The V-Dem Institute’s Democracy Report 2026 (titled “Unraveling The Democratic Era?”), considered one of the most prestigious and statistically rigorous assessments of global governance, gave Dominican Republic high marks. The V-Dem stands for Varieties of Democracy).
The report released 17 March 2026 points to “a great reversal” in global democratic standards. The same V-Dem Report data confirms that the Dominican Republic has avoided the “Autocratization Wave” currently sweeping 42% of the world. As per the findings of the report, the DR today serves as a regional benchmark for institutional stability in the Caribbean.
Based at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, the V Dem Report is widely cited by major international organizations (OECD, UN, World Bank), academic researchers, and premier news outlets like The New York Times and The Guardian.
The V-Dem Institute’s 2026 Democracy Report provides a comprehensive statistical breakdown of the Dominican Republic’s governance. While many nations are currently experiencing “autocratization,” the Dominican Republic remains a notable regional outlier, maintaining its classification as an Electoral Democracy.
Key Findings from the 2026 Report
• Global Decline: Democracy for the average global citizen has regressed to 1978 levels.
• The U.S. Downgrade: For the first time in over 50 years, the United States has lost its status as a “Liberal Democracy” and is now classified as an “Electoral Democracy.” Its rank dropped from 20th to 51st place globally.
• Autocratization wave: 44 countries are currently in a state of democratic backsliding, affecting 41% of the world’s population.
• Top performers: Denmark, Sweden, and Norway continue to lead the Liberal Democracy Index (LDI).
Below are the specific details, rankings, and statistical indicators for the Dominican Republic as of the March 2026 release.
Core Indices and Global Rankings: The Dominican Republic is evaluated across several high-level indices. The scores range from 0 (lowest) to 1 (highest). The DR ranked 0.48 in the Liberal Democracy Index (LDI). The country ranked 64th out of 179 countries in the Global Rank. Moreover, the DR is regarded as a stable country. It has maintained a consistent score since 2020, avoiding the “gray zone” of democratic backsliding seen in neighboring nations.
In the Electoral Democracy Index (EDI), the DR scored 0.69 for a global rank of 58th of 179 countries. This relatively high score reflects the country’s success in holding free and fair periodic elections and the relative independence of the Central Electoral Board (JCE).
In regards to the Liberal Component Index, the DR scored 0.55. This measures the protection of individual liberties and the legislative/judicial oversight of the executive branch
Key performance indicators
The 2026 report highlights several areas where the Dominican Republic shows institutional resilience compared to the Latin American average. Among these:
• Anti-Corruption & Transparency: The report notes that the DR continues to benefit from the “2020 Pivot,” where judicial independence was prioritized. The country’s “Clean Elections” score remains among the highest in the Caribbean.
• Freedom of Expression: Scored at 0.82. The report highlights a vibrant media landscape, though it cautions about occasional “economic pressure” on smaller media outlets.
• Rule of Law: Consistent with the 2025 World Justice Project findings, V-Dem 2026 recognizes the DR for its “constrained government powers,” meaning the President’s actions are effectively checked by the judiciary and the press.
Why is the V-Dem Report so prestigious?
The V-Dem (Varieties of Democracy) project is distinct because of its scale and methodology:
The institute manages a massive dataset of over 32 million data points, the largest of its kind, covering 202 countries from 1789 to 2025.
Likewise, it relies on expert consensus: Instead of relying on a small internal team, the report uses a network of over 4,200 scholars and experts from 180 countries to ensure local accuracy and minimize bias. Furthermore, it takes a multidimensional approach. Unlike simpler indices, V-Dem breaks democracy down into five distinct high-level principles: electoral, liberal, participatory, deliberative, and egalitarian.
Read more:
V Dem Report 2026
Presidency
Listin Diario
23 March 2026