🇿🇦 South Africa: Politics & Democracy
Broadly yes — South Africa scores 63.3 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
Cyril Ramaphosa
Head of State · African National Congress
Democracy trend
Voting alignment
South Africa's closest UN General Assembly voting partners since 1946:
Frequently asked questions
Is South Africa a democracy?
Broadly yes — South Africa scores 63.3 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 #39 of 179 countries in 2025.
Is democracy in South Africa improving or declining?
South Africa's V-Dem liberal democracy score has declined by 1.6 points over the past decade, standing at 63.3 in 2025 (1-year change: −1.5).
Who leads South Africa?
Cyril Ramaphosa is South Africa's head of state (African National Congress).