Georgia’s performance in global rankings is often the subject of speculation, as if there is some kind of difference of opinion among international evaluators regarding the country’s democratic decline.

We studied more than 20 international indices produced by 12 authoritative organizations around the world that measure various aspects of democracy (rule of law, civil liberties, level of corruption) and found that all of them show a decline.

More specifically, we first checked when Georgia had its maximum score in the aforementioned 20 international indices, which turned out to be mainly 2017-18, and then compared it with the most recent data, mainly from 2025.

As a result, we got an alarming picture: in 20 international indices measuring the quality of democracy by 2025, Georgia has worsened its best result by an average of 22%, and in some cases, the decline is even approaching 50%.

In addition to assigning points, 9 of the 20 indices studied also establish global rankings. We first checked when Georgia had the best place in the 9 mentioned ratings and saw that the best in this regard was 2017-18, and then we checked what position the country was in according to the latest data. As a result, it turned out that Georgia significantly dropped in all 9 ratings, by an average of 33 places.

1. Civic Space Index (Civicus Monitor)

Since 2017, the global alliance of civil society organizations Civicus has been measuring the level of civil society freedom (expression, assembly, association) in 198 countries around the world on a 100-point scale. In addition to assigning points, the index uses 5 assessment categories depending on how open or closed the space is for civil society: “open”, “narrowed”, “obstructed”, “repressed”, “closed”.

Georgia’s maximum score in the rating – 68 – was recorded in 2022 (scores from previous years are not publicly available). In 2025, the score decreased to 34 – by 50%. During the same period, the country was first assigned the status of “narrowed” to “obstructed” and finally to “repressed”.

In the Civicus world ranking, Georgia’s immediate neighbors, that is, countries with similar ratings, are Haiti, El Salvador, Madagascar, and Kyrgyzstan.

2. Liberal Democracy Index

The Swedish research organization “Varieties of Democracy” (V-Dem) measures the quality of democracy in 179 countries around the world. The “Liberal Democracy Index” is one of the main mechanisms of V-Dem, which measures the indicators of liberal democracy in a given country on a scale of 0 to 1.

Georgia’s maximum score in the ranking – 0.55 – was in 2018. In 2025, the score decreased to 0.28 – by 49%. During the same period, the country dropped 43 places in the world ranking (from 58 to 101).

Indonesia, the Philippines, Jordan and Lebanon also have a similar rating to Georgia.

3. Press Freedom Index

The France-based international non-governmental organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF - Reporters Sans Frontières) evaluates media freedom, the safety of journalists and the information environment in 180 countries around the world on a 100-point scale.

Georgia had the maximum score in the rating – 72.66 – in 2018. In 2026, the score decreased to 40.77 – by 44%. During the same period, the country dropped 74 places in the world ranking (from 61 to 135).

According to the index, Sri Lanka, Kuwait, Tunisia and Cameroon have a similar rating in the world ranking.

4. Transformation Index (Bertelsmann Transformation Index)

The German research organization Bertelsmann Stiftung evaluates the quality of democracy and governance in 137 developing countries every two years (on a 10-point scale).

4.1 Political Transformation Index

In the Political Transformation Index, which measures the quality of democracy, Georgia had the maximum score – 6.8 (out of 10) – in 2017. In 2025, the score decreased to 4.37 – by 35.7%. During the same period, the country dropped 39 places in the world ranking (from 37 to 76). Georgia has a similar assessment to Mauritania, while Togo ranks ahead.

4.2 Governance Index

In the Governance Index, Georgia had the maximum score – 5.87 – also in 2017. In 2025, the score dropped to 4.21 – by 28.3%. During the same period, the country dropped 54 places in the world ranking (from 33 to 87). Kyrgyzstan and Bosnia and Herzegovina are also here.

5. Democracy Index

The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), an analytical department of the British publication The Economist, annually assesses the quality of democracy in 167 countries on a 10-point scale.

Georgia’s maximum score in the rating – 5.93 – was in 2017. In 2025, the score dropped to 4.36 – by 26%. During the same period, the country dropped 20 places in the world ranking (from 79 to 99).

Georgia's neighbors in the world ranking are Sierra Leone, Gambia, and Uganda.

6. Global State of Democracy Indices (GSoD Indices)

The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) is an intergovernmental organization based in Sweden that assesses the quality of democracy in 173 countries around the world using a scale from 0 to 1 in 4 main areas. In recent years, Georgia's score has been decreasing in each of them:

6.1 Rule of Law: The maximum score was 0.55 in 2017-18. In 2025, the score decreased by 25% to 0.41.

6.2 Representation: The maximum score was 0.65 in 2016-17. In 2025, the score decreased to 0.45 – by 25%.

6.3 Civic Participation: The maximum score – 0.58 – was recorded in 2018-19. In 2025, the score decreased to 0.46 – by 21%.

6.4 Human Rights: Georgia’s score remained stable in 2018-22, but by 2025 it had decreased sharply, by 17%.

7. Freedom House Indices

The American non-governmental organization “Freedom House” assesses the quality of democracy in the world using 2 mechanisms:

7.1 “Freedom in the World”

The annual study called “Freedom in the World” assesses the level of political rights and civil liberties on a 100-point scale. Georgia’s maximum score in the index was 64 in 2017. In 2025, the score dropped to 51 – a 20% drop.

7.2 Nations in Transit Index

The index assesses the level of democracy and the strength of institutions in former communist countries on a 100-point scale. The index was discontinued in 2024, but the data is still significant. Georgia’s maximum score was 39.88 in 2017. In 2024, the score dropped to 34 – a 15% drop.

8. World Governance Indicators

The World Governance Indicators is a research database developed by the World Bank that has been assessing the quality of governance in more than 200 countries and jurisdictions around the world on a 100-point scale for more than two decades. The assessment consists of 6 components, of which Georgia’s score decreased in 4 and remained unchanged in 2:

8.1 Voice and Accountability: The maximum score was 61.74 in 2016. By 2024, the score had decreased to 52.41, a 15% decrease.

8.2 Control of Corruption: The maximum score was 65.3 in 2017. By 2024, the score decreased to 55.57 – by 15%.

8.3 Political Stability: The score remained stable until 2022, but by 2024 it had already dropped sharply – by 14%.

8.4 Rule of Law: The maximum score – 63.35 – was recorded in 2016. By 2024, the score decreased to 59.53 – by 6%.

In the remaining 2 components of the World Governance Indicators (“Government Effectiveness” and “Quality of Regulation”), Georgia has not experienced any significant setbacks or significant progress over the past 12 years.

9. Corruption Perceptions Index

The international anti-corruption organization Transparency International measures the perception of corruption in the public sector of 182 countries on a 100-point scale.

Georgia had the highest score in the rating – 58 – in 2018. In 2025, the score decreased to 50 – by 13.8%. During the same period, the country dropped 15 places in the world ranking (from 41 to 56).

In the world ranking, Georgia has a similar rating to Oman, Bahrain and Greece.

10. Rule of Law Index

The international organization World Justice Project measures the degree of rule of law in 143 countries around the world. On a scale of 0 to 1, 8 areas are measured: limitation of power, absence of corruption, open government, fundamental rights, order and security, enforcement of regulations, civil and criminal justice.

Georgia had the maximum score in the rating – 0.66 – in 2015-16. In 2025, the score decreased to 0.58 – by 12%. During the same period, the country fell 19 places in the world ranking (from 33 to 52). In the rating, Georgia is between the Bahamas and Kuwait.

The deterioration is more pronounced in the following categories: “Constraints of government powers” – a 21% decrease; “Civil justice” – a 20% decrease; “Fundamental rights” – a 16% decrease; “Absence of corruption” – a 14% decrease.

11. Freedom Index

The American research organization “Atlantic Council” measures the level of freedom in 164 countries around the world using 3 parameters: political freedom, rule of law and economic freedom. A 100-point scale is used.

Georgia’s maximum score in the rating – 73.3 – was in 2018. In 2025, the score decreased to 66.7 – by 9%. During the same period, the country fell 31 places in the world ranking (from 44 to 75).

Georgia has similar ratings in the world ranking to Jordan, Gambia, and Malawi.

12. Index of Public Integrity

The European Research Center for Anti-Corruption and State-Building (ERCAS) evaluates the integrity of the public sector and the quality of governance in 119 countries around the world on a 10-point scale every two years.

Georgia had the maximum score in the rating – 7.56 – in 2022. In 2024, the score decreased to 7.22 – by 4%. Over the years, Georgia has also dropped by 9 places compared to other countries (from 29 to 39).

Albania and Ukraine also have similar ratings in the world ranking.