New ranking shows freedom has declined for almost 90% of the world's population in recent years

TORONTO, Dec. 16, 2025 /CNW/ - Nearly 9-in-10 people around the world have experienced declining freedom in recent years, according to the latest Human Freedom Index, released today by Canada's Fraser Institute and the U.S.-based Cato Institute.

"Governments around the world have recently been restricting freedom of expression, freedom of association and assembly, freedom of movement, and the freedom to use sound money, and the impact is alarming," said Matthew D. Mitchell, Fraser Institute senior fellow and co-author of this year's report.

The index measures the degree to which people are allowed to make their own personal and economic choices. To do so, it uses 87 indicators grouped into twelve areas including the rule of law, safety and security, identity and relationships (i.e. the freedom to choose your relationship partner), freedom of movement, speech, assembly, religion, freedom from taxes, regulations, and freedom to trade internationally.

This year's report ranks 165 jurisdictions around the world. It finds that from 2019 to 2023 (the latest year of available data), 89.6 per cent of the world's population experienced a decline in freedom. The decline affected every region of the globe, rich and poor countries, and democracies and nondemocracies.

Switzerland is once again the freest country, followed by Denmark, New Zealand, Ireland, and Luxembourg. The five least-free countries are (in descending order) Myanmar, Sudan and Yemen (tied), Iran, and Syria.

Rankings for other significant countries include: Canada (12), Taiwan (14), United States (15), Germany (17), Japan and United Kingdom (tied at 19), France (33), Mexico (91), India (110), China (149), and Russia (152).

Hong Kong, which was the 3^rd freest jurisdiction on Earth as recently as 2011, now ranks 53^rd on the Index, driven in part by a significant decrease in freedom of association and assembly, where it ranks 143^rd.

Crucially, people in freer jurisdictions have better outcomes. Evidence shows they are wealthier, healthier and are more satisfied with their lives.

"Many contend that freedom is valuable as an end to itself. But it also makes life better," Mitchell said.

The complete index, a joint project of the Fraser Institute and the Cato Institute, is available as a free PDF download at www.fraserinstitute.org. The co-authors of the report are Ian Vásquez of CATO, Matthew D. Mitchell with the Fraser Institute, Ryan Murphy of the Bridwell Institute at SMU and CATO's Guillermina Sutter Schneider.

The 10 freest and the least-free countries in 2023:

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The Fraser Institute is an independent Canadian public policy research and educational organization with offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Montreal and Halifax and ties to a global network of think-tanks in 87 countries. Its mission is to improve the quality of life for Canadians, their families and future generations by studying, measuring and broadly communicating the effects of government policies, entrepreneurship and choice on their well-being. To protect the Institute's independence, it does not accept grants from governments or contracts for research. Visit www.fraserinstitute.org

SOURCE The Fraser Institute