According to a report from IDEA International, this is the sixth year in a row that more democracies have been in decline rather than progress.
Democracy, a declining value in the world? This is what a report from IDEA International, the international institute for democracy and electoral assistance, published on November 2, tends to demonstrate. We learn that almost half of the countries in the world are experiencing a decline in their democratic system. “This is the sixth year in a row that we have seen more democracies in decline than in progress”, notes Michael Runey, co-author of the report. He adds that this trend represents the longest “democratic recession” never observed by the organization since it began collecting data in 1975.
To produce these reports and assess the situation of democracies around the world, the think tank, which covers most countries in the world, uses several democratic indicators such as civil liberties, judicial independence and political participation. According to the report, “the foundations of democracy are weakening around the world”The problems “ranging from flawed elections to restricted rights”. Of 173 countries studied, 85 performed poorly on at least “a key indicator of democratic performance over the past five years”.
Numerous coups d’état on the African continent
Regarding representation, the report points “a notable decline”particularly in the area of elections and the proper functioning of Parliaments, but also the principle of the rule of law, including the independence of countries’ judicial systems. “We also see a decline in historically successful democraciesfrom EuropeNorth America and Asia », underlines Michael Runey. This wave of decline of democratic systems at a global level can be illustrated, among other things, by the coups d’état on the African continent.
In the category of rights, the authors indicate that freedom of expression and freedom of assembly have experienced several declines, without being significant at the overall level. Regarding the rule of law, improvements have been noted “after many years of stagnant corruption levels”according to the report. “We see signs of hope in isolated countries around the world” such as in Central Europe or on the African continent. “But overall, the picture remains very negative”he concludes.