Despite maintaining its status as a “full democracy” with an overall score of 8.07, the country’s decline is largely attributed to weaknesses in government functioning.
While Greece scored a perfect 10 in “Electoral Process and Pluralism”, reaffirming the strength and credibility of its electoral system, other areas showed notable shortcomings. The biggest weakness was in government functioning, where it scored 6.79, reflecting issues with transparency, accountability, and governance efficiency.
Political participation was rated at 7.22, indicating room for improvement in civic engagement beyond elections. Meanwhile, political culture scored 7.50, and civil liberties received a strong 8.82, signaling that fundamental freedoms are generally well protected. However, concerns over press freedom, judicial independence, and state interference in media and protests prevented Greece from scoring higher.
At the top of the Democracy Index 2024, Northern European nations continue to lead, with Norway (9.81), New Zealand (9.61), Sweden (9.39), Iceland (9.38), Switzerland (9.32), Finland (9.30), and Denmark (9.28) earning the highest rankings. These countries distinguish themselves with institutional stability, high political engagement, and effective governance, reinforcing their status as the world’s strongest democracies.
