United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; note - the island of Great Britain includes England, Scotland, and Wales
Europe · Northern Europe
GB · GBR
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Classification
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
88/100
Regime type
Robust Democracy
The United Kingdom remains a robust democracy underpinned by a stable parliamentary system, an independent judiciary, and a consistent adherence to the rule of law. Recent political cycles have shown the resilience of the nation's institutional framework, facilitating peaceful transitions of power and meaningful political debate. While the political landscape faces ongoing challenges related to regional devolution, the management of economic pressures, and the maintenance of public trust in political institutions, these issues are addressed through established constitutional processes and transparent public discourse. Fundamental rights, freedom of the press, and civil liberties remain strongly protected, and the state maintains a high degree of accountability despite the typical policy debates and governing frictions that characterize its active, multi party political environment.
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How we classify regimes →World Factbook
A concise introduction to United Kingdom, together with notes on how power and law are organized, to put local ballots in context.
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was created when the Kingdoms of England and Scotland -- which previously had been distinct states under a single monarchy -- were joined under the 1707 Acts of Union. The island of Ireland was incorporated under the 1800 Acts of Union, while Wales had been part of the Kingdom of England since the 16th century. The United Kingdom has historically played a leading role in developing parliamentary democracy and in advancing literature and science.
The 18th and 19th centuries saw the rapid expansion of the British Empire despite the loss of the Thirteen Colonies, and at its zenith in the early 20th century, the British Empire stretched over one fourth of the earth's surface. The first half of the 20th century saw two World Wars seriously deplete the UK's strength and the Irish Republic withdraw from the union. The second half witnessed the dismantling of the Empire and the UK rebuilding itself into a modern and prosperous European nation.
As one of five permanent members of the UN Security Council and a founding member of NATO and the Commonwealth of Nations, the UK pursues a global approach to foreign policy. The devolved Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales, and the Northern Ireland Assembly were established in 1998. The UK was an active member of the EU after its accession in 1973, although it chose to remain outside the Economic and Monetary Union.
However, motivated in part by frustration at a remote bureaucracy in Brussels and massive migration into the country, UK citizens in 2016 voted by 52 to 48 percent to leave the EU. On 31 January 2020, the UK became the only country to depart the EU -- a move known as "Brexit" -- after prolonged negotiations on EU-UK economic and security relationships.
