Half of countries worldwide see declining patterns of democracy, watchdog says

Half of the world’s countries are facing a decline in democracy, with issues such as flawed elections and restricted rights, International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) highlighted in a recent report.

The deterioration of democratic institutions like elections, parliaments, and courts has made it challenging to uphold the rule of law, the report said, emphasizing the impact of global events like the cost-of-living crisis, climate change, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on democratic governance.

Europe remains the highest-performing region, but some established democracies within Europe have experienced declines, with countries like Azerbaijan, Belarus, Russia, and Turkey lagging behind in democratic indicators.

In the Americas, most countries have credible elections, with some exceptions seeing declines. Positive trends include high political participation and decreasing corruption levels in Africa.