Russia
Autocratic
↓Limited deterioration2026 development data - not published research
The score supports the assessment. It does not compute the status on its own.
Courts are subservient to executive and security structures in politically relevant cases.
National media are controlled or heavily censored; independent outlets face blocking and criminalisation.
Genuine opposition is excluded and elections are systematically manipulated.
Civic organisations and dissent are subject to extensive repression and foreign-agent laws.
Parliament and other formal institutions do not provide meaningful checks on presidential power.
Confidence: high. Confidence reflects evidence quality and assessment certainty, not democratic quality.
Direction analysis
Further deterioration is constrained by the already extremely low institutional baseline. Repression, electoral exclusion and information control nevertheless continued to intensify.
What changed
Freedom House rates Russia 12/100 and documents controlled media, subservient courts, manipulated elections and escalating repression linked to the war in Ukraine.
RETHINKK assessment
RETHINKK classifies Russia as autocratic with limited further deterioration. Limited velocity here reflects a floor effect, not stability or improvement.
Evidence
- Freedom HouseFreedom in the World 2026 - Russia2026-03-19 / 2026-08-30Source ->Supports: judicialIndependence, mediaFreedom, electoralIntegrity, civicSpace, checksAndBalances
- V-Dem InstituteDemocracy Report 2026: Unraveling The Democratic Era?2026-03-17 / 2026-08-30Source ->Supports: judicialIndependence, mediaFreedom, electoralIntegrity, civicSpace, checksAndBalances