In recent decades, Southeast Asian (SEA) countries have achieved strong economic growth, improved livelihoods and expanded access to essential services. Yet, sustaining this progress requires strong public institutions, capable of managing the evolving fiscal, social, environmental and technological challenges of the 21st century. Government at a Glance: Southeast Asia 2025 provides internationally comparable data on governance practices across the region, offering insights to strengthen institutions, enhance policy effectiveness, and improve overall government performance.
Government at a Glance: Southeast Asia 2025
Introduction
Key figures
44% to 58%
Increase in general government gross debt as a percentage of GDP between 2019 and 2023
0.37
Average country score on OECD Digital Government Index, below OECD average of 0.61 (on a scale from 0 to 1)
87% & 89%
Proportion of people content with healthcare and education services
Effective budgetary practices and robust oversight are needed to navigate the economic after-effects of the pandemic
Public debt in SEA countries rose from an average of 44% of GDP in 2019 to 58% in 2023, following higher deficits during the pandemic. Most SEA countries have adopted budgetary practices that support sound fiscal management: six of seven have fiscal rules and objectives, and seven of eight use expenditure ceilings to guide and control public spending. However, oversight and accountability remain weaker. Only half (4 of 8) have an independent fiscal institution to critically assess fiscal policy, compared to 76% of OECD Member countries.
More can be done in many countries to harness digital government, AI, and open data
Southeast Asia on average lags behind OECD countries on digital government and open data. The region scores 0.37 (vs 0.61 for OECD countries) on the OECD Digital Government Index; anticipating and responding to citizens’ and businesses’ needs is the area with most room for improvement - and where AI could make a difference. On open data, the average score is 0.22 (vs 0.48), and only 23% (vs 47%) of high-value datasets are easily accessible to the public.
Most citizens are satisfied with healthcare and education, but everyday administrative services could improve
Public satisfaction with services is high, with 87% satisfied with healthcare services and 89% with education. Service delivery has improved over the past 10-15 years, and seven out of eight countries now have strategies to enhance public administrative services. However, performance monitoring and user feedback remain limited: only four of eight countries regularly publish data on performance against standards / targets. Digital services are still underdeveloped: in seven of eight countries, most online public services cannot be accessed through a secure and user-friendly digital identity.
What can governments do?
Building prosperity and resilience will require structures to manage environmental risks. Where data are available, SEA countries are strong performers in green infrastructure governance. However, much more can be done to implement green budgeting practices and to make high-value datasets on environmental issues easily accessible to the public.
Gaps in public engagement and transparency appear across all areas of public governance. Governments across the region could boost effectiveness by more systematically engaging with the public on policies, processes and services. Doing so would support better policy decisions while improving accountability and trust in public institutions.
SEA governments can improve public administrative service delivery by expanding digital access, including by setting clear design standards and using public feedback to improve performance. Comparing and benchmarking services can also help identify and fix pain points for users.
