Photo: kulimpapat derivative work: Inkey · CC BY 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 09 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Brunei: Democracy & Civil Liberties
Do people choose their rulers, and can they speak freely?
Brunei is placed 100th of 198 countries on democracy & civil liberties in the Country Index 2026, from 2 of its 4 key statistics. Readings behind it: Rule of Law 0.674 (2025); Civic Space Ratings 29.58 (2025).
Share
Democracy & Civil Liberties
100th
of 198 countries placed
Placed from 2 of 4 key statistics
01The evidence
The 4 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Brunei on democracy & civil liberties — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used — or, for a survey-based key, each country’s latest reading; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.
0.674
Rule of Law estimate (−2.5 to 2.5)
Higher is better
Brunei: 0.674. Across the 211 countries in this edition, values run from -2.199 (Venezuela) to 2.012 (Finland); the world median is -0.102.
- World median
- -0.102
- Best in South-eastern Asia
- 1.489 Singapore
- Land neighbours
- Malaysia 0.408
29.58
Civic space score (0–100)
Higher is better
Brunei: 29.58. Across the 198 countries in this edition, values run from 2.17 (North Korea) to 100 (Kiribati); the world median is 50.46.
- World median
- 50.46
- Best in South-eastern Asia
- 71.97 Timor-Leste
- Land neighbours
- Malaysia 49.74
Key 3 of 4
V-Dem Electoral Democracy Index
V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY-SA 4.0
No reading
Electoral democracy index (0–1)
Higher is better
V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg publishes no 2025 figure for Brunei, so the standing rests on the other keys.
Across the 176 countries in this edition, values run from 0.016 (Saudi Arabia) to 0.913 (Denmark); the world median is 0.497.
- World median
- 0.497
- Best in South-eastern Asia
- 0.736 Timor-Leste
- Land neighbours
- Malaysia 0.504
Key 4 of 4
Perceptions of Electoral Integrity Index
Electoral Integrity Project (EIP)
Latest reading per country, 2015–2025 · CC BY 4.0
No reading
Electoral Integrity Index (0–100; higher = greater electoral integrity)
Higher is better
EIP publishes no reading from 2015–2025 for Brunei, so the standing rests on the other keys.
Across the 171 countries at their latest reading, values run from 12.86 (Iraq) to 88.61 (Sweden); the world median is 54.78.
- World median
- 54.78
- Best in South-eastern Asia
- 65.12 Timor-Leste
- Land neighbours
- Malaysia 57.59
02Over time
Which way Brunei is moving
Each key’s published value, edition by edition, beside the world median. The Country Index 2026 is the first edition of the standing, so the standing itself has no history to chart yet.
Rule of Law
Rule of Law estimate (−2.5 to 2.5) · higher is better
BruneiWorld median
Brunei fell from 0.792 in 2000 to 0.674 in 2025; the world median went from -0.175 to -0.102.
Every year’s figures
Year Brunei World median 2025 0.6737 -0.10240 2024 0.6156 -0.10722 2023 0.6398 -0.10312 2022 0.6411 -0.12950 2021 0.5584 -0.13640 2020 0.5873 -0.14164 2019 0.3694 -0.13092 2018 0.4224 -0.13830 2017 0.4063 -0.15682 2016 0.3820 -0.15385 2015 0.4642 -0.18731 2014 0.5338 -0.20216 2013 0.5342 -0.21236 2012 0.6550 -0.20061 2011 0.6813 -0.25960 2010 0.6604 -0.21447 2009 0.6778 -0.15524 2008 0.4800 -0.16368 2007 0.4106 -0.15051 2006 0.2088 -0.11143 2005 0.2082 -0.08498 2004 0.6429 -0.14158 2003 0.8018 -0.15770 2002 0.8032 -0.13265 2000 0.7915 -0.17518
03In context
Brunei beside its neighbours
A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 198 countries on democracy & civil liberties, never a place within the region.
Brunei and the countries it borders
Standing among all 198; the key columns are the publishers’ own values.
| Country | Standing | Rule of LawRule of Law estimate (−2.5 to 2.5) | Civic Space RatingsCivic space score (0–100) | V-Dem Electoral Democracy IndexElectoral democracy index (0–1) | Perceptions of Electoral Integrity IndexElectoral Integrity Index (0–100; higher = greater electoral integrity) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Malaysia | 95th | 0.408 | 49.74 | 0.504 | 57.59 |
| Brunei | 100th | 0.674 | 29.58 | — | — |
“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is
Across South-eastern Asia
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 198.
Placed either side on democracy & civil liberties
The countries immediately above and below Brunei in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where Brunei is ahead of the world, and behind
2 more statistics filed under democracy & civil liberties, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.
Behind the world median2
Statistics on which Brunei does worse than the middle country measured.
Compliance with Labour RightsILO · 2024 · world median 1.612.581.61▲ Improved since 2015
Brunei: 2.58 · world median 1.61 · Compliance with freedom of association and collective bargaining rights (0 = best, 10 = worst). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 10; lower is better.
Voice and AccountabilityWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median -0.022-0.954-0.022No real change since 2015
Brunei: -0.954 · world median -0.022 · Voice and Accountability estimate (−2.5 to 2.5). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from -2.348 to 1.825; higher is better.
Position 150th of 206 · derived.
No current reading for Brunei
Academic Freedom Index, Deliberative Democracy Index, Egalitarian Democracy Index, Equal Protection Index, Exclusion by Socio-Economic Group, Freedom of Expression and Alternative Sources of Information Index, Freedom of Foreign Movement, Freedom of Peaceful Assembly, Freedom of Religion, Government Censorship of the Media, Government Dissemination of False Information (Domestic), Government Internet Shutdowns, Government Social Media Censorship, Judicial Constraints on the Executive Index, Liberal Democracy Index, Mass Mobilization, Military Dimension Index, Neopatrimonial Rule Index, Participatory Democracy Index, Perceptions of Electoral Integrity Index, Physical Violence Index, Political Polarization, Social Institutions and Gender Index, V-Dem Electoral Democracy Index and Women's Political Empowerment Index. Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.
“Position · derived” is this site’s ordering of the published values, 1st = best unless the row says otherwise; the publisher ranks no country on it. Rank, position and standing
05Country Index 2026
Democracy & Civil Liberties among Brunei’s 15 topics
Democracy & Civil Liberties is Brunei’s 9th best-placed topic of 15. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Risk & Resilience24th of 1933/4 keys
- Economy & Innovation44th of 1762/4 keys
- Governance & Institutions49th of 1943/4 keys
- Work & Labourjoint 72nd of 1824/4 keys
- Food & Agriculturejoint 73rd of 1843/4 keys
- Health & Wellbeing82nd of 2002/4 keys
- Peace & Security76th of 1772/4 keys
- Development & Human Capital88th of 1963/3 keys
- Democracy & Civil Liberties100th of 1982/4 keys
- Gender & Equalityjoint 97th of 1832/4 keys
- Mobility & Trade96th of 1773/4 keys
- Education & Knowledge127th of 1982/4 keys
- Digital & Technologyjoint 133rd of 1983/4 keys
- Environment & Sustainability146th of 1862/4 keys
- Energy140th of 1653/3 keys
No standing on Poverty & Inequality: too few of those topics’ key statistics are published for this country.
06The top of the list
Who leads on democracy & civil liberties
The three countries placed highest of 198, and the leaders Brunei can most readily be measured against.
1
NorwayNorthern Europe
1st of 198 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: Ximonic , Simo Räsänen · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
2
DenmarkNorthern Europe
2nd of 198 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: User:Aconcagua · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
3
LiechtensteinWestern Europe
3rd of 198 · 2 of 4 keys
Photo: Guido Radig,Inkey · CC BY 3.0, greyscale
Placed highest nearby
Highest in Asia
Japan28th4/4 keysHighest in South-eastern Asia
Timor-Leste=73rd4/4 keysThis page
Brunei100th2/4 keys
Positions out of 198 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.
07Analysis
Charts and analysis about Brunei and democracy & civil liberties
08Questions
Brunei on democracy & civil liberties: questions answered
Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.
How does Brunei rank on democracy & civil liberties?
Brunei is placed 100th of 198 countries on Democracy & Civil Liberties in the Country Index 2026, from 2 of its 4 key statistics (Rule of Law and Civic Space Ratings). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.
What is the latest Rule of Law figure for Brunei?
0.674 in 2025 (rule of Law estimate (−2.5 to 2.5)), according to World Bank Group. The world median in the same edition was -0.102.
What is the latest Civic Space Ratings figure for Brunei?
29.58 in 2025 (civic space score (0–100)), according to CIVICUS. The world median in the same edition was 50.46.
How does Brunei compare with Malaysia on democracy & civil liberties?
Malaysia is placed 95th of 198, and Brunei 100th. Rule of Law: Malaysia 0.408, Brunei 0.674; Civic Space Ratings: Malaysia 49.74, Brunei 29.58.
How have Brunei’s democracy & civil liberties figures changed?
Rule of Law fell from 0.792 in 2000 to 0.674 in 2025.
Which democracy & civil liberties statistics are missing for Brunei?
No current reading is published for Brunei on Academic Freedom Index, Deliberative Democracy Index, Egalitarian Democracy Index, Equal Protection Index, Exclusion by Socio-Economic Group, Freedom of Expression and Alternative Sources of Information Index, Freedom of Foreign Movement, Freedom of Peaceful Assembly, Freedom of Religion, Government Censorship of the Media, Government Dissemination of False Information (Domestic), Government Internet Shutdowns, Government Social Media Censorship, Judicial Constraints on the Executive Index, Liberal Democracy Index, Mass Mobilization, Military Dimension Index, Neopatrimonial Rule Index, Participatory Democracy Index, Perceptions of Electoral Integrity Index, Physical Violence Index, Political Polarization, Social Institutions and Gender Index, V-Dem Electoral Democracy Index and Women's Political Empowerment Index. They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.
09Method
Method, sources and how to cite
What this topic does not measure
This topic does not judge whether a government is competent or honest — that is Governance & Institutions — and it does not measure economic freedom. It also cannot capture everything about a political system in a single place in a list, which is why every key behind it links to the publisher's full edition.
How the Democracy & Civil Liberties standing is decided
A standing is this site’s ordering, named with its edition — never a publisher’s rank. 4 key statistics vote, one vote each; every country’s published value becomes a place within that key’s own field, the places are averaged, and the average is never published. A country needs 2 of the 4 keys to be placed.
The democracy & civil liberties method, step by stepHow every standing on this site is built
The key statistics and their licences
- Rule of Law — World Bank Group, CC BY 4.0
- Civic Space Ratings — CIVICUS, CC BY-SA 4.0
- V-Dem Electoral Democracy Index — V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Perceptions of Electoral Integrity Index — Electoral Integrity Project (EIP), CC BY 4.0
The other 2 statistics on this page come from 2 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.
The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photographs
Brunei’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Brunei (banner) — kulimpapat derivative work: Inkey, CC BY 2.0
- Norway — Ximonic , Simo Räsänen, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Denmark — User:Aconcagua, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Liechtenstein — Guido Radig,Inkey, CC BY 3.0
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). Brunei: Democracy & Civil Liberties — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/brunei/democracy