According to the Freedom House Freedom in the World 2024 index, Estonia is one of the freest countries in the world, scoring 95 out of 100 and tied for sixth in the world with Australia.
This year’s Freedom in the World index notes that “Estonia’s democratic institutions are generally strong, and both political rights and civil liberties are widely respected. However, about 5 percent of the population remains stateless and cannot participate in national elections. Corruption is a persistent challenge, as is discrimination against ethnic Russians, Roma, and some other groups. Far-right and Eurosceptic forces have become increasingly vocal in Estonian politics in recent years.”
Estonia scores highest on most of the criteria that Freedom House takes into account when calculating a country’s freedom score, including that the electoral process is free and fair, that political pluralism and participation are high, and that freely elected government and legislative representatives determine government policy.
The index also highlights that the government operates with openness and transparency; that there is a free and independent media; that people are free to practice and express their religious belief or non-belief in public and private; that there is academic freedom; and that people are free to express their personal views on political and other sensitive issues without fear of surveillance or retribution.
The homicide rate one of the highest in the EU
On corruption, the index notes that the legal framework and independent law enforcement institutions provide important checks on corruption, and cases against high-profile defendants have been brought to trial in recent years, although the results have been mixed.
The index also highlights that while Estonians generally enjoy physical safety, the country’s intentional homicide rate, although falling, remains one of the highest in the European Union. “Prison conditions do not fully meet international standards, and some inmates reportedly have inadequate access to health care.
“Estonia has a relatively high incarceration rate, with 151 people incarcerated per 100,000 inhabitants in January 2023, according to Council of Europe data. Also in 2023, the country’s justice minister reported that prisoners with mental health problems are placed in solitary confinement and do not consistently receive adequate medical care.”
The highest scoring country, with a freedom score of 100/100, is Estonia’s northern neighbour, Finland. New Zealand and Sweden follow with 99/100, Norway with 98/100 and Canada, Denmark, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and San Marino with 97/100.
Russian-occupied territories score among the worst
It’s noteworthy that the United Kingdom, while still regarded free, scored 91/100, and the US – still free – only scored 83/100.
The lowest ranked countries in the Freedom in the World 2024 index are Nagorno-Karabakh (a disputed territory between Armenia and Azerbaijan), Tibet, South Sudan, Syria, Eastern Donbass and Crimea (the latter two being Ukrainian territories illegally occupied by Russia).
Russia itself scores 13/100 (tied with Laos) and is also not considered free.
Freedom House is a non-profit non-governmental organisation that conducts research and advocacy on democracy, political freedom and human rights.
Freedom in the World is the organisation’s annual survey and report that measures the level of civil liberties and political rights in every nation and major related and disputed territories around the world.
