The period under review was characterized by social unrest, political realignment and economic struggles due to the massive, in some cases violent protests that had taken place by the end of 2019, as well as the impact of the...

Over the course of 2021, Croatia stayed economically and politically stable. The economy staged a swift recovery due to a combination of several factors, particularly the reliance on extensive furlough schemes that had been rolled...

The sustained course of Cyprus’s economic growth was abruptly interrupted by the COVID-19 crisis, which had a significant impact on the country’s main sectors, tourism and construction, among others. Recovery started at the...

Democracy functions well, and governance is credible and transparent in Denmark. Public trust in government and public administration is high. Comparatively, Denmark stands out for its ability to combine strong economic...

In many respects, Estonia has successfully established a sustainable democracy. Among the 41 countries in the SGI, Estonia ranks seventh for democracy, eighth for policy performance and 11th for governance. These positions remain...

Finland is among the richest and happiest countries in the world. In spite of cuts in public spending over the past few decades, welfare state arrangements are an important cause of citizens’ satisfaction. Given this, Finland may...

France enjoys solid institutions of governance, and under the Fifth Republic has benefited from the most stable, consensual and efficient period of the past 200 years. Yet the country has struggled to effectively address the...

Throughout the reporting period, the challenges associated with the pandemic were the dominating issue. Overall, the country and its institutions have proved considerably resilient in this crisis. The country benefited from its...

Democratic governments around the globe are increasingly seeking to find new and effective ways to involve citizens in policy making. Through its unique blend of trust between citizens and government, and the existence of a...

Greece’s political and economic environment improved during the period under review, despite the constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic. By 2018, Greece had exited the third Economic Adjustment Program (2015–2018), and by 2019 a...