Global parliament index

understanding electoral landscapes

In the ever-evolving landscape of politics, where information is key and strategies constantly adapt, staying ahead of the curve is essential for any comprehensive political insight. In this new study, the first of its kind, Arden Strategies is proud to announce the Global Parliament Index. The Global Parliament Index introduces a political map of the world reflecting the true balance of power across every country across the globe – and it should worry those who support democracy.

This study provides a snapshot of the world’s political leanings, as over 2 billion voters elect leaders in forty countries, in an unprecedented number of elections in a single year.

Analysing the alignment of every government in the world, this study assigns each country into one of ten categories based upon multiple factors including an analysis of each governing Party’s policy, manifesto, and record in government.

The global parliament

According to the findings of this study:

In a global parliament, the largest political grouping would be the dictatorships with 303 seats, none of whom are elected in a democratic election.
Each region has a mix of government types, although left-wing governments are more common in Latin America and right-wing governments more common in Europe.
Even if every centre-right, centre-left and centrist government in the world entered an unlikely and very broad coalition, they would only just secure a majority, representing just over 50% of the world’s population and allocating 503 seats.
As the Democrats are currently in power in the US, the majority of people living in Europe and North America are dominated by centre-left governments – a trend to watch in the upcoming US elections.

Global Parliament Index 2024

This world map shows the government type in each of the world’s countries and the political alignment of its democracies on a scale from Populist Left through to Populist Right.

The Global Parliament

The study reflects the balance of political power across all governments aggregated into a single 1,000-member Global Parliament Index, with each MP representing about five million people. Where countries have smaller populations than the minimum number required per seat, they have been combined with other smaller countries that have the same government category.

Navigate through where the world sits across the political spectrum by region using the arrows below. Vote shares can be viewed here.

The Democratic Global Parliament

The study reflects the balance of political power across democratic governments aggregated into a single 1,000-member Global Parliament Index, with each MP representing about five million people. Where countries have smaller populations than the minimum number required per seat, they have been combined with other smaller countries that have the same government category.

Navigate through where the world’s democracies sit across the political spectrum by region using the arrows below. Vote shares can be viewed here.

The Global Parliament index walkthrough

Elections In 2024

In 2024, over 2 billion people across 40 countries, representing approximately 50% of the global GDP, will have the chance to elect a new leader. Updated on a quarterly basis, Arden’s Global Parliament Index will capture the results of each presidential and general election and provide insight on the direction in which the global population, living under a democratic government, is moving on the political spectrum.

We at Arden appreciate the vast diverse political ideologies that exist across different countries. Defining what constitutes the various points across a political spectrum is an impractical task, particularly in an increasingly fragmented and polarised political atmosphere. However, with each significant election around the world, there emerges an opportunity to capture insight into the political state of the world at large.

How much closer to the far-Right is Europe inching with each new election? What percentage of the world’s population is living under a Centre-Left or Centre-Right government? How will the unprecedented number of elections in 2024 effect where we sit on the global political spectrum? These are some of the questions that Arden’s Global Parliament Index is aimed at addressing.

Additional Charts and Analysis

Governing Parties Around The Globe

Spin the globe and zoom in to explore each country’s government type. Bubbles are sized by population

Governments by Political Alignment

Click or rollover to view governments in detail or filter by global regions

Governments by region and Income Level

Click to explore global regions in depth or filter by income level (World Bank data)

OUR METHODOLOGY

Arden’s Global Parliament Index is a tool which provides a comprehensive and dynamic approach to understanding political landscapes. Developed by our Global Services team of experts, this tool not only equips political professionals with insight into major political shifts, but also analyses these trends to reflect on how they are impacting policy today.

At its core, the Global Parliament Index is an innovative, qualitative data-driven platform that aggregates and analyses an extensive array of political and demographic data points. The index allows users to explore and interpret political data with ease, transforming raw information into actionable intelligence.

To find out more click here.

Our global services

The Arden team has advised almost thirty Presidents and Prime Ministers globally, and candidates on every continent have benefited from our support. 

We offer the full spectrum of election campaign services incorporating outstanding traditional campaign support alongside innovative digital communication and engagement strategies.

In a world increasingly shaped by changing technology and greater geopolitical competition, our team are also experts and pre-empting and handling disinformation, protecting democratic institutions and building social cohesion.

Political Spectrum Categories	Seats Allocated	Vote Share
Populist or Authoritarian Left	37	4%
Left Wing	138	14%
Centre-Left	228	23%
Centrist	108	11%
Centrist Authoritarian	3	0%
Centre-Right	401	40%
Right-Wing	3	3%
Populist or Authoritarian Right	53	5%

Political Spectrum Categories	Seats Allocated	Vote Share
Populist or Authoritarian Left	0	0%
Left Wing	107	11%
Centre-Left	0	0%
Centrist	0	0%
Centrist Authoritarian	0	0%
Centre-Right	893	89%
Right-Wing	0	0%
Populist or Authoritarian Right	0	0%

Political Spectrum Categories	Seats Allocated	Vote Share
Populist or Authoritarian Left	0	0%
Left Wing	0	0%
Centre-Left	641	64%
Centrist	0	0%
Centrist Authoritarian	0	0%
Centre-Right	185	19%
Right-Wing	174	17%
Populist or Authoritarian Right	0	0%

Political Spectrum Categories	Seats Allocated	Vote Share
Populist or Authoritarian Left	6	1%
Left Wing	58	6%
Centre-Left	522	52%
Centrist	123	12%
Centrist Authoritarian	0	0%
Centre-Right	213	21%
Right-Wing	7	1%
Populist or Authoritarian Right	72	7%

Political Spectrum Categories	Seats Allocated	Vote Share
Populist or Authoritarian Left	265	27%
Left Wing	510	51%
Centre-Left	32	3%
Centrist	30	3%
Centrist Authoritarian	0	0%
Centre-Right	24	2%
Right-Wing	64	6%
Populist or Authoritarian Right	76	8%