The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) on Tuesday published its annual report on the state of democracy, which contained concerning findings.
The report, which has been measuring democratic performance in 158 countries since 1975, found that 47% of nations witnessed a decline in crucial democratic indicators over the past five years, making it the eighth consecutive year of global democratic decline.
The international watchdog classifies democratic performance into four main categories: Representation, rights, rule of law and participation–with free and fair elections and parliamentary oversight (which fall under-representation) recording their worst year on record in 2023.
The report also said that between mid-2020 and mid-2024, one in five elections were legally challenged, with voting and ballot counting emerging as the most litigated aspects of the electoral process during the period.
This year’s report details part of a broader trend in the decline of democracy, with voter turnout plunging 10 percentage points between 2008 and 2023, going from 65.2% to 55.5%.
Democratic performance in the United States, which is in a presidential election year, showed some recovery in the past two years, though indicators of its civil liberties, political equality, and elections have been down since 2015.
"Less than half (47%) of the Americans said the 2020 election was 'free and fair' and the country remains deeply polarized," the report said.
IDEA’s report stressed the importance of elections, saying they “remain a cornerstone of democracy despite the current challenges,” and that despite their broader context of decline.”
“Many elections have delivered on their inherent promise as a means of ensuring that the people have control over decision makers," and citing the examples of recent elections in Guatemala, India, Poland, Senegal.”
