Global democracy is facing a significant crisis with almost one in three voters this year is casting a ballot in countries where election quality has deteriorated over the past five years. This decline in democratic performance reflects a broader global trend of democracy under severe strain, according to a recent study from the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA).
This is the longest period of decline since International IDEA began tracking data in 1975, says the report — The Global State of Democracy 2024 Report (GSoD): Strengthening the Legitimacy of Elections in a Time of Radical Uncertainty.. The report provides a sobering look at the state of democracy worldwide, with a growing number of countries experiencing democratic backsliding.
The report reveals that 47% of countries have seen a decline in at least one key indicator of democratic performance over the past five years. These indicators include Civil Liberties, Judicial Independence, and Electoral Integrity. The data highlights a troubling trend of diminishing democratic standards globally.
ELECTION QUALITY FACES SEVERE CHALLENGES
Election quality has reached its lowest point on record in 2023. The decline is attributed to increased government intimidation, electoral process irregularities, and growing concerns about foreign interference. The rise of disinformation and the use of artificial intelligence in campaigns further complicate the electoral landscape.
RECOVERY AMID ONGOING CHALLENGES
In the United States, democratic performance has shown some recovery in recent years. However, persistent issues remain, as evidenced by the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump and ongoing polarization. According to International IDEA, less than half of Americans viewed the 2020 election as ‘free and fair’. Key metrics such as Credible Elections, Civil Liberties, and Political Equality have not fully returned to pre-2016 levels.
Positive Developments in Democracy
Despite the overall decline, there are notable positive developments. Countries like India, Poland, and Senegal have experienced democratic successes. Brazil, the Dominican Republic, and Fiji have also seen improvements in democratic quality, demonstrating that progress is possible.
REGIONAL BREAKDOWN OF DEMOCRATIC PERFORMANCE
Africa
In Africa, most countries have maintained stable democratic performance over the past five years. However, the Sahel region, including countries like Burkina Faso, has seen significant declines due to coup-related instability. Notable improvements have been observed in Burundi and Zambia, highlighting regional differences within the continent.
Western Asia
Western Asia remains largely non-democratic, with minimal changes in democratic performance from 2018 to 2023. The region exhibits low performance across all democratic categories, particularly in Representation. Over one-third of countries in Western Asia are low-performing in this area.
Europe
In Europe, more countries have experienced declines than advances in democratic performance over the past five years. Significant negative trends are evident in Rule of Law, Civil Liberties, and Access to Justice. However, Central Europe, especially Montenegro and Latvia, has seen notable improvements. Moldova stands out for its substantial progress in democratic quality.
The Americas
Most countries in the Americas have maintained stable democratic performance. However, there have been declines in mid-range and low-performing countries such as Peru, as well as in high-performing countries like Uruguay. Areas of concern include Rule of Law, Free Political Parties, and Civil Liberties, particularly Freedom of the Press.
Asia and the Pacific
In the Asia-Pacific region, most countries have experienced small declines or stable performance in democratic metrics. Significant declines have been observed in Credible Elections and Effective Parliament, affecting countries like Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, and South Korea. Fiji, the Maldives, and Thailand are exceptions, showing clear improvements in democratic indices.
KEY FINDINGS
- Globally, in almost 20 per cent of elections between 2020 and 2024, one of the losing candidates or parties rejected the results, and elections are being decided by court appeals at the same rate. In total, one in three elections was disputed in some way, from boycotts to legal challenges.
- The global average percentage of the voting age population who vote has declined from 65.2 per cent in 2008 to 55.5 per cent in 2023 (see Figure 1).
- Only one in four countries is making progress in democratic performance while four out of every nine are worse off.
- In 2023, the Credible Elections indicator was significantly lower in 39 countries (21 in Africa) than in 2018. Only 15 countries had higher scores than five years before.
- Declines have been most concentrated in Representation and Rights categories. Within Representation, the factors of Credible Elections and Effective Parliament have declined the most, while Economic Equality, Freedom of Expression and Freedom of the Press are the most negatively affected aspects of Rights.