Slovenia scores 70.6/100 on the 2023 RSF World Press Freedom Index, ranking #50 globally. Freedom House rates it Free (96/100). Context: pop 2.1 million, GDP $53.74B.
2023 Press Freedom Scorecard
Overall score and global position
In the 2023 World Press Freedom Index, Slovenia scores 70.59 out of 100 and ranks #50 globally — a broadly open press environment. In the Northern Shore zone, Slovenia sits at position 6 of 11 Mediterranean states with RSF data. Of the 25 Freedom House indicators, Slovenia earns 21 at the maximum 4/4 and 0 at 0/4; its strongest category is Electoral Process (12/12) and its weakest is Government Functioning (11/12).
70.6 / 100
Composite index comparison
Press freedom score — higher is freer.
Elections, political pluralism, government functioning.
Freedom of expression, association, rule of law, personal autonomy.
Academic press-freedom index from the Varieties of Democracy project (0–1 rescaled to 0–100).
Five-year RSF trend
Over 2019–2023, Slovenia moved from 77.69 to 70.59 on the RSF scale (a decline of 7.10 points). The lowest recorded score was 68.54 and the highest was 77.69.
Year-over-year RSF movement
Slovenia's biggest single-year RSF movement in the 2019–2023 window was a loss of 8.36 points between 2021 (76.90) and 2022 (68.54).
| Years | From | To | Δ score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 → 2020 | 77.69 | 77.36 | ▼ -0.33 |
| 2020 → 2021 | 77.36 | 76.90 | ▼ -0.46 |
| 2021 → 2022 | 76.90 | 68.54 | ▼ -8.36 |
| 2022 → 2023 | 68.54 | 70.59 | ▲ 2.05 |
Full socio-economic dashboard
Demographics & geography
Economy & labour
Health
Education
Administration
All socio-economic indicators from the World Bank country dataset (2023 snapshot).
Democratic Rights & Civil Liberties
Freedom status explained
Freedom House classifies Slovenia as Free with a 2024 aggregate score of 96/100 — meaning national institutions reliably protect political rights and civil liberties.
Within Freedom House's Europe region (43 countries), Slovenia ranks #11 on the latest aggregate score — the 76th percentile. The region leaders are Finland, Sweden, Norway.
Political Rights vs Civil Liberties
Rating 1 of 7 (1 = best)
Rating 1 of 7 (1 = best)
Political rights and civil liberties are rated in similar territory, a sign that formal political channels and everyday personal freedoms move together in this country.
Twelve-year Freedom House trend
Between 2013 and 2024, Freedom House moved Slovenia from Free (Free, 91/100) to Free (Free, 96/100).
Indicator trajectory (A–G over 12 years)
Of the 25 Freedom House indicators tracked for Slovenia, 9 moved at least one point across the available Freedom House history. The eight with the largest absolute change appear below.
| Code | Indicator | Earliest | Latest | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B4 | Minority political rights | 3/4 (2013) | 4/4 (2024) | ▲ +1 |
| D2 | Religious expression | 3/4 (2013) | 4/4 (2024) | ▲ +1 |
| F1 | Independent judiciary | 3/4 (2013) | 4/4 (2024) | ▲ +1 |
| G2 | Property rights | 3/4 (2013) | 4/4 (2024) | ▲ +1 |
| G3 | Personal social freedoms | 3/4 (2013) | 4/4 (2024) | ▲ +1 |
| C3 | Government transparency | 4/4 (2013) | 4/4 (2024) | • 0 |
| D1 | Free media | 3/4 (2013) | 3/4 (2024) | • 0 |
| E1 | Freedom of assembly | 4/4 (2013) | 4/4 (2024) | • 0 |
Latest A–G indicator scorecard
Electoral Process
PR
-
A1Free and fair head-of-government elections
4/4
-
A2Free and fair legislative elections
4/4
-
A3Electoral laws and framework
4/4
Political Pluralism & Participation
PR
-
B1Right to organise in political parties
4/4
-
B2Opposition can realistically gain power
4/4
-
B3Free political choice without domination
4/4
-
B4Political rights of minorities
4/4
Functioning of Government
PR
-
C1Elected officials determine government policy
4/4
-
C2Safeguards against corruption
3/4
-
C3Transparency of government
4/4
Freedom of Expression & Belief
CL
-
D1Free and independent media
3/4
-
D2Freedom of religious expression
4/4
-
D3Academic freedom
4/4
-
D4Free private discussion
4/4
Associational & Organisational Rights
CL
-
E1Freedom of assembly
4/4
-
E2Freedom for NGOs
4/4
-
E3Free trade unions
4/4
Rule of Law
CL
-
F1Independent judiciary
4/4
-
F2Due process in civil and criminal matters
4/4
-
F3Protection from illegitimate force
4/4
-
F4Equal treatment under the law
3/4
Personal Autonomy & Individual Rights
CL
-
G1Freedom of movement
4/4
-
G2Property rights
4/4
-
G3Personal social freedoms
4/4
-
G4Equality of opportunity
3/4
Each indicator is scored 0–4 by Freedom House analysts; category subtotals combine into the Political Rights (A + B + C = 0–40) and Civil Liberties (D + E + F + G = 0–60) aggregates shown above. 2024 edition.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Slovenia see its biggest RSF press-freedom change?
The sharpest single-year shift was an deterioration of 8.36 points between 2021 (76.90) and 2022 (68.54) on the RSF index.
Which Freedom House indicator moved most in Slovenia?
Indicator B4 (Minority political rights) changed by +1 points, moving from 3/4 to 4/4 across the available history — the biggest indicator-level movement of the 25 Freedom House sub-scores for Slovenia.
How does Slovenia rank within its Freedom House region?
Slovenia holds position #11 of 43 in the Europe region on the latest Freedom House aggregate score. The region's top country is Finland (100/100).
Where does Slovenia sit among Northern Shore Mediterranean peers?
Within the Northern Shore zone, Slovenia ranks #6 of 11 countries with RSF data. Its peers are France, Spain, Montenegro, Italy and others.
What is Slovenia's economic context for its press freedom score?
Slovenia has a GDP of $53.74B across a population of 2.1 million, giving a per-capita GDP of about $25,739. Its capital is Ljubljana; the official language is Slovene language.