Over 700 Deaths In 12 Months: The Liberal Democracies With The Most Political Violence Right Now

Despite their stability, freedoms, and high standards of living, some of the world’s most established liberal democracies are experiencing alarming levels of political violence. From deadly mob attacks to armed clashes and targeted bombings, incidents that were once considered rare in democratic societies are becoming increasingly frequent. Exacerbated by rising geopolitical tension and aided by technological advances in autonomous weapons and cybertechnology, political militias and rebel groups have become increasingly active around the world – and increasingly deadly.

According to data compiled by the independent nonprofit Armed Conflict Location & Event Data, there were over 200,000 incidents of political violence around the world last year, resulting in nearly 250,000 fatalities. Political violence is any use of force by a group with a political purpose or motivation, and can be carried out by state actors like government forces or police or non-state actors like rebel groups or militias, as well as external actors like foreign military forces. While a bulk of political violence is happening in conflict-torn regions in the Middle East, Africa, and Ukraine, there is a slow but observable trend in political violence in liberal democracies.

To determine the liberal democracies with the most political violence, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data on violent conflicts from ACLED. Countries classified as liberal democracies by the Varieties of Democracy project of the University of Gothenburg were ranked based on the number of incidents of political violence that occurred per million residents from March 1, 2024 to March 19, 2025. Political violence is defined as the use of force by a group with a political purpose or motivation, and can be carried out by state actors like government forces or police or non-state actors like rebel groups or militias, as well as external actors like foreign military forces. The Varieties of Democracy project measures attributes of democracy using some 31 million data points and inputs from 4,000 scholars and country experts around the world. Population data is from the World Bank.

20. Czech Republic

• Incidence of political violence last year: 18.7 events per million residents
• Electoral regime: Liberal democracy
• Recent incidents of political violence: Mob violence in Prague on June 1, mob violence in Nachod on November 3

19. Switzerland

• Incidence of political violence last year: 19.9 events per million residents
• Electoral regime: Liberal democracy
• Recent incidents of political violence: Attack in Zurich on March 2, mob violence in Lausanne on June 14

18. South Africa

• Incidence of political violence last year: 34.0 events per million residents
• Electoral regime: Liberal democracy
• Recent incidents of political violence: Mob violence in Peddie on April 6 (5 fatalities), attack in Amaoti on August 31 (5 fatalities), mob violence in Boksburg on November 20 (5 fatalities), mob violence in Inanda on January 17 (5 fatalities), attack in Matimatolo on October 15 (4 fatalities), mob violence in Johannesburg – Lenasia on December 13 (4 fatalities), attack in Cullinan on March 12 (3 fatalities), attack in Durban on March 15 (3 fatalities), attack in Johannesburg – Midrand on May 17 (3 fatalities), attack in Gqeberha on June 9 (3 fatalities)

17. Netherlands

• Incidence of political violence last year: 37.4 events per million residents
• Electoral regime: Liberal democracy
• Recent incidents of political violence: Attack in Rotterdam on September 19 (1 fatality), mob violence in Scheveningen on October 19, mob violence in Amsterdam on November 6, mob violence in Amsterdam on November 7, attack in Amsterdam on November 13, mob violence in Amsterdam on December 22

16. Australia

• Incidence of political violence last year: 37.5 events per million residents
• Electoral regime: Liberal democracy
• Recent incidents of political violence: Mob violence in Alice Springs on March 26, mob violence in Sydney – Eastern on April 1, mob violence in Sydney – Western on April 15, attack in Sydney – Western on April 15, mob violence in Melbourne – Central on June 19, attack in Melbourne – Central on December 6

15. United States

• Incidence of political violence last year: 37.7 events per million residents
• Electoral regime: Liberal democracy
• Recent incidents of political violence: Attack in New Orleans on January 1 (14 fatalities), attack in Fordyce on June 21 (4 fatalities), attack in Winder on September 4 (4 fatalities), attack in Madison on December 16 (3 fatalities), attack in Butler on July 13 (2 fatalities), armed clash in Dallas on August 29 (2 fatalities), armed clash in Coventry on January 20 (2 fatalities), attack in Canton on April 18 (1 fatality), attack in Fort Walton Beach on May 3 (1 fatality), attack in Florence on May 26 (1 fatality)

14. Germany

• Incidence of political violence last year: 46.7 events per million residents
• Electoral regime: Liberal democracy
• Recent incidents of political violence: Attack in Magdeburg on December 20 (6 fatalities), attack in Solingen on March 25 (4 fatalities), attack in Solingen on August 23 (3 fatalities), attack in Eberswalde on September 16 (2 fatalities), attack in Aschaffenburg on January 22 (2 fatalities), excessive force against protesters in Munchen on February 13 (2 fatalities), attack in Mannheim on March 3 (2 fatalities), attack in Mannheim on May 31 (1 fatality), armed clash in Munchen on September 5 (1 fatality), mob violence in Meissen on March 16

13. Costa Rica

• Incidence of political violence last year: 49.4 events per million residents
• Electoral regime: Liberal democracy
• Recent incidents of political violence: Armed clash in Parrita on June 3 (4 fatalities), attack in Alajuelita on December 18 (3 fatalities), armed clash in Los Chiles on November 18 (2 fatalities), attack in Sarchi Norte on March 8 (1 fatality), attack in La Chorrera on April 13 (1 fatality), attack in La Chorrera on May 8 (1 fatality), attack in Limon on August 16 (1 fatality), attack in Quebradon on October 28 (1 fatality), attack in Guapiles on January 31 (1 fatality), attack in San Jose on February 9 (1 fatality)

12. Luxembourg

• Incidence of political violence last year: 52.5 events per million residents
• Electoral regime: Liberal democracy
• Recent incidents of political violence: Armed clash in Shaykhabad on May 31 (1 fatality), attack in Nili on June 1 (1 fatality), armed clash in Noor Gram on June 1 (1 fatality), armed clash in Shinyah on June 2 (1 fatality), attack in Nili on June 2 (1 fatality), armed clash in Shahrak on June 2 (1 fatality), attack in Kabul on June 4 (1 fatality), attack in Lashkargah on June 5 (1 fatality), attack in Kabul on June 5 (1 fatality)

11. Italy

• Incidence of political violence last year: 53.3 events per million residents
• Electoral regime: Liberal democracy
• Recent incidents of political violence: Remote explosive/landmine/IED in Ottana on March 16, mob violence in Milano – Municipio 2 on March 28, mob violence in Gradisca d’Isonzo on April 11, remote explosive/landmine/IED in Bitti on April 21, mob violence in Genova on May 3, mob violence in Bologna on May 4, mob violence in Roma on May 16, mob violence in Milano – Municipio 1 on May 19, mob violence in Benevento on May 19, mob violence in Rivoli on May 19

10. Belgium

• Incidence of political violence last year: 60.8 events per million residents
• Electoral regime: Liberal democracy
• Recent incidents of political violence: Mob violence in Heusden-Zolder on March 24, mob violence in Houthalen-Helchteren on March 24, mob violence in Cheratte on March 26, attack in Oostende on November 2, mob violence in Antwerpen on November 19, mob violence in Hoogstraten on January 26

9. Denmark

• Incidence of political violence last year: 60.9 events per million residents
• Electoral regime: Liberal democracy
• Recent incidents of political violence: Attack in Copenhagen on June 7, grenade in Hellerup on October 2, remote explosive/landmine/IED in Hellerup on October 7

8. Finland

• Incidence of political violence last year: 64.5 events per million residents
• Electoral regime: Liberal democracy
• Recent incidents of political violence: Mob violence in Raisio on June 10, attack in Oulu on June 14, attack in Oulu on June 18

7. Chile

• Incidence of political violence last year: 67.9 events per million residents
• Electoral regime: Liberal democracy
• Recent incidents of political violence: Armed clash in Lampa on July 16 (5 fatalities), armed clash in Antiquina on April 27 (3 fatalities), armed clash in Santiago – Quinta Normal on April 10 (2 fatalities), attack in Vina del Mar on April 7 (1 fatality), armed clash in Iquique on April 15 (1 fatality), attack in Puente Alto on May 19 (1 fatality), remote explosive/landmine/IED in Complejo Fronterizo Chacalluta on June 28 (1 fatality), attack in Vina del Mar on July 14 (1 fatality), mob violence in Santiago on August 8 (1 fatality), attack in Maria Pinto on August 22 (1 fatality)

6. Ireland

• Incidence of political violence last year: 69.0 events per million residents
• Electoral regime: Liberal democracy
• Recent incidents of political violence: Mob violence in Dublin on July 16, mob violence in Dublin on September 14, mob violence in Athlone on December 15

5. Spain

• Incidence of political violence last year: 79.0 events per million residents
• Electoral regime: Liberal democracy
• Recent incidents of political violence: Attack in Castello de la Plana on March 2, attack in Getafe on June 28, mob violence in Valencia on August 11, mob violence in Madrid – Barajas on September 1, mob violence in Gijon on September 14, mob violence in Huesca on November 1, mob violence in Valencia on December 8

4. Norway

• Incidence of political violence last year: 88.2 events per million residents
• Electoral regime: Liberal democracy
• Recent incidents of political violence: Mob violence in Skien on March 26, mob violence in Oslo on May 25, attack in Oslo on August 12, mob violence in Bergen on September 21

3. France

• Incidence of political violence last year: 95.9 events per million residents
• Electoral regime: Liberal democracy
• Recent incidents of political violence: Armed clash in Incarville on May 14 (2 fatalities), attack in Aubervilliers on March 13 (1 fatality), attack in Cherbourg-en-Cotentin on June 9 (1 fatality), attack in Paris on July 8 (1 fatality), attack in Toulouse on July 25 (1 fatality), attack in Cappelle-la-Grande on August 31 (1 fatality), attack in Mulhouse on September 29 (1 fatality), attack in Mulhouse on February 22 (1 fatality), mob violence in Paris on March 1, mob violence in Paris on March 6

2. Sweden

• Incidence of political violence last year: 112.3 events per million residents
• Electoral regime: Liberal democracy
• Recent incidents of political violence: Attack in Sodertalje on January 29 (1 fatality), attack in Farsta on April 24, attack in Stockholm on May 17, excessive force against protesters in Boras on August 10, mob violence in Goteborg on August 25, attack in Stockholm on September 30

1. Jamaica

• Incidence of political violence last year: 200.7 events per million residents
• Electoral regime: Liberal democracy
• Recent incidents of political violence: Attack in Four Paths on August 11 (8 fatalities), armed clash in Kingston on October 21 (5 fatalities), attack in Kingston on November 25 (5 fatalities), attack in Central Village on March 12 (4 fatalities), armed clash in Kingston on May 8 (4 fatalities), armed clash in Negril on July 26 (4 fatalities), attack in Bethel Town on September 30 (4 fatalities), attack in Grange Hill on March 9 (3 fatalities), attack in Kingston on May 13 (3 fatalities), attack in Kingston on May 13 (3 fatalities)

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