🇸🇸 South Sudan: Politics & Democracy
By V-Dem's measure, no — South Sudan scores 6.4 on the 0–100 liberal democracy index, which places it firmly in the autocratic range.
Current leaders
Salva Kiir Mayardit
Head of State · Sudan People's Liberation Movement
Democracy trend
Upcoming elections
2026 South Sudanese general election
2026-12-22T00:00:00ZFrequently asked questions
Is South Sudan a democracy?
By V-Dem's measure, no — South Sudan scores 6.4 on the 0–100 liberal democracy index, which places it firmly in the autocratic range. It ranks #156 of 179 countries in 2025.
Is democracy in South Sudan improving or declining?
South Sudan's V-Dem liberal democracy score has declined by 0.2 points over the past decade, standing at 6.4 in 2025 (1-year change: −0.7).
Who leads South Sudan?
Salva Kiir Mayardit is South Sudan's head of state (Sudan People's Liberation Movement).
When is the next election in South Sudan?
2026 South Sudanese general election is scheduled for 2026-12-22T00:00:00Z.