Singapore has once again secured the top spot in the Chandler Good Government Index (CGGI) 2026, marking its fourth consecutive year as the global leader in governance. The city-state outperformed Norway, Denmark, Finland, and Sweden, showcasing its robust governance capabilities amidst rising global uncertainties and complex policy challenges.
The CGGI evaluates government performance using 35 indicators across seven pillars, including Leadership & Foresight, Robust Laws & Policies, and Strong Institutions. This year, the index expanded to include 13 additional countries, totalling 133. Singapore excelled in five of the seven pillars, notably Strong Institutions, which improved from 10th place in 2021 to first in 2026.
Whilst Singapore’s Financial Stewardship remains a strength, it briefly slipped to second place in 2024 and 2025 but reclaimed the top position this year. However, areas such as Robust Laws & Policies saw a slight decline, dropping from 7th to 8th place since 2021. Conversely, Global Influence & Reputation improved significantly, climbing from 32nd to 21st place.
Dinesh Naidu, Director (Knowledge) at Chandler Governance Group, remarked, “Singapore’s continued leadership reflects not only consistency, but a sustained ability to adapt and reinforce core institutions in an increasingly complex global environment.”
Globally, the 2026 CGGI highlighted broad-based improvements, with 61% of countries indexed in 2025 recording score gains. The Asia Pacific region emerged as the most improved, with 79% of countries, including China and Japan, showing progress. The full report is available on the Chandler Good Government Index website.
