Country profile
Liberia
Republic of Liberia
Africa · Sub-Saharan Africa
LR · LBR
- Capital
- Monrovia
- Population
- 5,248,621
- Area
- 111,369 km²
- Democracy index
- 58
- Regime type
- Hybrid Regime
Events
Ballots from Liberia
The latest elections, referendums, and opinion polls from Liberia. Community totals are not official results.
No published ballots yet
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Classification
Democracy profile
The score and regime label are assigned by Porto Voto using our in-house democracy index and classification framework, not ratings from governments or external agencies.
Democracy index
58/100
Regime type
Hybrid Regime
Liberia demonstrates notable electoral resilience following its landmark peaceful transition of power under President Joseph Boakai, distinguishing itself in a region prone to democratic backsliding. The political framework functions with a high degree of competitiveness and open political space, allowing the opposition to operate without systemic suppression, while the press and civil society maintain vibrant oversight roles. Despite these democratic dividends, the state remains anchored in a hybrid classification due to deep-rooted structural constraints, pervasive institutional corruption, and severe capacity deficits within the judiciary. Public frustration persists regarding the elite management of state finances, highlighted by controversial increases in legislative spending in the 2026 budget alongside slow progress toward establishing a war and economic crimes court to address historical grievances from the civil conflicts. While institutional transparency initiatives, including enforced asset declarations and independent financial auditing, show marginal improvement, executive dominance and systemic governance friction continue to prevent the consolidation of a fully stable democracy.
Last evaluation:
How we classify regimes →World Factbook
Country background
A concise introduction to Liberia, together with notes on how power and law are organized, to put local ballots in context.
With 28 ethnic groups and languages, Liberia is one of the most ethnically diverse countries in the world. For hundreds of years, the Mali and Songhai Empires claimed most of Liberia. Beginning in the 15th century, European traders began establishing outposts along the Liberian coast.
Unlike its neighbors, however, Liberia did not fall under European colonial rule. In the early 19th century, the US began sending freed enslaved people and other people of color to Liberia to establish settlements. In 1847, these settlers declared independence from the US, writing their own constitution and establishing Africa’s first republic.
Early in Liberia’s history, tensions arose between the Americo-Liberian settlers and the indigenous population. In 1980, Samuel DOE, who was from the indigenous population, led a military coup and ushered in a decade of authoritarian rule. In 1989, Charles TAYLOR launched a rebellion that led to a prolonged civil war in which DOE was killed.
A period of relative peace in 1997 permitted an election that brought TAYLOR to power. In 2000, fighting resumed. A 2003 peace agreement ended the war and prompted TAYLOR’s resignation.
He was later convicted by the UN-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone in The Hague for his involvement in Sierra Leone's civil war. In 2005, Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF became president after two years of transitional governments; she was the first female head of state in Africa. In 2011, JOHNSON SIRLEAF won reelection but struggled to rebuild Liberia's economy -- particularly after the 2014-15 Ebola epidemic -- and to reconcile a nation still recovering from 14 years of fighting.
In 2017, former soccer star George WEAH won the presidential runoff election, marking the first successful transfer of power from one democratically elected government to another since the end of Liberia’s civil wars. Like his predecessor, WEAH struggled to improve the country’s economy. In 2023, former Vice President Joseph BOAKAI was elected president, edging out WEAH by a thin margin, the first time since 1927 that an incumbent was not re-elected after one term.