As the world yesterday marked International Day of Democracy, the state of global democracy is facing its most serious crisis in decades.
According to the United Nations (UN), what was once hailed as one of humanity’s greatest collective achievements is now under threat from authoritarian resurgence, disinformation campaigns, and growing political division.
“Democracy and the rule of law are under assault from disinformation, division and shrinking civic space,” warned UN Secretary-General, António Guterres.
Fresh data from the Economist Intelligence Unit’s 2024 Democracy Index also paints a grim picture: only 25 countries, representing just 6.6 percent of the world’s population, now qualify as ‘full democracies’.; these include all Scandinavian nations, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Japan, Taiwan, Uruguay, Costa Rica and a handful of European states.
By contrast, nearly 40 percent of the global population live under authoritarian regimes, while another 16% live in hybrid systems that combine democratic and autocratic features. A further 38% inhabit flawed democracies – a category that includes the United States, dragged down by extreme political and cultural polarization.
Globally, the three lowest-ranked countries remain Afghanistan, Myanmar and North Korea, where civil liberties and electoral pluralism are virtually non-existent. At the top, Norway, New Zealand and Sweden continue to set the standard, with Norway scoring a perfect 10 for electoral process, political participation and civil liberties.
With the world average score slipping to 5.17 out of 10, analysts warn of a “continuing democratic malaise.” Out of 165 countries surveyed, only 37 improved their ratings, and most gains were marginal. Meanwhile, 83 countries – more than half – slid further into democratic decline.
As democracy falters, the International Day of Democracy serves as a reminder of both its fragility and its enduring importance.
