Constanza Hola Chamy

Norway leads the global Democracy Index due to strong public institutions, high social equality, low corruption and a culture of trust rooted in history and social movements. Experts link the country’s stability to effective use of oil revenues, an egalitarian political culture and a robust welfare state shared across Scandinavia. Switzerland’s model of direct democracy is contrasted with Norway’s broader democratic performance, noting that referendums have sometimes produced illiberal outcomes. Despite high rankings, Norway faces challenges such as a democratic deficit linked to European Economic Area membership and the need to integrate immigrant and Muslim communities amid the rise of the right‑wing Progress Party.