🇨🇻 Cabo Verde: Politics & Democracy
Broadly yes — Cabo Verde scores 63.1 on the V-Dem liberal democracy index (0–100 scale), placing it among functioning democracies, though with weaker liberal safeguards than the top-ranked states.
Current leaders
José Maria Neves
Head of State · African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde
Francisco Carvalho
Head of Government · African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde
Democracy trend
Upcoming elections
2026 Cape Verdean presidential election
2026-10-01T00:00:00ZVoting alignment
Cabo Verde's closest UN General Assembly voting partners since 1946:
Frequently asked questions
Is Cabo Verde a democracy?
Broadly yes — Cabo Verde scores 63.1 on the V-Dem liberal democracy index (0–100 scale), placing it among functioning democracies, though with weaker liberal safeguards than the top-ranked states. It ranks #40 of 179 countries in 2025.
Is democracy in Cabo Verde improving or declining?
Cabo Verde's V-Dem liberal democracy score has declined by 7.6 points over the past decade, standing at 63.1 in 2025 (1-year change: −1.1).
Who leads Cabo Verde?
José Maria Neves is Cabo Verde's head of state (African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde); Francisco Carvalho serves as head of government (African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde).
When is the next election in Cabo Verde?
2026 Cape Verdean presidential election is scheduled for 2026-10-01T00:00:00Z.