Bulgaria Rated "Free" Despite Global Drop in Political and Civil Rights

Freedom House has released its annual Freedom Report, highlighting that global freedom has declined for the 20th consecutive year, with 2025 marking another difficult period for democracy worldwide. According to the report, military coups, violence against peaceful protesters, and efforts to undermine constitutional protections contributed to the erosion of political rights and civil liberties. Out of all countries assessed, 54 experienced worsening freedom conditions, while only 35 saw improvements. Currently, just 21 percent of the global population resides in countries categorized as free.

The report evaluates nations on a 100-point scale, categorizing them as free, partly free, or not free. Higher scores indicate greater levels of political rights and civil liberties. This year, Bulgaria is ranked as a free country, receiving 74 points, a slight drop from last year when it scored 77. The United States also saw a decline, losing three points to reach 81. Finland remains the only country to achieve a perfect score of 100, while South Sudan scored zero.

In its analysis of Bulgaria, Freedom House emphasizes that the country maintains a democratic system with multiple parties competing and regular transfers of power between rival political forces over recent decades. Nevertheless, the report points to ongoing challenges, including political corruption, organized crime, pressures on media freedom, and discrimination against ethnic minorities. Bulgaria earned 30 out of 40 points for political rights and 44 out of 60 for civil liberties, reflecting progress in some areas while highlighting persistent vulnerabilities.

The report also calls for democracies worldwide to strengthen coordination, improve support for democratic institutions, and engage young populations strategically, stressing that global freedom requires concerted action to counter authoritarian trends. Bulgaria’s status as a free country underscores its continued commitment to democratic governance, even amid broader international declines.