Nations in Transit 2019
Armenia
32
100
| DEMOCRACY-PERCENTAGE Democracy Percentage | 32.14 100 |
| DEMOCRACY-SCORE Democracy Score | 2.93 7 |
Last Year's Democracy Percentage & Status
26
100
The ratings are based on a scale of 1 to 7, with 7 representing the highest level of democratic progress and 1 the lowest. The Democracy Score is an average of ratings for the categories tracked in a given year. The Democracy Percentage, introduced in 2020, is a translation of the Democracy Score to the 0-100 scale, where 0 equals least democratic and 100 equals most democratic.
See the methodology.
- National Democratic Governance score improved from 2.00 to 2.50. The Velvet Resolution and the installation of reformist prime minister Nikol Pashinyan did much to bolster the democratic character of Armenia’s governmental system. Pashinyan’s election in May (by Armenia’s old parliament) and reelection in December (by the country’s new parliament) allowed for a de jure transition of power and paved the way for necessary reforms to the governmental system in the year to come.
- Electoral Process score improved from 2.00 to 3.00. In 2018, Armenia held two votes—municipal elections in Yerevan in September and parliamentary elections in December—which, in marked contrast to votes in the country’s recent past, were largely free and fair. This can be attributed to the political will of the prodemocratic forces empowered by the April-May 2018 Velvet Revolution. While the country’s electoral code remained by and large unreformed, amendments in May made several improvements, including criminalizing electoral misconduct, in line with OSCE/ODIHR and Venice Commission recommendations.
- Civil Society score improved from 4.25 to 4.50. The Velvet Revolution saw NGOs and citizens’ groups successfully mobilize to prevent president-turned-prime minister Serzh Sargsyan’s bid to remain in power for an eleventh consecutive year despite state repression. Following the success of this effort, civil society organizations were invited to play an active consultative role in the interim government’s deliberations, with many figures from civil society entering government itself.
- Independent Media score improved from 2.50 to 3.00. While the ancien régime sporadically and sometimes violently targeted journalists who covered the Velvet Revolution -- with independent outlets distinguishing themselves through reporting in adverse circumstances -- the country’s press freedom situation improved dramatically following the transition of power in April-May. Post-revolutionary Armenia’s news media landscape remains polarized, but political and economic pressures on outlets have eased up.
- Corruption score improved from 2.50 to 2.75. Discontent with endemic corruption fueled the Velvet Revolution and pushed Armenia’s interim government to pursue a number of high-profile indictments. In addition, efforts were made to recover billions of drams in public money siphoned off by bribery, embezzlement, etc. However, although there is political will to eradicate corruption, Armenia’s new leadership has yet to put together a viable anti-corruption program.
Country Facts
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Global Freedom Score
54 100 partly free -
Internet Freedom Score
74 100 free