Western Europe

Western Europe has traditionally maintained an exemplary level of respect for democratic standards and human rights, and has generally continued to do so in recent years despite serious economic turmoil. Nevertheless, many countries have developed problems related to their treatment of immigrants and minorities, and freedom of expression faces threats in several states. Through its presence in Brussels, Freedom House works to address these issues and to increase Western Europe’s role in supporting democratic progress abroad.

Countries & Territories: 26
487 million people
85% free
Press:
72% free

Percent computed by population. Population source data.

News & Updates

News update

Release of "Freedom of the Press 2012" Findings

May 1 2012 - 3:48pm

Freedom House released the findings of Freedom of the Press 2012, its annual press freedom survey, at a press conference held in front of the World Press Freedom map at the Newseum.

Issues: 
Freedom of Expression, Internet Freedom, Media Freedom
Regions: 
Americas, Asia-Pacific, Central and Eastern Europe/Eurasia, Middle East and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, Western Europe
Press Release

Freedom of the Press 2012: Breakthroughs and Pushback in the Middle East

May 1 2012 - 12:01am

The Middle East and North Africa saw dramatic if precarious gains in press freedom in 2011, and for the first time in eight years, global media freedom did not experience an overall decline, according to a Freedom House report released today. However, due to downgrades in some previously free countries, the percentage of the world’s population living in societies with a fully free press has fallen to its lowest level in over a decade.

Issues: 
Freedom of Expression, Internet Freedom, Media Freedom
Regions: 
Americas, Asia-Pacific, Central and Eastern Europe/Eurasia, Middle East and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, Western Europe
Freedom Alert

Number of Imprisoned Journalists in Turkey Nearly Doubles

Apr 5 2012 - 2:19pm

The number of journalists imprisoned in Turkey has nearly doubled, according to a new study published by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), which noted that 95 journalists are in Turkish prisons today, up from 57 in 2011.  Freedom House welcomes the report and  joins the OSCE in calling on Turkey to reform its media laws, which include vague anti-terrorism provisions that have been used for years to imprison journalists for allegedly disseminating statements and propaganda from terrorist organizations.

Issues: 
Media Freedom
Regions: 
Western Europe
Freedom Alert

Freedom House Condemns Turkey’s Ban on Pro-Kurdish Newspaper

Mar 26 2012 - 3:36pm

Press freedom in Turkey continued to downslide this week with the decision of an Istanbul court to ban Turkish newspaper, Özgür Gündem, from publication for allegedly spreading “terrorist propaganda.” The paper’s Istanbul offices were raided on March 24 and authorities subsequently seized the Sunday edition of the paper and barred the newspaper from publication for one month.

Issues: 
Media Freedom, Rule of Law
Regions: 
Western Europe

Experts

Arch Puddington

Vice President for Research

Issues: 
Democratic Governance, Elections, Internet Freedom, Media Freedom, Religious Freedom, Rule of Law, U.S. Foreign Policy
Regions: 
Western Europe
Austria
8.4 million people
Press:
Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
1.0 / 7 (least free)
Combined Freedom Score
Belgium
11 million people
Press:
Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
1.0 / 7 (least free)
Combined Freedom Score
Cyprus
1.1 million people
Press:
Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
1.0 / 7 (least free)
Combined Freedom Score
Denmark
5.6 million people
Press:
Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
1.0 / 7 (least free)
Combined Freedom Score
Finland
5.4 million people
Press:
Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
1.0 / 7 (least free)
Combined Freedom Score
France
63 million people
Press:
Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
1.0 / 7 (least free)
Combined Freedom Score
Germany
82 million people
Internet:
Free
Press:
Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
1.0 / 7 (least free)
Combined Freedom Score
16 / 100 (least free)
Internet Freedom
Greece
11 million people
Press:
Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
2.0 / 7 (least free)
Combined Freedom Score
Iceland
319 thousand people
Press:
Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
1.0 / 7 (least free)
Combined Freedom Score
Ireland
4.6 million people
Press:
Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
1.0 / 7 (least free)
Combined Freedom Score
Italy
61 million people
Internet:
Free
Press:
Partly Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
1.0 / 7 (least free)
Combined Freedom Score
26 / 100 (least free)
Internet Freedom
Malta
412 thousand people
Press:
Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
1.0 / 7 (least free)
Combined Freedom Score
Netherlands
17 million people
Press:
Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
1.0 / 7 (least free)
Combined Freedom Score
Norway
5 million people
Press:
Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
1.0 / 7 (least free)
Combined Freedom Score
Portugal
11 million people
Press:
Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
1.0 / 7 (least free)
Combined Freedom Score
Spain
46 million people
Press:
Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
1.0 / 7 (least free)
Combined Freedom Score
Sweden
9.4 million people
Press:
Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
1.0 / 7 (least free)
Combined Freedom Score
Switzerland
7.9 million people
Press:
Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
1.0 / 7 (least free)
Combined Freedom Score
Turkey
74 million people
Internet:
Partly Free
Press:
Partly Free
Status
Partly Free
Scores Overview
3.0 / 7 (least free)
Combined Freedom Score
45 / 100 (least free)
Internet Freedom
United Kingdom
63 million people
Internet:
Free
Press:
Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
1.0 / 7 (least free)
Combined Freedom Score
25 / 100 (least free)
Internet Freedom
Greenland
Scores Overview

Countries and Territories

Andorra
Austria
Belgium
Cyprus
Denmark
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Liechtenstein
Luxembourg
Malta
Monaco
Netherlands
Northern Cyprus
Norway
Portugal
San Marino
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
United Kingdom

Programs

No programs have been associated with this content.