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Democracy in Decline

Talking Truth to Turkey

How scientific analysis can help countering President Erdogan’s fake narrative of Turkey’s thriving democracy and why the European Union should reconsider its policy towards EU accession countries.

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BTI

Transformation Index 2016

Political and social tensions are growing. Governments have placed tighter restrictions on political and civil rights as a means of consolidating their power. Democracy and models of a social market economy are being challenged.

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BTI

Project goals

The BTI detects strengths and weaknesses in transformation management by international comparison and highlights examples of good governance. It results from the analytical collaboration of almost 300 experts in top academic institutions and think tanks around the world.

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Index

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

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Country reports

129 detailed reports provide the basis for the ratings.

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Atlas

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

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Rank Country Value
1 Taiwan 9.53
2 Estonia 9.49
3 Czech Republic 9.40
4 Uruguay 9.26
5 Poland 9.23
6 Lithuania 9.15
7 Slovenia 9.01
8 Chile 8.77
9 Slovakia 8.75
10 Latvia 8.63
11 South Korea 8.57
12 Costa Rica 8.49
13 Mauritius 8.09
14 Romania 8.06
15 Croatia 7.93
16 Bulgaria 7.91
17 Botswana 7.84
18 Hungary 7.69
19 Brazil 7.60
20 Montenegro 7.48
21 Serbia 7.43
22 Panama 7.32
23 Turkey 7.30
24 Jamaica 7.20
25 Singapore 7.17
26 Namibia 7.05
26 South Africa 7.05
28 India 6.96
29 El Salvador 6.90
30 Ghana 6.88
31 Macedonia 6.86
31 Peru 6.86
33 Albania 6.71
34 Argentina 6.65
34 Colombia 6.65
36 Mongolia 6.61
37 Bolivia 6.58
38 Philippines 6.53
39 Indonesia 6.47
40 Dominican Republic 6.44
41 Mexico 6.40
42 Bosnia and Herzegovina 6.38
42 Paraguay 6.38
44 Kosovo 6.33
45 Georgia 6.31
46 Benin 6.28
47 Moldova 6.24
48 Malaysia 6.21
49 Uganda 6.19
50 Tunisia 6.15
51 Senegal 6.11
52 Ukraine 6.05
52 United Arab Emirates 6.05
54 Bhutan 6.02
55 Qatar 6.01
56 Honduras 5.94
57 Kuwait 5.85
58 Kenya 5.80
59 Lebanon 5.74
60 Kyrgyzstan 5.71
61 Zambia 5.70
62 Sri Lanka 5.58
62 Tanzania 5.58
64 Armenia 5.56
65 Ecuador 5.55
65 Malawi 5.55
67 Liberia 5.54
68 Nicaragua 5.53
69 Niger 5.40
70 Bangladesh 5.39
71 Sierra Leone 5.37
72 Papua New Guinea 5.36
73 Lesotho 5.33
74 Mozambique 5.23
75 Mali 5.18
76 Guatemala 5.13
77 Algeria 5.11
78 Côte d'Ivoire 5.09
78 Jordan 5.09
80 Guinea 5.08
81 Russia 5.06
82 Madagascar 4.97
83 Bahrain 4.96
84 China 4.95
85 Kazakhstan 4.88
85 Nigeria 4.88
87 Rwanda 4.83
88 Thailand 4.79
89 Oman 4.75
90 Nepal 4.74
91 Vietnam 4.72
92 Burkina Faso 4.71
93 Togo 4.70
94 Morocco 4.60
95 Azerbaijan 4.44
96 Egypt 4.40
97 Burundi 4.36
98 Mauritania 4.35
99 Belarus 4.27
100 Cameroon 4.26
100 Saudi Arabia 4.26
102 Angola 4.16
103 Cuba 4.15
104 Cambodia 4.12
105 Venezuela 4.04
106 Pakistan 3.90
107 Laos 3.83
107 Zimbabwe 3.83
109 Tajikistan 3.60
110 Congo, Rep. 3.58
111 Ethiopia 3.55
112 Iraq 3.53
113 Chad 3.50
114 Haiti 3.46
115 Uzbekistan 3.40
116 Turkmenistan 3.39
117 Congo, DR 3.09
118 Iran 2.98
118 Myanmar 2.98
120 Afghanistan 2.95
121 Yemen 2.91
122 Central African Republic 2.89
123 South Sudan 2.82
124 Libya 2.64
125 Sudan 2.44
126 North Korea 2.14
127 Syria 1.80
128 Eritrea 1.71
129 Somalia 1.38
Rank Country Value Trend
1 Uruguay 9.95
2 Estonia 9.70
3 Taiwan 9.55
4 Poland 9.50
5 Czech Republic 9.45
6 Lithuania 9.30
7 Costa Rica 9.20
7 Slovenia 9.20
9 Chile 9.15
10 Slovakia 8.85
11 Latvia 8.75
12 Mauritius 8.60
13 South Korea 8.50
14 Croatia 8.40
15 Jamaica 8.30
16 Botswana 8.25
17 Bulgaria 8.15
17 Romania 8.15
19 Brazil 8.05
20 Ghana 7.90
21 Montenegro 7.85
21 Serbia 7.85
23 India 7.75
23 Namibia 7.75
25 Hungary 7.60
25 Panama 7.60
25 South Africa 7.60
28 Argentina 7.55
28 Benin 7.55
30 Bolivia 7.30
30 El Salvador 7.30
30 Mongolia 7.30
33 Turkey 7.25
34 Senegal 7.15
35 Dominican Republic 7.10
36 Albania 6.95
37 Indonesia 6.90
38 Paraguay 6.75
38 Ukraine 6.75
40 Georgia 6.70
40 Moldova 6.70
40 Niger 6.70
40 Philippines 6.70
44 Colombia 6.65
44 Kosovo 6.65
44 Macedonia 6.65
47 Uganda 6.60
48 Honduras 6.55
49 Liberia 6.55
49 Peru 6.55
51 Bhutan 6.50
51 Malawi 6.50
53 Sierra Leone 6.42
54 Bosnia and Herzegovina 6.30
54 Mexico 6.30
54 Tunisia 6.30
57 Kenya 6.25
57 Zambia 6.25
59 Tanzania 6.15
60 Kyrgyzstan 5.95
61 Papua New Guinea 5.90
62 Mali 5.85
63 Guinea 5.80
64 Lebanon 5.70
65 Lesotho 5.65
66 Mozambique 5.60
66 Nicaragua 5.60
68 Côte d'Ivoire 5.50
69 Ecuador 5.45
70 Madagascar 5.40
70 Nigeria 5.40
72 Singapore 5.37
73 Bangladesh 5.35
74 Armenia 5.23
75 Nepal 5.20
76 Guatemala 5.15
77 Malaysia 4.98
78 Algeria 4.80
78 Togo 4.80
80 Burkina Faso 4.73
81 Sri Lanka 4.67
82 Burundi 4.62
83 Russia 4.40
84 Kuwait 4.38
85 Mauritania 4.27
86 Angola 4.25
87 Zimbabwe 4.20
88 Jordan 4.03
89 Venezuela 4.02
90 United Arab Emirates 3.95
91 Belarus 3.93
91 Egypt 3.93
93 Morocco 3.83
93 Qatar 3.83
93 Rwanda 3.83
96 Cameroon 3.80
97 Haiti 3.75
98 Cambodia 3.73
98 Kazakhstan 3.73
100 Pakistan 3.70
101 Cuba 3.68
102 Tajikistan 3.55
103 Vietnam 3.52
104 Chad 3.50
105 Azerbaijan 3.48
105 Bahrain 3.48
107 Congo, Rep. 3.45
107 Iraq 3.45
109 Congo, DR 3.40
110 Thailand 3.30
111 China 3.28
111 South Sudan 3.28
113 Ethiopia 3.23
114 Oman 3.22
115 Central African Republic 3.20
115 Myanmar 3.20
117 Afghanistan 3.02
117 Uzbekistan 3.02
119 Iran 2.97
120 Laos 2.90
121 Turkmenistan 2.85
122 Yemen 2.82
123 North Korea 2.60
124 Saudi Arabia 2.52
125 Sudan 2.48
126 Libya 2.38
127 Eritrea 2.07
128 Syria 1.70
129 Somalia 1.50
Rank Country Value Trend
1 Taiwan 9.50
2 Czech Republic 9.36
3 Estonia 9.29
4 Lithuania 9.00
5 Poland 8.96
5 Singapore 8.96
7 Slovenia 8.82
8 Slovakia 8.64
8 South Korea 8.64
10 Uruguay 8.57
11 Latvia 8.50
12 Chile 8.39
13 Qatar 8.18
14 United Arab Emirates 8.14
15 Romania 7.96
16 Costa Rica 7.79
16 Hungary 7.79
18 Bulgaria 7.68
19 Mauritius 7.57
20 Croatia 7.46
21 Botswana 7.43
21 Malaysia 7.43
23 Turkey 7.36
24 Kuwait 7.32
25 Peru 7.18
26 Brazil 7.14
27 Montenegro 7.11
28 Macedonia 7.07
29 Panama 7.04
30 Serbia 7.00
31 Colombia 6.64
32 China 6.61
33 El Salvador 6.50
33 Mexico 6.50
33 South Africa 6.50
33 Sri Lanka 6.50
37 Albania 6.46
37 Bosnia and Herzegovina 6.46
39 Bahrain 6.43
40 Namibia 6.36
40 Philippines 6.36
42 Oman 6.29
42 Thailand 6.29
44 India 6.18
45 Jordan 6.14
46 Jamaica 6.11
47 Indonesia 6.04
47 Kazakhstan 6.04
49 Kosovo 6.00
49 Paraguay 6.00
49 Saudi Arabia 6.00
49 Tunisia 6.00
53 Georgia 5.93
53 Mongolia 5.93
53 Vietnam 5.93
56 Armenia 5.89
57 Bolivia 5.86
57 Ghana 5.86
59 Rwanda 5.82
60 Dominican Republic 5.79
60 Lebanon 5.79
60 Moldova 5.79
60 Uganda 5.79
64 Argentina 5.75
65 Russia 5.71
66 Ecuador 5.64
67 Bhutan 5.54
68 Kyrgyzstan 5.46
68 Nicaragua 5.46
70 Algeria 5.43
70 Bangladesh 5.43
72 Azerbaijan 5.39
73 Kenya 5.36
73 Morocco 5.36
73 Ukraine 5.36
76 Honduras 5.32
77 Zambia 5.14
78 Guatemala 5.11
79 Senegal 5.07
80 Benin 5.00
80 Lesotho 5.00
80 Tanzania 5.00
83 Egypt 4.86
83 Mozambique 4.86
85 Papua New Guinea 4.82
86 Laos 4.75
87 Cameroon 4.71
88 Burkina Faso 4.68
88 Côte d'Ivoire 4.68
90 Belarus 4.61
90 Cuba 4.61
90 Malawi 4.61
90 Togo 4.61
94 Liberia 4.54
94 Madagascar 4.54
96 Cambodia 4.50
96 Mali 4.50
98 Mauritania 4.43
99 Guinea 4.36
99 Nigeria 4.36
101 Sierra Leone 4.32
102 Nepal 4.29
103 Burundi 4.11
103 Niger 4.11
103 Pakistan 4.11
106 Angola 4.07
106 Venezuela 4.07
108 Turkmenistan 3.93
109 Ethiopia 3.86
110 Uzbekistan 3.79
111 Congo, Rep. 3.71
112 Tajikistan 3.64
113 Iraq 3.61
114 Chad 3.50
115 Zimbabwe 3.46
116 Haiti 3.18
117 Iran 3.00
117 Yemen 3.00
119 Afghanistan 2.89
119 Libya 2.89
121 Congo, DR 2.79
122 Myanmar 2.75
123 Central African Republic 2.57
124 Sudan 2.39
125 South Sudan 2.36
129 Somalia 2.00
126 Syria 1.89
127 North Korea 1.68
128 Eritrea 1.36
Rank Country Value
1 Uruguay 7.56
2 Chile 7.51
3 Taiwan 7.48
4 Estonia 7.40
5 Poland 7.22
6 Lithuania 7.19
7 Latvia 6.97
8 Slovakia 6.96
9 Botswana 6.95
10 South Korea 6.89
11 Costa Rica 6.87
12 Czech Republic 6.85
13 El Salvador 6.76
14 Brazil 6.73
15 Mauritius 6.68
16 Senegal 6.65
17 Bhutan 6.55
18 Slovenia 6.47
19 Ghana 6.41
20 Croatia 6.39
21 Montenegro 6.37
22 Serbia 6.30
23 Liberia 6.16
24 India 6.14
24 Paraguay 6.14
26 Namibia 6.12
27 South Africa 6.09
28 Colombia 6.08
29 Turkey 6.03
30 Jamaica 5.99
31 Singapore 5.96
32 Bulgaria 5.94
32 Niger 5.94
34 Panama 5.86
35 Guinea 5.81
35 Mongolia 5.81
37 Romania 5.79
38 Albania 5.74
39 Georgia 5.72
40 Uganda 5.70
41 Macedonia 5.67
42 Malawi 5.63
43 Dominican Republic 5.62
44 Bolivia 5.60
45 Honduras 5.56
46 Indonesia 5.54
47 Malaysia 5.44
48 Benin 5.42
49 Mali 5.40
50 United Arab Emirates 5.36
51 Peru 5.35
51 Sierra Leone 5.35
53 Qatar 5.33
54 Moldova 5.31
55 Mexico 5.29
55 Tunisia 5.29
57 Philippines 5.20
58 Zambia 5.19
59 Kosovo 5.15
60 Tanzania 5.14
61 Côte d'Ivoire 5.13
62 Rwanda 5.10
63 Kenya 5.00
63 Mozambique 5.00
65 Ukraine 4.98
66 Burkina Faso 4.92
67 Nicaragua 4.90
68 Madagascar 4.84
69 Vietnam 4.83
70 Togo 4.82
71 Argentina 4.78
71 Kyrgyzstan 4.78
73 Papua New Guinea 4.77
74 China 4.70
75 Jordan 4.68
76 Hungary 4.67
77 Guatemala 4.60
78 Sri Lanka 4.51
79 Ecuador 4.44
80 Algeria 4.43
81 Morocco 4.37
82 Bangladesh 4.36
82 Egypt 4.36
84 Armenia 4.29
84 Kuwait 4.29
86 Central African Republic 4.28
87 Kazakhstan 4.25
88 Iraq 4.21
89 Mauritania 4.20
90 Myanmar 4.18
91 Bosnia and Herzegovina 4.09
92 Burundi 4.07
93 Cuba 4.06
93 Nigeria 4.06
95 Nepal 4.05
96 Lesotho 4.04
97 Lebanon 3.90
98 Afghanistan 3.88
99 Thailand 3.87
100 Bahrain 3.86
101 Saudi Arabia 3.82
101 Yemen 3.82
103 Azerbaijan 3.72
104 Laos 3.67
104 Oman 3.67
106 Angola 3.63
106 Cameroon 3.63
108 Ethiopia 3.48
109 Haiti 3.44
110 Congo, Rep. 3.43
111 Cambodia 3.40
112 Pakistan 3.31
113 Tajikistan 3.28
114 Russia 3.17
115 South Sudan 2.99
116 Belarus 2.98
117 Chad 2.79
118 Congo, DR 2.76
119 Zimbabwe 2.71
120 Iran 2.69
121 Libya 2.43
122 Turkmenistan 2.39
123 Somalia 2.08
124 Sudan 2.02
125 Uzbekistan 1.94
126 Venezuela 1.86
127 North Korea 1.22
128 Syria 1.20
129 Eritrea 1.13
 

BTI Blog

to our blog

June 21, 2017 / Ludwig Schulz

Talking Truth to Turkey

How scientific analysis can help countering President Erdogan’s fake narrative of Turkey’s thriving democracy and why the European Union should reconsider its policy towards EU accession countries. In his official message for Europe Day on 9 May 2017, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that his country “which has been a part of Europe historically, […] read more

May 19, 2017 / Jan Claudius Völkel

As Populists Rise in the West, Arab Autocrats Rejoice

The decay of democratic norms in European and U.S. policy-making plays into the hands of autocratic leaders in the Middle East and North Africa. While Prime Minister Theresa May officially announced the United Kingdom’s intention to leave the EU on 29 March 2017, and constant leaks and news from the White House about President Donald […] read more

May 12, 2017 / Robert Schwarz

Is South Korea’s New President up to the Job?

Former human-rights attorney Moon Jae-in has won the South Korean presidential elections. His supporters expect above all a fight against cronyism and fundamental economic reforms. Relations with neighbors and allies are tense. On Wednesday, Moon Jae-in was sworn in for a five-year term as South Korea’s president. Winning 41 percent of the votes in Tuesday’s […] read more

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Understanding Transformation

A glance at three dynamic cases of democratic reform, socioeconomic development and successful political steering from the perspective of the Bertelsmann Stiftung’s Transformation Index (BTI). read more