Understanding the State of Civic Freedom
The Civic Freedom & Integrity Index captures how societies protect civic freedoms, uphold equality before the law, maintain institutional integrity, and nurture democratic resilience — providing a clearer picture of the lived experience of freedom.
By synthesizing datasets on corruption control, civil and political rights, media freedom, rule of law, and equality protections, CIFINI goes beyond electoral mechanics to surface meaningful distinctions between resilient democracies and increasingly constrained civic environments.
Countries score between 0 and 100 on the index, where higher scores indicate stronger civic space, greater institutional integrity, and more robust protections for citizen rights and freedoms.
Key Findings
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175 Nations Assessed Comprehensive coverage across six continents
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Norway Leads with 89.08 Exemplifying open and resilient democracy
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Global Average: 54.55 Midpoint between resilience and constraint
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Multi-Dimensional Focus Civic freedoms, integrity, equality, accountability
The Six Tiers of Civic Freedom
CIFINI groups countries into six tiers that describe the strength of civic freedom and institutional integrity — from open democracies to closed systems.
Very strong civic freedoms, low corruption, independent media, and durable rule of law. Democratic institutions are resilient.
Stable institutions with generally strong civil liberties. Some weaknesses may exist in institutional trust or press conditions.
Democratic structures exist but institutional checks or equality protections are under emerging stress.
Formal institutions but rising pressures on civic freedoms, media, and accountability mechanisms.
Limited political competition, constrained media, and selective application of the law are common.
Severely restricted civic freedoms, weak rule of law, and limited dissent. Independent media faces heavy constraints.
Top Performing Nations
| Rank | Country | Score | Classification |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Norway | 89.08 | Open & Resilient |
| 2 | Denmark | 88.55 | Open & Resilient |
| 3 | Finland | 87.68 | Open & Resilient |
| 4 | New Zealand | 86.97 | Open & Resilient |
| 5 | Iceland | 86.42 | Open & Resilient |
| 6 | Sweden | 86.17 | Open & Resilient |
How CIFINI is Constructed
CIFINI integrates data from leading governance and human-rights sources, synthesizing indicators such as corruption control, rule of law, civil liberties, and equality before the law.
The index prioritizes the lived civic experience — how institutions treat citizens, whether freedoms are guaranteed, and whether integrity laws are enforced fairly.
CIFINI does not evaluate economic output, cultural factors, or military capabilities. Instead, it maps civic freedom and institutional integrity to help governments, NGOs, and researchers understand where democratic resilience is strongest.
Data Sources & Focus Areas
- Corruption Control & Transparency
- Civil & Political Rights Protections
- Media Freedom & Independence
- Rule of Law & Judicial Integrity
- Equality Before the Law
- Democratic Accountability Mechanisms
Questions or Partnerships?
Whether you have questions about our methodology, want to explore data partnerships, or are interested in using CIFINI for research purposes, we'd love to hear from you.
contact@cifini.orgWe Can Help With
- Academic research collaborations
- NGO and policy organization data access
- Media inquiries and interviews
- Methodology questions and feedback
Ready to Dive Deeper?
Access the interactive dashboard for sortable rankings, continent filters, a global map visualization, and downloadable data.