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Longest Uninterrupted Democracies

Name the countries that have been under some form of elected government since 1950.
This means no coups, juntas, dictatorships, absolute monarchies, or foreign occupations
Even if some portion of the population was subjugated
Quiz by Quizmaster
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Last updated: December 22, 2019
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First submittedJune 7, 2016
Times taken29,748
Average score73.1%
Rating4.04
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Year
Country
1688
United Kingdom / England
1781
United States
1809
Sweden
1848
Switzerland
1862
Liechtenstein
1866
Andorra
1867
Canada
1901
Australia
1907
New Zealand
Year
Country
1910
South Africa
1917
Finland
1922
Ireland
1934
Mexico
1945
Belgium
1945
Denmark
1945
France
1945
Italy
1945
Luxembourg
Year
Country
1945
Monaco
1945
Netherlands
1945
Norway
1945
San Marino
1946
Iceland
1947
Sri Lanka
1948
Costa Rica
1948
Israel
+2
Level 40
Aug 5, 2016
Good Quiz. Maybe a bit nit-picky here, but the United States is not a Democracy. Although it is a "form of elected government" our Constitution "guarantees to every state a Republican form of government". But, good quiz.
+2
Level 58
Aug 5, 2016
All of those republican governments, as well as the federal government, are democratic as well.
+1
Level 28
Aug 5, 2016
Correct JDWI
+2
Level 82
Aug 6, 2016
Incorrect JDWI.

Democracy definition 1: a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives.

Representatives are democratically elected. Then those people who participated in the election have representation in government via their elected representatives. This is a form of democracy. What you are thinking of is direct democracy with universal suffrage, which is a different thing.

+2
Level 82
Aug 9, 2016
Sigh. The number of times I've seen this whole, "Well, technically the US isn't a democracy because--" "Technically, you're wrong. Be quiet."
+1
Level 40
Aug 12, 2016
"Swing and a miss" for Kalbahamut! Not to get political on Jetpunk, but the United States FEDERAL GOVERNMENT is NOT a Democracy. The stuff you are referring to is state government level stuff AND the representatives of the States. Need Proof Kal?

Article 4 Section 4 of the Constitution..."The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a REPUBLICAN form of government..."

Pledge of Allegiance of the United States..."And to the REPUBLIC for which it stands..."

When Mrs. Powell asked Benjamin Franklin what type of government they had created for the people, he replied, "A REPUBLIC Madam, if you can keep it."

Want more? I have a lot more! But, like I said, Good Quiz!

+1
Level 68
Feb 5, 2024
I don't think you know what a republic is.
+1
Level 60
Aug 14, 2016
In reality, there is no true democratic country in the world. Heck, no communist country has been an actual communist country. If we go the way JDWI is saying, no country in this list is supposed to be on here. Which means this quiz wouldn't even exist. The belief of democracy is what exists.
+3
Level 82
Aug 15, 2016
I don't make up the definitions of words, JDWI. And I'm sorry to bring this fact to your attention, but neither do you.
+1
Level 40
Aug 29, 2016
Hey Kal, I know we don't make up definitions, that is what makes them facts and makes me FACTUALLY correct. Thank you.
+2
Level 82
Feb 14, 2018
JDWI: I'm sorry that you are unable to understand this.
+3
Level 48
Dec 4, 2017
I find the debate over whether the US is a democracy is like describing a banana without mentioning the colour. The US is without a doubt a republic, so is China, but rather than being a nasty shade of authoritarian brown it is a democratic yellow. A republic describes a system in which power is not hereditary, what Jefferson described as a 'republic' would now be considered a representative democracy.
+2
Level 82
Feb 14, 2018
It's a democracy. It's not ambiguous.
+2
Level 50
Oct 3, 2019
Certainly the USA is a democracy, but it is worth noting that non-republics can also be democracies, while republics can be dictatorships. All this obviously makes it very hard to decide where to draw the line, what counts as a democracy, and what does not. Personally, I think QM did a pretty good job of deciding with this quiz.
+1
Level 74
Feb 23, 2023
Thank you! Democracy and republic are overlapping concepts that often harmonize, but not always. They are not mutually exclusive forms of government. This trope about the US being a republic and not a democracy circulates freely in conservative circles. I'm not really sure why, but it's dumb and simple-minded. The US is certainly not a pure democracy, but it's not a pure anything. It's a complicated mess that mostly exists within the overlapping Venn diagram of both democracy and republic.
+1
Level 49
Aug 5, 2016
Hi world
+5
Level 28
Aug 5, 2016
The EU is a dictatorship and is undemocratic. Countries belonging to it should be removed
+6
Level 56
Aug 6, 2016
And let me guess, Russia and China are democratic?
+12
Level 82
Aug 6, 2016
There have been a lot of silly comments made here but this one is a strong contender for silliest.
+8
Level 65
Aug 6, 2016
Members of EU countries elect their representatives. Opponents of the EU such UKIP's Nigel Farage and Front National's Marine Le Pen, have taken advantage of this institution's supposed undemocratic nature by becoming elected representatives themselves.
+1
Level 31
Apr 9, 2018
Only for the EuroParl. There are many unelected positions. I'm not really anti-EU and its certainly not a dictatorship but it is rather undemocratic. It is known as the Democratic Deficit.
+6
Level 50
Jul 31, 2018
But there are unelected positions in most democracies.
+2
Level 49
Nov 23, 2017
do you get worried that immigrants are going to steal your job?
+3
Level 50
Jul 30, 2018
The EU a dictatorship? This just might be one of the stupidest comments I have ever seen. The EU is also not undemocratic. In fact I would consider it to be one of the most democratic entities in the world.
+2
Level 79
Jun 26, 2019
You must be joking! :D
+3
Level 66
Aug 6, 2016
Any acceptable definition of democracy must include the idea of universal adult suffrage by secret ballot. Of course that is not enough in itself. A junta could fulfill that requirement but only allow it's own placemen on the ballot. Freedom of speech and of assembly and of the press must also be present.

On these criteria, many countries on this list aught not to be there. Switzerland for example denied half it's population the vote until 1972 when women were belatedly enfranchised. This caveat can be applied to others on the list. Sexism.

Including South Africa on this list is simply offensive.

The world's first democracy was New Zealand not Athens.

+2
Level 82
Aug 8, 2016
these comments are getting more ridiculous all the time.

For a democracy to function perfectly and actually be the wonderful form of government that we are often brainwashed into believing it should be, it must have ALL of the below: 1. a strong and binding but adaptive and flexible secular Constitution that includes safeguards for the rights of minorities. 2. a strong, independent, uncorruptible judiciary. 3. rule of law. 4. a free, independent, uncorruptible press. 5. freedom of speech, expression, assembley et cetera. 6. an educated, informed, engaged electorate.

By these standards, there have been roughly ZERO true democracies in human history.

except that... in order to be defined as a democracy you do not have to be the perfect idealized form of democracy that is impossible to achieve. Because that would be incredibly stupid. No, to be a democracy simply means enfranchised people vote either on legislation directly or on representatives. That's. It.

+3
Level 70
Jan 6, 2017
even people in North Korea or other communist countries can vote. I am from the Czech Republic and we could vote as well during the communist era, only there was only one option and if you didn't vote you were in trouble. Democracy is a little more than that, I believe.

I think that women's suffrage, apartheid etc. are quite good points, too

+3
Level 82
Feb 14, 2018
I think people would argue that those elections are inconsequential or just a sham. If you go to the polls, and you have only one option, you're not really participating in government you are participating in political theater.
+1
Level 75
May 17, 2023
Ahhh, South Africa. When can I tell you that South Africa really wasn't a democracy back in the day, and it was ACTUALLY a harsh dictatorship being ran by the minority white population. They oppressed all the other races so much when they were in power. How is THAT democracy if the majority of people are being oppressed by the ruling power?
+1
Level 56
Aug 6, 2016
Forgetting about South Africa for a moment; are there no long-standing democracies in Africa at all?
+1
Level 60
Aug 7, 2016
No, most of them are or had dictatorships, one of them is an absolute monarchy, so pretty much none
+4
Level 82
Dec 3, 2016
I think Botswana is the longest, having regular elections ever since independence in 1966.
+1
Level 76
Jul 29, 2018
Not to mention large portions of Africa were occupied by European powers for a long time.
+2
Level 50
Jul 30, 2018
Most of Africa was still under European colonisation before 1950.
+1
Level 79
Jun 26, 2019
In fact before 1960.
+1
Level 67
Dec 2, 2022
The second longest is Mauritius since 1968, and the third is Senegal since the ~70's, although it's disputable.
+3
Level 67
Aug 6, 2016
1) South Africa WAS NOT a democracy during apartheid!!!!

2) In Monaco the Prince APPOINTS The Council of Government at the proposal of the French Government - as far as I understand democracy, this is not quite democratic...

3) Since 2003 Liechtenstein amended its Constitution to allow the Prince to veto any legislation (at his will) how appoints the government, all of the judges etc. - again not quite democratic, if you ask me...

So, I think you should change those entries, and this is without raising any questions about Israel, or Sri Lanka...

+3
Level 60
Aug 7, 2016
1) South Africa was a democracy, just not for everyone. For 2 and 3, As long as they don't have cancelled elections, coups, or become absolute monarchies, then they fit the quiz. Democracy on this quiz just means that people are able to vote, no matter if some weren't allowed
+1
Level 75
May 17, 2023
Apartheid definitely does NOT equal democracy. It is way closer to the likes of a dictatorship.
+2
Level 59
Aug 6, 2016
Sri Lanka but no India?
+1
Level 60
Aug 7, 2016
Remember India's State of Emergency by Indira Gandhi, yeah that's why it's not in here
+3
Level 56
Nov 30, 2020
But emergency period was not a dictatorship. It was according to a provision by the constitution to be activated in the face of internal and external threat. Democracy was still uninterrupted during that period although fundamental rights were curbed.
+2
Level 65
Aug 6, 2016
Calling this quiz "longest uninterrupted democracies" was a terrible idea. Though the quiz master stated at the beginning that it was obviously going to be controversial so I guess s/he wanted to start arguments.

Everyone knows democracy is good, and conveniently everyone can find a way of defining it to suit their own political view. East Germany was the German Democratic Republic; Margaret Thatcher called Pinochet a champion of democracy...

I haven't stayed out of the debate, but it's probably better if quizzes avoid obvious controversy and stick to generally accepted and verifiable facts.

+1
Level 60
Aug 7, 2016
There have been so many controversal quizzes on this site, yet for this quiz, it was a terrible idea and that probably better if quizzes avoid obvious controversy and stick to generally accepted and verifiable facts. QM knew from the beginning there was going to be controversy due to some countries, but hey, you can't please everyone. And so what that East Germany was called the 'German Democratic Republic', North Korea is called the 'Democratic People's Republic of Korea, yet they are the least democratic country in the world. And Thatcher calling Pinochet a champion of democracy is hilarious, where did she come up with that joke. But no seriously, Pinochet wasn't a 'champion of democracy', he was a dictator, heck the Wikipedia page for the history of Chile , says "In 1990, Chile made a peaceful transition to democracy" suggesting that Chile wasn't democratic. This has been one of the most ridiculous rants I've ever seen.
+1
Level 65
Aug 9, 2016
Solid quiz.
+1
Level 59
Aug 10, 2016
Theresa May is a Dictator so UK should be taken off.
+8
Level 83
May 29, 2017
Much as I hate Theresa May, I really hope you're not serious.
+2
Level 50
Jul 30, 2018
I hate her too.
+1
Level 79
Jun 26, 2019
Very funny, Warren-boy.
+1
Level 55
Aug 13, 2016
Umm, what do you mean by "uninterrupted" ? Because, in my opinion, having one's president assassinated definitely counts as an interruption...
+3
Level 60
Aug 14, 2016
Read the caveats. And no, having a country's assasinated or die due to natural causes doesn't mean democracy has been interrupted. It just means they don't have a head of state. If your definition of 'uninterrupted democracy' includes assasinated presidents, then I suggest to change that definition ASAP.
+1
Level 46
Nov 17, 2016
I don't have too much with South Africa on this list, yes apartheid was terrible but as someone else mentioned if we go by everything there would be no list and most countries would be by when women could vote, which in some cases they still can't.
+1
Level 46
Nov 17, 2016
Lots of countries have uninterrupted democracy since 1945, I wonder what happened in 1945 to make most of Europe do this?.... Hmm....
+2
Level 60
Dec 26, 2016
Hint: Nazi Germany
+2
Level 82
Dec 3, 2016
So much protesting about South African apartheid (and a bit about USA), but not much about women suffrage ... e.g. Switzerland 1971 / 1991
+2
Level 56
Jan 11, 2019
I mean I understand why most commenters are focusing on the 15th Amendment and the Civil Rights era changes because they figure so large in both our history classes and modern political fights. But you're right that women's suffrage (especially the 19th Amendment, but also later expansions to nonwhite women) expanded suffrage to a greater percent of the population.

Other overlooked expansions in the US: reduction of property qualifications for white men in the first half of the 19th century, Native American citizenship in the 1920s, the 26th Amendment in 1971. (The last two were smaller expansions than black suffrage though.)

+2
Level 72
Jan 27, 2017
First election after Fascism/WWII in Italy were in 1946 (not 1945) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_general_election,_1946
+1
Level 66
Apr 10, 2017
(West) Germany's first democratic election after WWII was held in 1949, so I think it should make the list.
+1
Level 56
Jan 11, 2019
I think it's discounted because West Germany doesn't exist anymore. You could argue that the West German democracy continued uninterrupted when it re-united with the GDR -- I'm not familiar enough with reunification to say whether that holds water.
+1
Level 60
Oct 8, 2017
usa is still not a democracy
+2
Level 82
Feb 14, 2018
Then no country is.
+2
Level 39
Jan 13, 2018
I think India should make the list...liberated in 1947
+1
Level 56
Jan 11, 2019
Quizmaster is counting The Emergency as an interruption (@AbhishekNS too).
+1
Level 56
Nov 30, 2020
I don't.
+2
Level 76
Mar 29, 2018
New Zealand should be counted from either 1852, when the New Zealand Parliament dates from, or 1856, when it got most of its powers.

The 1907 date is the date when it was relabelled as a 'Dominion', but nothing actually changed on that date other than the label.

+2
Level 56
Jul 31, 2018
Why is India not on the list ???

It was liberated in 1947 and continues to be a democracy uninterrupted...(as of 31st July 2018)

+2
Level 65
Jul 31, 2018
I just want to say, chill out people. Political scientists simply do not have consensus on the definition of democracy (look up on Robert Dahl's vs. Joseph Schumpeter's definition). So you can pretty much argue any country as democratic or not, depending on your definition.
+1
Level 75
May 17, 2023
Hahahahahaha, very funny. Only a small handful of countries can be considered a continuous democracy. And South Africa WAS NOT a democracy until 1994 thanks to apartheid. And in fact, the world nowadays is becoming less democratic. "Any country can be considered democratic" is a very invalid claim. Myanmar, North Korea, Russia, China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Iraq, Venezuela, Cuba, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Belarus, and SO MANY MORE can NOT be considered a democracy. If the people are being oppressed by the government and if some or most of them can't vote or participate in the government, then it isn't a democracy.
+1
Level 56
Jul 31, 2018
WELL !

It clearly WAS a good quiz because it ha made people think carefully about words and definitions, rather than simply regurgitate learned facts. So ... well done !!

Many of the comments are of course based on points of view, much as the answers are, so this quiz doesn't have the normal rigid correct answers, but never mind

having said that .....

HOW ON EARTH HAVE YOU INCLUDED LIECHTENSTEIN? Now I think judged to be the most absolute MONARCHY in the world with the possible exception of Swaziland (sorry - I can never remember the new correct name).

Also i believe that ICELAND has been a representative democratic republic since 1944, or possibly 1946 - and can arguably have the oldest representative elected authority in the world - except of course one can argue that the althing was suspended in the 18th & 19th centuries (possibly)

Dave

+2
Level 56
Jan 11, 2019
>I can never remember the new correct name

Eswatini. Google is your friend :P

>HOW ON EARTH HAVE YOU INCLUDED LIECHTENSTEIN

Well are you said at the beginning of your comment, the answers are based on points of view. Wikipedia calls Liechtenstein's goverment a direct democracy, despite the prince's expanded powers granted by the 2003 constitution. I'm not a political scientist or motivated enough to read up on Leichtensteinian politics in order to make an informed opinion, so instead I'll just I think the Crown Prince threatening to move to Austria if he didn't get expanded veto powers is pretty funny.

Edit: also on Iceland -- from briefly skimming Wikipedia, I'm with you that it should count from 1945 or 46.

+1
Level 65
Aug 1, 2018
I was going to type in Mexico, but then I was reminded of the fact that over 100 political candidates were murdered during their recent election.

Also, those bringing up the Apartheid of South Africa should be aware that that was more of a democracy than what is there now, which is just a 1 party state (wins every election), openly racist parties + persecution of whites (homicide rate 4x that of El-Salvador's).

+1
Level 67
Sep 27, 2022
please be joking. please.
+1
Level 68
Aug 1, 2018
With Theresa May in power I wouldn't be surprised to see us off this list soon :(

Coup here we come!

+1
Level 70
Sep 4, 2018
It's not that type of coup. In this sense coup means the overthrow of government by military force.
+2
Level 82
Jul 17, 2019
I think that was probably a typo and the man was excited to learn his soup was ready.
+1
Level 52
Sep 20, 2018
I'd argue that Mexico, South Africa and Sri Lanka had some dictatorial elements or at least undemocratic characteristics afterwards although they are all democracies today.
+1
Level 75
May 17, 2023
fr, Mexico, South Africa, and Sri Lanka should all not be on this list. Not gonna explain why because I already did on like so many other comments/replies.
+1
Level 43
Nov 28, 2018
andorra luxembourg and Israel left only.

and I typed liechtenstein monaco sweden and switzerland at last ten seconds

+2
Level 67
Dec 9, 2018
Israel probably shouldn't be included.
+4
Level 70
Dec 12, 2018
It should.
+1
Level 50
Jan 14, 2020
And a reason for it not being included?
+1
Level 35
Dec 11, 2018
Several of these are either republics or monarchies rather than democracies. USA is a republic because we elect representatives to speak for us.
+2
Level 70
Dec 12, 2018
They are all democracies. A democracy just means the government is elected in a democratic process.
+1
Level 56
Jan 11, 2019
The title "longest uninterrupted" got me wondering if there are any no long extant democracies that would make the list. Someone mentioned West Germany up thread, but that was only 45 years (unless you count modern Germany as a continuation of it, which it seems most people don't). The French Third Republic (assuming there were no interruptions between 1870 and 1940) would fall off the list this year. Are there any others that lasted longer?
+1
Level 82
Jan 13, 2020
The Roman Republic may have lasted about 200 years. The democracy of Athens lasted about the same span of time. That's just two but there are probably more.
+2
Level 62
Jun 9, 2020
Actually in 1990 the GDR, i.e. the so called new federal states *joined* the FRG. The FRG was not discontinued, but the GDR ceased to exist. Also "West Germany" as name for the FRG was not very common in the FRG. We used "Deutschland" (Germany) when not explicitly referring to one of the two states, and "BRD" or "Bundesrepublik" (FRG) and "DDR" (GDR) when referring to one of them. "Westdeutschland" (West Germany) was (and is still) used in West Berlin to refer to the other federal states of the FRG, where not as a purely geographical indication. It never was any kind of an official name.
+1
Level 66
Jan 13, 2020
I'm just going to add to the general rant here and why not, people should be pissed about the misuse of the word democracy here. Just for my own country, Aboriginal people were not given the right to vote at Federal Elections until 1962. Even the law enacting women's suffrage in 1902 had a caveat -- (except those who were "aboriginal natives" of Australia, Africa, Asia and the Pacific Islands, unless excepted under section 41 of the constitution) And the inclusion of Switzerland here is really baffling. Are the rights of women so unimportant that we can just overlook them? Swiss women were not given the right to vote in all Swiss cantons until 1990. What kind of backward kind of definition of democracy are we dealing with here? (okay when I'm upset I use questions as statements) The inclusion of South Africa is so wrong, surely even the village idiot can work out why.
+1
Level 82
Jan 13, 2020
democracy is rule by the people or all eligible voters. Eligible is a key word. Are you going to rant about denying the vote to felons? To 16 year olds? To foreign expats? There's nothing backward about the definition being used. It's the definition.
+1
Level 75
May 17, 2023
South Africa was never a democracy until 1994. Because of: apartheid. So take them out of this list now.
+1
Level 66
Jan 13, 2020
And I wonder if by democracy in Israel we include the Palestinians who have been driven off their land and don't even get to vote for the invaders which now subjugate them. They legally have a right to live on that land, and their ancestors may have done so for centuries. So I am going to lay down what I think a basic definition for a democracy should be. There should be universal suffrage for adults -- regardless of gender, race or religion. All of these people should be able to vote; that is there should be no bureaucratic hindrances to them voting(voting registrations made deliberately difficult for certain ethnic and class groups and that kind of bs) or civil hindrances to voting --such as the use of violence, intimidation and bribery.
+2
Level 82
Jan 13, 2020
oh please
+1
Level 50
Jan 14, 2020
That seems a reasonable definition. If we used it, pretty much the whole list would have to be changed, and there would be very few countries on it. However, a quiz with this definition of democracy that simply lists all countries that currently meet these qualifications would be very interesting.
+1
Level 82
Jan 14, 2020
If you were only allowed to count countries where nobody in that geographic area had ever been made or encouraged to move or made to feel like they ought to, and no "adult" (arbitrary disenfranchisement right here) had ever had their ability to vote hindered in any way, then I'm confident that list would be 0 entries long.
+3
Level 45
Jan 14, 2020
India obtained freedom on August 15th , 1947 and has been a secular republic democracy ever since.
+1
Level 60
Jan 14, 2020
Here's a nice article saying why it isn't on there
+1
Level 67
Jan 14, 2020
Was doing bad then I got like 10 in less than 10 seconds or something
+1
Level 61
Jul 21, 2021
This is the most unnecessary argument I've ever seen on Jetpunk. There will never be a definitive answer to democracy - North Korea claims it. At least those people who say Cyprus isn't in Asia actually know exactly what continent they believe it is in.
+1
Level 50
Nov 1, 2022
sri lanka no longer
+1
Level 67
Dec 2, 2022
I know this is like beating a dead horse, but Mexico had massive vote buying and election fraud from the PRI party until the 80s or so.
+1
Level 76
Mar 30, 2023
If you include things like that, good luck finding a single country that would actually be on this list.
+1
Level 75
May 17, 2023
Ah yes, South Africa was definitely a democracy uninterrupted from 1910 to now. Aren't you forgetting something? Bro they had apartheid for a long ass time, so how is that "democracy" if a lot of the people are oppressed and discriminated against. South Africa did not abolish apartheid until 1991, and the first actually free and fair elections with no discrimination were held in 1994.

Mexico may or may not be a democracy nowadays. Even if it is a democracy, it is very flawed and is far from perfect. They have huge issues with the cartels and all of that stuff.

And last but not least, SRI LANKA. This one is very very obvious that it AIN'T A DEMOCRACY NO MORE. Just search up Sri Lanka's massive protests and government issues in 2022.

You could also argue that monarchies like the UK aren't democracies. Despite their past colonial rampages, it has been a CONSTITUTIONAL monarchy, so they count.

+1
Level 70
Jun 19, 2023
You surely don't understand the principles of democracy. Democratic countries are not always good and prosperous nations. It's just the political way of solving political issues, nothing more. For instance, Greece was the first democratic country, but they had slavery and many flaws in rights of people
+1
Level 54
Dec 5, 2023
How so? If you're thinking because of how media portraits as the president being "ousted", it's not, since he was NOT ousted, but he resigned and fled in 2022. Also, the the parliament elected in 2020 was not dissolved and continues on as of today (Dec 2023).
+1
Level 75
May 17, 2023
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy_Index

This is a better way of determining if a country is democratic or not. Any country that is a hybrid regime or authoritarian is not a democracy. So Mexico is instantly outta here. Once they update this index for 2023, watch Sri Lanka's score drop hard. Don't know why the score didn't drop in 2022, but whatever.

And South Africa should not be included because they never became democratic until 1994. This can be defined be a single word: apartheid.

+1
Level 69
Dec 1, 2023
Putting Liechtenstein and the UK in here is certainly a controversial choice