Threat Scores

Significant Threat Threat Level: 2.5 - out of 5
Threat Level: 0 - out of 5

    • The capable, impartial, and transparent administration of elections (e.g., vote casting, tabulating, and certification) and the peaceful transfer of power based on their results.

    • Freedom in both law and practice from actual or threatened physical political harm (e.g., assault, restricted movement, murder, or torture), infringements of economic rights (including property rights and freedom from forced labor), and other freedoms widely understood to be protected by the Constitution.

    • Transparency in lawmaking, impartial administration of public functions, and individuals’ full and equal access to justice through law enforcement, the courts, and other administrative bodies.

    • The ability of political parties, civil society organizations, and public protest groups to operate freely and publicly, within the limits of reasonable and unbiased regulation.

    • Including freedom of the press and individual free speech in both law and in practice.

    • The effective ability of all adult citizens to register and vote freely, in both law and in practice

    • The legislature having the authority and capacity to provide oversight of the executive branch, doing so vigorously in practice, and providing a meaningful forum for free political opposition.
    • Transparency in lawmaking, impartial administration of public functions, and individuals’ full
Low Threat Threat Level: 1.5 -
Low Threat Threat Level: 1.2 -
Severe Threat Threat Level: 3.2 -
Significant Threat Threat Level: 2.7 -

What the scores mean

  1. 1 • Low Threat

    Within range of a normally functioning consolidated democracy

  2. 2 • Significant Threat

    Moderate violations atypical of a well-functioning democracy, but that don’t yet threaten breakdown of this element of democracy

  3. 3 • Severe Threat

    Violations that signal significant erosion of democracy quality in this area and warn of high potential for breakdown in future

  4. 4 • Critical Threat

    Critical violations that seriously threaten this element of democracy’s near-term survival

  5. 5 • Catastrophic Threat

    Violations severe enough to make this aspect of the system non-democratic