2025 country profile

How democratic is
Sierra Leone?

Sierra Leone scores 64.7 out of 100 and ranks 63 of 179 in our independent 2025 democracy measure. Its lowest-scoring test is free and fair elections. Explore the evidence and history below.

Democracys.org beta estimate, derived from V-Dem v16. A measure of political institutions and conditions—not a percentage of democracy or a judgment of people.

Printable country brief Compare this country

DEMOCRACYS SCORE

64.7out of 100Substantial but incomplete

2025 rank63 of 179

10-year change+7.8

25-year change+27.0

Source-bound range58.8–71.7

Weakest areaElections

The source-bound range is an uncertainty guide, not a confidence interval for this combined score. How to read the range →

SCORE HISTORY

Sierra Leone, 1975–2025

The shaded area is a plain-language uncertainty guide. Treat small score differences cautiously.

About uncertainty

BEYOND THE NUMBERS

What changed on the ground?

A documented development to help interpret the institutions behind the score.

2025 context · Freedom House assessment

Protest conditions and labor bargaining showed improvement

Freedom House reports no major violence against protesters during the preceding two years and a negotiated resolution to a teachers’ strike. These developments concern the ability to assemble and advocate collectively. They are distinct from whether other oversight bodies, such as the audit service, operate independently.

Read the country report · Freedom in the World 2026

AI-assisted source summary · not independently expert-reviewed

What this context does—and does not—explain

This is a selected development, not a complete political history. Its date may differ from the selected comparison period. It is not evidence that one event caused a particular number of points, and it may describe progress even when this index declines.

The scores use V-Dem. The narrative summarizes a separate assessment by Freedom House, whose definitions and coverage differ. Neither organization endorses this website. The summary is AI-assisted, source-linked, and has not received independent country-expert review. Source checked October 5, 2026.

Why democracy measures can disagree →

UNDERSTAND THE CHANGE

What drove the score?

2015–2025 · the measured story

The score for Sierra Leone rose 7.8 points, from 56.9 to 64.7 between 2015 and 2025. 3 of the five areas improved while 2 worsened, so the headline combines competing movements. Public reasoning contributed the largest upward push in the score calculation. The latest year moved in the opposite direction (−0.6), so the longer trend is not the whole story.

Read the political context ↓

Largest influence on the calculation

Public reasoning

The evidence rates public justification, consultation, and engagement with opposing arguments more favorably.

Area score: 69.2 → 89.7
Approx. contribution to overall change: +3.6 points

Moving in the other direction

Elections

The evidence rates electoral choice, voting rights, political organization, and the space for open debate less favorably.

Area score: 51.4 → 47.1
Approx. contribution to overall change: −1.0 points

These contributions explain the calculation—not the causes. The five area scores combine several indicators; they do not identify which individual law, election, or event changed.

When did the biggest shifts appear?

The largest year-to-year movements within this period. These are changes in annual estimates, not precise dates of political events.

2016–2017+4.8 points
The overall score rose from 56.9 to 61.7. Public reasoning supplied the largest upward contribution to that year’s calculated change.
2017–2018+2.8 points
The overall score rose from 61.7 to 64.5. Political equality supplied the largest upward contribution to that year’s calculated change.
2019–2020+3.4 points
The overall score rose from 65.1 to 68.5. Rights and checks supplied the largest upward contribution to that year’s calculated change.

Highest published score in this window: 69.9 in 2021. Small differences may fall within the source’s uncertainty.

See all five areas and how contributions are calculated

Changes in inputs versus contributions to the overall score
Area	2015	2025	Input change	Approx. contribution
Public reasoning	69.2	89.7	+20.5	+3.6
Political equality	50.2	64.7	+14.5	+3.0
Rights and checks	54.3	67.3	+13.0	+2.6
Elections	51.4	47.1	−4.3	−1.0
Participation	60.6	58.3	−2.3	−0.5

We change the five inputs from their starting to ending values in every possible order, then average each area’s effect on the formula. This distributes the formula’s interactions (a Shapley allocation). It is a mathematical attribution, not a causal estimate.

Inputs and published scores are rounded, so contributions are approximate and may not add exactly to the displayed total. No significance test is implied. Read the full scoring method →

BENEATH THE SCORE

Five dimensions of democracy

The headline score cannot show where a political system is strong or constrained. These five tests can. Each has equal weight in the beta standard.

Free and fair elections

Can people choose their leaders through broad voting rights, honest elections, free political groups, and open public debate?

47.1

Rights and checks on power

Are basic freedoms protected, laws applied fairly, courts independent, and leaders prevented from abusing power?

67.3

Public participation

Can people shape public life through civic groups, direct voting, and meaningful local and regional government?

58.3

Public reasoning

Do leaders explain decisions, consult the public, answer opposing arguments, and consider the common good?

89.7

Political equality

Do different social groups have equal rights, access, resources, and a real chance to influence political power?

64.7

HOW TO READ THIS PROFILE

Two kinds of evidence.
One clearer picture.

The score breakdown identifies which parts of the measure changed most. The country report adds documented political context. Together they help explain the institutions at stake—but they do not prove that a specific event produced a specific number of points.

Why this score differs from other democracy indices →

What a declining score can—and cannot—tell us about democratic backsliding

A recent improvement can coexist with a long-term decline. Always compare the dates, check the linked source, and consider developments the selected narrative does not cover.

ANNUAL DATA

Sierra Leone score table

Download Sierra Leone CSV

Year	Score	Source-bound range	Elections	Rights & checks	Participation	Reasoning	Equality
2025	64.7	58.8–71.7	47.1	67.3	58.3	89.7	64.7
2024	65.3	59.2–72.2	47.1	71.8	58.3	89.7	63.5
2023	66.5	60.5–73.5	51.2	71.9	58.8	90.7	63.1
2022	68.7	62.7–75.7	57.0	74.3	58.9	91.8	64.1
2021	69.9	64.7–76.4	56.2	75.0	61.5	92.3	67.0
2020	68.5	63.1–74.9	56.1	72.7	61.5	92.8	62.3
2019	65.1	59.5–72.2	55.4	65.9	61.5	88.4	56.9
2018	64.5	58.7–71.4	54.8	64.2	61.5	88.5	56.2
2017	61.7	55.7–69.2	52.0	60.3	60.8	85.5	52.5
2016	56.9	49.7–64.1	51.4	53.4	60.6	69.8	50.2
2015	56.9	49.9–64.4	51.4	54.3	60.6	69.2	50.2
2014	56.9	49.9–64.4	51.4	54.3	60.6	69.2	50.2
2013	56.8	49.6–64.3	51.4	54.3	60.6	68.4	50.2
2012	57.4	50.4–64.8	50.8	56.7	60.5	72.4	48.1
2011	57.5	50.8–65.1	51.4	56.7	60.5	72.4	48.1
2010	57.5	50.8–65.1	51.4	56.7	60.5	72.4	48.1
2009	56.9	50.6–64.8	51.4	55.8	60.7	71.4	46.8
2008	57.0	50.6–64.9	51.7	55.8	60.8	71.4	46.8
2007	58.1	51.7–66.2	53.9	57.4	60.7	71.4	48.4
2006	58.5	51.6–66.0	55.7	56.1	60.9	72.1	48.8
2005	58.7	51.9–66.4	55.7	57.0	61.1	72.1	48.8
2004	58.7	52.0–66.7	55.7	58.8	61.3	69.9	48.8
2003	58.3	51.3–65.7	56.0	58.8	57.0	72.0	48.8
2002	53.4	46.9–60.2	43.0	48.2	57.1	72.0	48.8
2001	38.2	32.1–44.6	23.2	21.1	44.0	74.0	38.9
2000	37.7	31.6–43.9	23.2	21.1	44.2	74.0	36.1
1999	36.7	30.5–42.7	23.0	19.0	44.4	73.2	34.5
1998	36.1	30.3–42.4	22.0	17.9	44.6	73.2	34.5
1997	37.3	30.5–43.9	29.2	16.9	44.1	72.4	34.2
1996	39.6	33.1–46.3	28.1	27.2	42.6	73.0	34.2
1995	25.7	19.2–31.3	15.9	7.5	36.7	52.2	28.8
1994	23.4	17.1–28.9	15.3	7.5	36.7	38.6	28.5
1993	23.2	16.9–28.5	14.5	7.5	36.7	38.6	28.5
1992	25.1	18.4–30.6	16.5	11.8	36.4	38.6	28.5
1991	26.0	19.2–31.9	19.7	14.2	35.9	40.8	24.0
1990	26.8	20.1–33.0	19.6	23.2	33.8	37.0	22.6
1989	27.0	20.0–33.1	19.6	23.5	31.5	42.8	20.5
1988	26.9	19.9–33.0	19.5	23.5	31.5	42.8	20.5
1987	26.9	19.9–33.0	19.5	23.5	31.5	42.8	20.5
1986	26.7	19.5–32.5	19.5	23.5	30.2	42.8	20.4
1985	25.6	19.1–31.3	18.4	23.3	29.4	42.0	18.1
1984	25.2	18.8–30.8	18.2	23.3	27.4	42.0	18.1
1983	25.2	18.8–30.8	18.2	23.3	27.4	42.0	18.1
1982	25.2	18.8–30.8	18.2	23.3	27.4	42.0	18.1
1981	25.1	18.8–30.8	18.0	23.3	27.4	42.0	18.1
1980	25.3	18.9–31.0	18.7	23.3	27.4	42.0	18.1
1979	25.3	18.8–31.0	19.0	23.3	27.4	42.0	18.1
1978	26.8	20.3–32.7	19.6	23.9	31.9	44.0	18.1
1977	26.9	19.9–32.8	22.4	24.2	28.3	44.0	18.6
1976	27.1	20.0–33.0	23.4	24.2	28.3	44.0	18.6
1975	27.1	20.0–33.0	23.4	24.2	28.3	44.0	18.6
1974	27.1	20.0–33.0	23.4	24.2	28.3	44.0	18.6
1973	26.9	19.9–32.8	22.5	24.2	28.3	44.0	18.6
1972	27.5	20.6–33.2	20.6	24.0	33.8	44.0	18.6
1971	28.4	21.7–34.5	19.7	24.7	34.9	44.0	21.8
1970	26.6	20.0–32.5	16.1	22.3	33.9	44.0	21.2
1969	26.9	20.3–32.8	16.1	23.1	33.9	44.0	21.7
1968	26.7	19.7–32.1	16.9	22.2	33.9	43.1	21.3
1967	32.2	24.5–38.3	23.9	28.7	38.1	46.1	26.8
1966	37.2	28.8–44.2	36.6	36.0	38.1	47.0	29.4
1965	37.4	29.4–44.6	36.6	36.8	38.0	47.0	29.4
1964	37.8	30.0–45.4	36.9	37.9	38.0	48.2	29.4
1963	38.2	30.4–45.6	36.3	38.4	38.0	50.1	29.4
1962	38.2	30.3–45.5	36.3	38.4	38.0	50.1	29.4
1961	33.7	26.6–40.5	24.6	36.9	28.0	53.2	29.2
1960	31.2	23.9–37.7	23.8	31.8	28.6	55.0	21.5
1959	26.9	19.4–33.2	22.6	28.8	26.5	40.6	18.5
1958	26.9	19.4–33.2	22.6	28.8	26.5	40.6	18.5
1957	21.9	14.8–27.4	16.7	28.0	24.8	22.7	18.1
1956	21.6	14.6–27.2	16.2	27.2	24.8	22.7	18.1
1955	21.6	14.6–27.2	16.2	27.2	24.8	22.7	18.1
1954	21.5	14.5–27.1	15.9	27.2	24.8	22.7	18.1
1953	21.4	14.2–26.8	15.9	26.7	24.8	22.7	18.1
1952	20.5	13.5–25.9	15.5	26.5	24.8	20.3	16.5
1951	19.7	12.8–25.1	13.2	25.5	24.6	20.3	16.5
1950	17.5	11.1–22.5	7.9	23.4	22.9	20.3	16.0
1949	17.6	11.1–22.6	7.9	24.0	22.9	20.3	16.2
1948	17.6	11.1–22.6	7.9	24.0	22.9	20.3	16.2
1947	17.3	10.8–22.1	7.7	23.6	21.8	20.3	16.2
1946	17.3	10.9–22.1	7.7	23.6	21.8	20.3	16.3
1945	17.3	10.9–22.1	7.7	23.6	21.8	20.3	16.3
1944	17.3	10.9–22.1	7.7	23.6	21.8	20.3	16.3
1943	17.3	10.9–22.1	7.7	23.6	21.8	20.3	16.3
1942	17.3	10.9–22.1	7.7	23.6	21.8	20.3	16.3
1941	17.3	10.9–22.1	7.7	23.6	21.8	20.3	16.3
1940	17.3	10.9–22.1	7.7	23.6	21.8	20.3	16.3
1939	17.3	10.9–22.1	7.7	23.6	21.8	20.3	16.3
1938	17.3	10.9–22.1	7.7	23.6	21.8	20.3	16.3
1937	17.3	10.9–22.1	7.7	23.6	21.8	20.3	16.3
1936	17.3	10.9–22.1	7.7	23.6	21.8	20.3	16.3
1935	17.3	10.9–22.1	7.7	23.6	21.8	20.3	16.3
1934	17.3	10.9–22.1	7.7	23.6	21.8	20.3	16.3
1933	17.3	10.9–22.1	7.7	23.6	21.8	20.3	16.3
1932	17.3	10.9–22.1	7.7	23.6	21.8	20.3	16.3
1931	17.3	10.9–22.1	7.7	23.6	21.8	20.3	16.3
1930	17.3	10.9–22.1	7.7	23.6	21.8	20.3	16.3
1929	17.3	10.9–22.1	7.7	23.6	21.8	20.3	16.3
1928	17.3	10.9–22.1	7.7	23.6	21.8	20.3	16.3
1927	17.3	10.9–22.1	7.7	23.2	21.8	20.3	16.3
1926	17.3	10.9–22.1	7.7	23.2	21.8	20.3	16.3
1925	17.3	10.9–22.1	7.7	23.2	21.8	20.3	16.3
1924	17.3	10.7–22.0	7.4	24.0	21.8	20.3	16.3
1923	16.3	10.0–20.9	7.4	18.4	21.8	20.3	16.3
1922	16.3	10.0–20.9	7.4	18.4	21.8	20.3	16.3
1921	16.3	10.0–20.9	7.4	18.4	21.8	20.3	16.3
1920	16.3	10.0–20.9	7.4	18.4	21.8	20.3	16.3
1919	16.3	10.0–20.9	7.4	18.4	21.8	20.3	16.3
1918	16.3	10.0–20.9	7.4	18.4	21.8	20.3	16.3
1917	16.3	10.0–20.9	7.4	18.4	21.8	20.3	16.3
1916	16.3	10.0–20.9	7.4	18.4	21.8	20.3	16.3
1915	16.3	10.0–20.9	7.4	18.4	21.8	20.3	16.3
1914	16.3	10.0–20.9	7.4	18.4	21.8	20.3	16.3
1913	16.3	10.0–20.9	7.4	18.4	21.8	20.3	16.3
1912	16.3	10.0–20.9	7.4	18.4	21.8	20.3	16.3
1911	16.3	10.0–20.9	7.4	18.4	21.8	20.3	16.3
1910	16.3	10.0–20.9	7.4	18.4	21.8	20.3	16.3
1909	16.3	10.0–21.0	7.4	18.4	21.8	20.3	16.3
1908	16.3	10.0–21.0	7.4	18.4	21.8	20.3	16.3
1907	16.3	10.0–21.0	7.4	18.4	21.8	20.3	16.3
1906	16.3	10.0–21.0	7.4	18.4	21.8	20.3	16.3
1905	16.3	10.0–21.0	7.4	18.4	21.8	20.3	16.3
1904	16.3	10.0–21.0	7.4	18.4	21.8	20.3	16.3
1903	16.3	10.0–21.0	7.4	18.4	21.8	20.3	16.3
1902	16.3	10.0–21.0	7.4	18.4	21.8	20.3	16.3
1901	16.3	10.0–21.0	7.4	18.4	21.8	20.3	16.3
1900	16.3	10.0–21.0	7.4	18.4	21.8	20.3	16.3

CITE THIS PROFILE

Source and attribution

Democracys.org (2026), “Sierra Leone Democracy Score, 1900–2025,” Democracys Standard v1.0 beta; derived from Coppedge et al. (2026), V-Dem Country-Year Dataset v16.

Open source DOI

NEARBY IN THE 2025 RANKING

#61Dominican Republic65.3 #62Sao Tome and Principe65.2 #64Slovakia64.1 #65Argentina63.6

All rankings

How democratic isSierra Leone?

Sierra Leone, 1975–2025

Protest conditions and labor bargaining showed improvement

Public reasoning

Elections

When did the biggest shifts appear?

Five dimensions of democracy

Free and fair elections

Rights and checks on power

Public participation

Public reasoning

Political equality

Two kinds of evidence.One clearer picture.

Sierra Leone score table

Source and attribution

How democratic is
Sierra Leone?

Two kinds of evidence.
One clearer picture.