By Namith DP | June 14, 2025
Introduction: A Shift in Global Political Stability
Democracy, once the dominant form of governance across much of the world, is losing ground. Authoritarianism is rising, electoral integrity is weakening, and public trust in democratic institutions is declining. This erosion is not confined to fragile states; it is also taking place in long-standing democracies. According to Freedom House’s 2024 report, global freedom has declined for the 18th consecutive year, with 35 countries experiencing deteriorations in their democratic institutions.
This article presents an evidence-based analysis of how democracy is declining across regions, what factors are contributing to this regression, and the implications for global governance and civil liberties.
Key Indicators of Democratic Decline
1. Electoral Integrity is Diminishing
- In Hungary, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has systematically undermined electoral competitiveness through gerrymandering and media control.
- The 2023 elections in Turkey featured significant restrictions on opposition media and arrests of political opponents.
- In the United States, the 2020 and 2022 elections saw a surge in disinformation and legal attempts to overturn legitimate results.
2. Suppression of Civil Liberties
- India, the world’s largest democracy, has restricted press freedom, internet access, and protests in regions like Jammu and Kashmir.
- In Russia, peaceful assembly laws have been weaponized against dissent, particularly after the Ukraine invasion.
- China continues to restrict free speech in Hong Kong, using the National Security Law to silence pro-democracy activists.
3. Judicial and Institutional Undermining
- Poland’s ruling Law and Justice party has weakened judicial independence by politicizing the appointment of judges.
- In Brazil under former President Jair Bolsonaro, attempts to discredit the judiciary and electoral system became central to governance.
- Israel’s 2023 judicial reform proposals sparked mass protests over concerns that they would undermine the judiciary’s independence.
4. Decline in Media Freedom
- Reporters Without Borders ranked more than 130 countries below satisfactory in their 2024 World Press Freedom Index.
- Journalists in Mexico, the Philippines, and Belarus face violence and imprisonment for exposing corruption or criticizing the government.
Regional Analysis: Where Democracy is Declining
1. Europe
- Hungary and Poland have taken major steps back from liberal democratic principles.
- Serbia has seen rising control over media and electoral manipulation.
- Far-right parties in France, Germany, and Italy are gaining traction, raising concerns over xenophobia and nationalism.
2. Asia
- India‘s declining status as a liberal democracy has been highlighted by V-Dem Institute and Freedom House.
- Myanmar reversed its democratic gains after the 2021 military coup.
- Pakistan‘s 2024 elections were marred by military interference and restrictions on the press.
3. Africa
- Tunisia, once a democratic success story, slid into autocracy under President Kais Saied.
- Military coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea between 2020 and 2023 have disrupted civilian rule.
- Uganda and Zimbabwe continue to hold flawed elections under long-standing authoritarian leadership.
4. Latin America
- Nicaragua has jailed nearly all credible opposition leaders.
- Venezuela remains under authoritarian rule despite international pressure.
- El Salvador under President Nayib Bukele has removed constitutional checks on executive power.
5. North America
- In the United States, attacks on the legitimacy of electoral processes have polarized public trust.
- Voter suppression laws in several U.S. states have raised concerns among rights groups like the ACLU.
Underlying Causes of Democratic Regression
1. Authoritarian Resurgence
- Authoritarian leaders use democratic elections to gain legitimacy and then erode the system from within.
- Political strategies include capturing institutions, spreading propaganda, and criminalizing opposition.
2. Economic Inequality and Instability
- Economic frustration has fueled disillusionment with democratic governments.
- Youth unemployment and rising inflation create conditions ripe for populist promises and anti-establishment rhetoric.
3. Disinformation and Digital Manipulation
- State-sponsored disinformation campaigns target both domestic and foreign audiences.
- Deepfakes, fake news, and bot-driven campaigns on platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook undermine informed voting.
4. External Influence
- Russia and China continue to support anti-democratic actors abroad.
- The Kremlin funded political campaigns and disinformation efforts across Europe and Africa, according to NATO assessments.
Case Studies
Hungary: Competitive Authoritarianism
- Orbán’s Fidesz party has used constitutional amendments and media acquisitions to neutralize opposition.
- Hungary ranked 87th in the 2024 Press Freedom Index.
India: Electoral Democracy with Authoritarian Traits
- The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the revocation of Kashmir’s autonomy have drawn criticism from global rights groups.
- Freedom House downgraded India to “Partly Free” in 2021 and reaffirmed that status in 2024.
United States: Democratic Backsliding in a Polarized Environment
- Attempts to overturn the 2020 election, followed by the January 6 Capitol riot, mark unprecedented democratic stress.
- 14 U.S. states passed restrictive voting laws between 2021 and 2023, according to the Brennan Center for Justice.
Tunisia: From Revolution to Regression
- Saied dissolved Parliament and ruled by decree, citing the need to fight corruption.
- Elections in 2023 saw record-low turnout, with many major parties boycotting.
Consequences of Democratic Decline
1. Increased Human Rights Violations
- As governments consolidate power, they often target minorities, civil society, and dissenters.
- Amnesty International has reported rising instances of arbitrary detention and torture in backsliding states.
2. Economic Uncertainty
- Investor confidence suffers in countries with political instability.
- Capital flight from autocratic-leaning countries has accelerated, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America.
3. Diplomatic Isolation and Sanctions
- Democratic regression has prompted sanctions from Western countries.
- The EU has withheld funds from Hungary and Poland over rule-of-law violations.
4. Regional Instability
- The collapse of democratic norms often results in migration crises, regional conflicts, and refugee outflows.
- Political instability in Venezuela has led to over 7 million refugees, per UNHCR.
Responses and Resistance
1. Civil Society Mobilization
- Massive protests in Israel, India, and the U.S. have pushed back against judicial and electoral reforms.
- NGOs like Human Rights Watch and Reporters Without Borders play key roles in accountability.
2. Judicial Pushback
- Courts in countries like Kenya, South Africa, and Brazil have struck down undemocratic laws and protected institutions.
3. International Pressure
- The EU’s conditional funding, U.S. State Department’s Global Democracy Fund, and UN resolutions have exerted external pressure.
- Sanctions remain a tool, though their efficacy varies.
4. Technology for Accountability
- Whistleblower platforms, open-source intelligence, and independent media networks help expose abuses.
- Organizations like Bellingcat use digital tools to document rights violations and electoral fraud.
Conclusion: A Crossroads for Global Democracy
The decline of democracy is no longer a theoretical concern. It is a real, measurable trend with tangible impacts on governance, rights, and global order. Reversing this decline requires collective political will, robust civil institutions, international cooperation, and digital safeguards. Democracies must address internal weaknesses while supporting movements for transparency and rule of law abroad.
Unless democracies reform, adapt, and defend their values, the global political landscape may shift permanently in favor of authoritarianism.
About the author
Sources
- Freedom House. Freedom in the World 2024: The Mounting Damage of Democratic Regression. https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/2024
- Reporters Without Borders. World Press Freedom Index 2024. https://rsf.org/en/index
- The V-Dem Institute. Democracy Report 2024. https://v-dem.net/data/the-v-dem-dataset/
- Amnesty International. Annual Report 2024/25. https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/pol10/5670/2024/en/
- Human Rights Watch. World Report 2024. https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2024
- Brennan Center for Justice. Voting Laws Roundup 2023. https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/voting-laws-roundup-2023
- UNHCR. Venezuelan Refugee Crisis. https://www.unhcr.org/venezuela-emergency.html
- Bellingcat. Investigative Articles and Reports. https://www.bellingcat.com/category/news/
- NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence. Disinformation Studies. https://stratcomcoe.org
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