	Georgia	6.42
43	Bosnia and Herzegovina	6.28
44	Tunisia	6.27
45	Bhutan	6.25
45	Indonesia	6.25
47	Paraguay	6.24
48	Mexico	6.23
49	Kosovo	6.21
50	Senegal	6.18
51	Turkey	6.17
52	United Arab Emirates	6.07
53	Malaysia	6.00
54	Moldova	5.96
55	Kyrgyzstan	5.90
56	Qatar	5.88
57	Kenya	5.80
58	Ecuador	5.72
59	Uganda	5.66
60	Kuwait	5.61
61	Armenia	5.58
61	Papua New Guinea	5.58
63	Liberia	5.56
64	Honduras	5.51
64	Tanzania	5.51
66	Malawi	5.49
67	Burkina Faso	5.45
67	Zambia	5.45
69	Côte d'Ivoire	5.38
70	Russia	5.31
71	Guinea	5.28
72	Jordan	5.22
73	Lesotho	5.19
74	Lebanon	5.15
74	Sierra Leone	5.15
76	Mali	5.14
76	Nicaragua	5.14
78	Niger	5.13
79	Bangladesh	5.11
80	Guatemala	5.08
81	China	5.02
82	Madagascar	5.01
83	Algeria	4.98
84	Togo	4.89
85	Rwanda	4.80
86	Belarus	4.72
87	Thailand	4.71
88	Kazakhstan	4.70
89	Bahrain	4.62
90	Morocco	4.61
91	Nigeria	4.60
92	Nepal	4.52
93	Oman	4.43
94	Vietnam	4.41
95	Mozambique	4.31
96	Egypt	4.28
97	Saudi Arabia	4.27
98	Cameroon	4.23
99	Mauritania	4.22
100	Azerbaijan	4.13
101	Cuba	4.02
102	Pakistan	4.01
103	Cambodia	4.00
104	Burundi	3.97
105	Angola	3.94
106	Laos	3.85
107	Iraq	3.75
108	Uzbekistan	3.73
109	Haiti	3.50
110	Venezuela	3.47
111	Congo, Rep.	3.38
111	Myanmar	3.38
113	Ethiopia	3.33
113	Zimbabwe	3.33
115	Chad	3.31
115	Tajikistan	3.31
117	Central African Republic	3.28
118	Iran	3.15
119	Turkmenistan	3.14
120	Congo, DR	3.13
121	Afghanistan	2.95
122	Libya	2.60
123	Sudan	2.28
124	South Sudan	2.27
125	North Korea	2.16
126	Eritrea	1.84
127	Yemen	1.72
128	Syria	1.57
129	Somalia	1.34

Rank	Country	Score
1	Uruguay	9.95
2	Estonia	9.75
3	Taiwan	9.55
4	Lithuania	9.45
5	Czech Republic	9.40
6	Slovenia	9.25
7	Chile	9.20
8	Costa Rica	9.05
9	Latvia	8.75
10	Slovakia	8.60
11	Poland	8.55
12	Mauritius	8.50
13	South Korea	8.45
14	Croatia	8.35
15	Jamaica	8.30
16	Botswana	8.20
17	Romania	8.15
18	Bulgaria	8.10
19	Argentina	8.00
20	Ghana	7.90
21	Benin	7.85
22	Serbia	7.70
23	Brazil	7.65
24	India	7.60
24	South Africa	7.60
26	Montenegro	7.55
27	Namibia	7.50
28	Mongolia	7.40
29	El Salvador	7.30
29	Panama	7.30
31	Bolivia	7.20
32	Hungary	7.15
33	Senegal	7.10
34	Albania	7.05
35	Dominican Republic	6.95
36	Ukraine	6.90
37	Georgia	6.80
38	Colombia	6.75
39	Peru	6.60
40	Bhutan	6.57
41	Liberia	6.55
41	Sri Lanka	6.55
43	Indonesia	6.50
43	Tunisia	6.50
45	Kosovo	6.45
45	Macedonia	6.45
45	Malawi	6.45
45	Paraguay	6.45
49	Burkina Faso	6.40
50	Niger	6.30
50	Papua New Guinea	6.30
50	Philippines	6.30
53	Kenya	6.25
54	Moldova	6.20
55	Kyrgyzstan	6.15
55	Sierra Leone	6.15
57	Bosnia and Herzegovina	6.10
57	Mexico	6.10
57	Tanzania	6.10
60	Guinea	6.05
61	Zambia	6.00
62	Mali	5.95
63	Ecuador	5.90
64	Côte d'Ivoire	5.80
64	Honduras	5.80
66	Lesotho	5.60
67	Turkey	5.55
68	Uganda	5.43
69	Singapore	5.42
70	Madagascar	5.35
70	Nigeria	5.35
72	Armenia	5.12
73	Togo	5.07
74	Guatemala	5.05
75	Nicaragua	4.92
76	Nepal	4.90
77	Lebanon	4.87
77	Malaysia	4.78
79	Algeria	4.75
80	Bangladesh	4.62
81	Russia	4.55
82	Kuwait	4.50
83	Mozambique	4.48
84	Jordan	4.37
85	Belarus	4.33
86	Mauritania	4.22
87	Angola	4.20
88	Haiti	4.10
89	United Arab Emirates	4.00
90	Cameroon	3.92
91	Rwanda	3.88
92	Zimbabwe	3.83
93	Burundi	3.80
93	Kazakhstan	3.80
93	Morocco	3.80
93	Venezuela	3.80
97	Qatar	3.73
98	Egypt	3.70
98	Pakistan	3.70
100	Central African Republic	3.60
100	Iraq	3.60
102	Cuba	3.58
103	Cambodia	3.57
104	Myanmar	3.50
105	Congo, DR	3.47
106	Chad	3.45
107	Azerbaijan	3.43
108	Vietnam	3.35
109	China	3.28
110	Congo, Rep.	3.25
110	Thailand	3.25
112	Bahrain	3.23
113	Uzbekistan	3.17
114	Afghanistan	3.02
114	Ethiopia	3.02
116	Oman	3.00
117	Tajikistan	2.98
119	Iran	2.92
118	Laos	2.92
120	Turkmenistan	2.85
121	South Sudan	2.62
122	North Korea	2.60
123	Libya	2.57
123	Saudi Arabia	2.57
125	Sudan	2.23
126	Eritrea	2.12
127	Yemen	1.80
128	Syria	1.75
129	Somalia	1.43

Rank	Country	Score
1	Czech Republic	9.64
2	Estonia	9.29
3	Taiwan	9.29
4	Slovenia	9.11
5	Lithuania	9.04
6	Singapore	8.89
7	South Korea	8.64
8	Latvia	8.61
8	Poland	8.61
10	Slovakia	8.57
11	Chile	8.54
12	Uruguay	8.43
13	United Arab Emirates	8.14
14	Qatar	8.04
15	Mauritius	8.00
16	Romania	7.96
17	Costa Rica	7.93
18	Croatia	7.79
19	Hungary	7.71
20	Botswana	7.57
21	Bulgaria	7.50
22	Malaysia	7.21
23	Montenegro	7.14
24	Peru	7.11
24	Serbia	7.11
26	Macedonia	7.07
27	Brazil	6.93
27	Panama	6.93
29	Turkey	6.79
30	China	6.75
31	Kuwait	6.71
32	Sri Lanka	6.68
33	Philippines	6.64
34	Albania	6.61
35	Argentina	6.54
36	Bosnia and Herzegovina	6.46
36	El Salvador	6.46
38	Colombia	6.43
39	Mexico	6.36
40	India	6.32
40	Jamaica	6.32
40	South Africa	6.32
43	Thailand	6.18
43	Ukraine	6.18
45	Jordan	6.07
45	Russia	6.07
47	Armenia	6.04
47	Georgia	6.04
47	Paraguay	6.04
47	Tunisia	6.04
51	Bahrain	6.00
51	Indonesia	6.00
53	Kosovo	5.96
53	Saudi Arabia	5.96
53	Bhutan	5.93
53	Dominican Republic	5.93
57	Uganda	5.89
58	Oman	5.86
59	Mongolia	5.79
60	Bolivia	5.71
60	Moldova	5.71
60	Rwanda	5.71
63	Kyrgyzstan	5.64
64	Bangladesh	5.61
64	Ghana	5.61
64	Kazakhstan	5.61
67	Ecuador	5.54
68	Namibia	5.50
69	Vietnam	5.46
70	Lebanon	5.43
70	Morocco	5.43
72	Kenya	5.36
72	Nicaragua	5.36
74	Senegal	5.25
75	Algeria	5.21
75	Honduras	5.21
77	Belarus	5.11
77	Guatemala	5.11
79	Benin	5.00
80	Côte d'Ivoire	4.96
81	Tanzania	4.93
82	Zambia	4.89
83	Egypt	4.86
83	Papua New Guinea	4.86
85	Azerbaijan	4.82
86	Laos	4.79
86	Lesotho	4.79
88	Togo	4.71
89	Madagascar	4.68
90	Liberia	4.57
91	Cameroon	4.54
91	Malawi	4.54
93	Burkina Faso	4.50
93	Guinea	4.50
95	Cuba	4.46
96	Cambodia	4.43
97	Mali	4.32
97	Pakistan	4.32
99	Uzbekistan	4.29
100	Mauritania	4.21
101	Burundi	4.14
101	Mozambique	4.14
101	Nepal	4.14
101	Sierra Leone	4.14
105	Niger	3.96
106	Iraq	3.89
107	Nigeria	3.86
108	Angola	3.68
109	Ethiopia	3.64
109	Tajikistan	3.64
111	Congo, Rep.	3.50
112	Turkmenistan	3.43
113	Iran	3.39
114	Myanmar	3.25
115	Chad	3.18
116	Venezuela	3.14
117	Central African Republic	2.96
118	Afghanistan	2.89
118	Haiti	2.89
120	Zimbabwe	2.82
121	Congo, DR	2.79
122	Libya	2.64
123	Sudan	2.32
124	South Sudan	1.93
125	North Korea	1.71
126	Yemen	1.64
127	Eritrea	1.57
128	Syria	1.39
129	Somalia	1.25

Rank	Country	Score
1	Estonia	7.44
2	Uruguay	7.36
3	Chile	7.33
3	Taiwan	7.33
5	Lithuania	7.18
6	Botswana	7.09
7	Czech Republic	7.03
8	Latvia	7.00
9	Costa Rica	6.85
10	Slovenia	6.78
11	Senegal	6.70
11	Slovakia	6.70
13	Mauritius	6.64
14	El Salvador	6.57
15	South Korea	6.51
16	Bhutan	6.50
17	Montenegro	6.49
18	Poland	6.25
19	Ghana	6.18
20	Colombia	6.14
21	Croatia	6.07
22	Serbia	6.06
23	Paraguay	6.04
24	Albania	6.02
24	India	6.02
26	Argentina	6.00
27	Bulgaria	5.98
28	Mongolia	5.96
28	South Africa	5.96
30	Brazil	5.95
30	Singapore	5.95
32	Romania	5.89
33	Georgia	5.87
33	Niger	5.87
35	Benin	5.86
35	Jamaica	5.86
37	Liberia	5.84
38	Guinea	5.82
39	Peru	5.81
40	Panama	5.72
41	Bolivia	5.66
42	Malawi	5.61
43	Sri Lanka	5.60
44	Dominican Republic	5.57
45	United Arab Emirates	5.55
46	Côte d'Ivoire	5.54
47	Namibia	5.49
48	Indonesia	5.45
49	Ukraine	5.41
50	Qatar	5.40
51	Tunisia	5.33
52	Uganda	5.31
53	Macedonia	5.24
54	Burkina Faso	5.20
54	Malaysia	5.20
54	Rwanda	5.20
57	Kosovo	5.17
57	Mali	5.17
57	Mexico	5.17
60	Moldova	5.15
61	Madagascar	5.12
62	Togo	5.10
63	Tanzania	5.07
64	Zambia	5.06
65	Ecuador	4.99
66	Honduras	4.98
67	Sierra Leone	4.93
68	Kenya	4.92
69	Philippines	4.90
70	Jordan	4.84
71	China	4.79
72	Papua New Guinea	4.78
73	Kyrgyzstan	4.73
74	Turkey	4.72
75	Nigeria	4.59
76	Algeria	4.55
77	Guatemala	4.52
78	Vietnam	4.51
79	Hungary	4.44
80	Iraq	4.43
81	Kazakhstan	4.41
82	Kuwait	4.37
83	Morocco	4.28
84	Bangladesh	4.27
85	Armenia	4.25
85	Mozambique	4.25
87	Nicaragua	4.22
88	Central African Republic	4.10
89	Bosnia and Herzegovina	4.09
90	Mauritania	4.06
91	Afghanistan	4.02
92	Myanmar	3.97
93	Egypt	3.96
94	Cuba	3.93
95	Laos	3.89
95	Thailand	3.89
97	Azerbaijan	3.86
98	Saudi Arabia	3.80
99	Nepal	3.74
100	Ethiopia	3.65
101	Angola	3.60
101	Lebanon	3.60
103	Lesotho	3.59
104	Oman	3.54
105	Bahrain	3.52
105	Belarus	3.52
105	Russia	3.52
108	Pakistan	3.51
109	Cameroon	3.46
110	Haiti	3.39
111	Tajikistan	3.31
112	Burundi	3.29
113	Cambodia	3.23
114	Congo, Rep.	3.00
115	Iran	2.85
116	Chad	2.84
117	Uzbekistan	2.55
118	Turkmenistan	2.51
119	Congo, DR	2.47
120	Zimbabwe	2.37
121	South Sudan	2.30
122	Libya	2.29
123	Somalia	2.25
124	Sudan	1.97
125	Venezuela	1.86
126	Yemen	1.70
127	North Korea	1.30
128	Eritrea	1.13
128	Syria	1.13

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September 14, 2018 / Aurel Croissant