Turkey Ranks Near Bottom in Global Human Freedom Index, Cato Institute Says

Summary:

Turkey has ranked among the world’s least free countries in the Cato Institute’s Human Freedom Index 2024, highlighting a sustained deterioration in personal and economic freedoms over the past decade. The report places Turkey 142nd out of 165 countries for 2023, with its position slipping further to 144th in 2025 assessments, underscoring deepening concerns over freedom of expression, rule of law, and economic liberty.

One of the world’s most comprehensive freedom measures

The Human Freedom Index (HFI), published by the Cato Institute and partner organizations, is regarded as the most comprehensive global measure of freedom. It covers 165 countries and jurisdictions, representing 98% of the world’s population, and tracks developments over more than two decades, beginning in 2000.

The index combines personal freedoms — including expression, association, movement, and religion — with economic freedoms such as property rights, sound money, and freedom to trade. The 2024 edition is based on data from 2023, the most recent year with sufficient global coverage.

Pandemic shock left lasting scars

According to the report, human freedom worldwide deteriorated sharply following the COVID-19 pandemic and has yet to recover. While there was a modest rebound in 2022, global freedom levels stagnated again in 2023 and remain well below pre-pandemic levels.

On a scale of 0 to 10, the global average freedom score fell from 6.97 in 2019 to 6.75 in 2020 and 6.72 in 2021. It edged up to 6.81 in 2022 and remained unchanged in 2023. The steepest and most persistent declines were recorded in freedom of expression, freedom of association and assembly, freedom of movement, and monetary stability.

Turkey among countries with steepest freedom declines

The HFI highlights Turkey as one of the countries experiencing the most significant declines in freedom since 2007, alongside China, Iran, and Venezuela. The report points to sustained erosion in freedom of expression and other civil liberties as key factors behind Turkey’s low ranking.

In 2025 measures, Turkey ranked 144th, placing it firmly in the bottom quartile globally — a group that includes Saudi Arabia (148), China (149), Russia (152), Venezuela (159), and Iran (164).

Freedom remains unevenly distributed worldwide

The index shows that freedom is highly concentrated globally. Only 13.8% of the world’s population lives in countries ranked in the top quartile of freedom, while 39.4% lives in the bottom quartile.

The top 10 countries in the index are Switzerland, Denmark, New Zealand, Ireland, Luxembourg, Estonia, Finland, Czechia, the Netherlands, and Australia. Among major economies, Canada ranks 12th, the United States 15th, Germany 17th, the United Kingdom and Japan jointly 19th, while India ranks 110th.

Regionally, North America, Western Europe, and Oceania record the highest freedom levels, while the Middle East and North Africa, sub-Saharan Africa, and South Asia rank lowest. Women-specific freedoms are strongest in North America and Western and Eastern Europe, and weakest in the Middle East, North Africa, and parts of Africa and South Asia.

Strong link between freedom, income, and well-being

The report finds a strong positive relationship between human freedom and economic prosperity. Countries in the top quartile of freedom have an average per capita income of $53,635, compared with just $14,201 in the least free quartile.

Higher freedom levels are also associated with stronger democratic institutions and better outcomes across a wide range of well-being indicators, including life expectancy, tolerance, charitable giving, and environmental health.

A structural challenge, not a temporary setback

The Cato Institute’s findings suggest that freedom is not only a political value but also a key driver of long-term economic and social outcomes. For Turkey, the report indicates that the decline in freedoms has become structural rather than cyclical, placing the country increasingly at odds with global democratic and economic norms.

As the report concludes, while the global economy has shown resilience through repeated shocks, the risk of drifting toward a more fragmented and structurally weaker global order is rising — particularly in countries where freedom continues to erode.

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