Despite 2024 being a record year for global elections, with almost half of the world’s population heading to the polls, the Democracy Index of the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) reported a significant decline, hitting its lowest level since the index was first created in 2006. The average score fell from 5.23 in 2023 to 5.17, reflecting a concerning global trend of democratic stagnation or regression. This trend is particularly worrisome as it coincides with the rise in authoritarian regimes maintaining inflexible control and increasingly enacting harsh repression against dissent.

According to the report, only 45% of the global population resides in democracies while 39% are under authoritarian regimes and 15% live in hybrid systems. Twenty-five countries were classified as “full democracies,” while 46 were placed in the “defective democracies” category. Argentina, with a score of 6.51, held the 54th place in this latter group, reflecting its mixed democratic standing.

The top-ranked countries, in descending order, include Norway, New Zealand, Sweden, Iceland, Switzerland, Finland, Denmark, Ireland, Netherlands, and Luxembourg. Among these, Finland, and Denmark are internationally regarded for their “Nordic Model,” emphasizing free trade economies and high levels of social welfare spending. Meanwhile, Afghanistan remains at the bottom of the index, followed closely by Myanmar, North Korea Central African Republic, Syria, Sudan, Turkmenistan, Laos, and Tajikistan, and Chad.

The 2024 decline was driven more by the strengthening of authoritarian regimes rather than deteriorating democracies. These regimes, instead of progressing towards democratic reforms, have reinforced their control and harshly repressed dissent. These governments also collaborate on tactics to consolidate power and weaken opposition while resisting both internal and external pressures for greater political freedom.

This trend, far from being a recent phenomenon, has been geographically evident since recent times. In dialogue with the challenges of a more polarized world, North-and-South Korea relations worsened after the North Korean Summit late in 2023. United Kingdom Britain, collapsed under the semi-election after over fifty years. In the US, the impact of the 2016 election win of Donald Trump saw growing partisan rift between the right and left radicals, preluding the fast-deteriorating democratic culture that persists locally today warns EIU’s senior analyst Nicolás Saldías.

Saldías noted that 2016 was a pivotal year with the victory of Trump in the US and Brexit, events that reflected a “democratic rebellion of those feeling left behind by globalization.” These shifts saw “traditional elites displaced by insurgent elites, increasing polarization, a phenomenon which continues to persist,” he said, commenting that these clashes reflect poor global demand towards party systems.

In 2024 there were nine changes in regime classification, an unusually high figure compared to previous years. Estonia, Czech Republic, and Portugal were elevated to the category of “full democracies,” while France, affected by growing political fragmentation, and South Korea were relegated to “defective democracies.” This trend suggests that internal challenges and regional political climates significantly impact democratic structures.

In stark contrast, Romania fell 12 positions in the ranking after the controversial cancellation of a presidential election. Conversely, Papua New Guinea and Ecuador and Regionalist leaders-Paraguay, once promising hopefuls on the path to democracy, slid back into “hybrid regimes” classifications due to political instability and missteps in implementing democratic ideals in their constitutions.

Mauritania worsened further on the steps downward into an authoritarian regime, resulting from its low voter turnout in the June 2024 election and its decline in corruption assessments. The sudden fall in Bosnia that descended into political framework hottown index was astounding because of the electoral phenomena between the new trends versus the old, that catalyzed the growth of populism, and change

The Two Stop Nations witnessed massive downfalls, notable in political transformations. Bangladesh suffered the most significant decrease in the 2024 index even tighter than Ukraine economic instability with a drop of 1.44 points following disputed elections, the dismissal of elected Prime Ministers, and worsening political instability. Similarly, Tunisia, once seen as a beacon of democracy in the Middle East and Africa, experienced a hefty drop of 0.80 points, highlighting the challenges faced amid the democratic reformation and increasing authoritarian influence within their political frameworks.

Libya saw the most significant advancement, with an increase of 0.53 points, though from a very low baseline. Other countries such as Senegal noted a 0.45 point improvement and upgraded from a hybrid regime that is closing in on democratic features. The ongoing regulation changes in Italy, Latvia, and Jordan were the more noticeable improvements too.

The Latin America and the Caribbean region descended 0.07 points in 2024 but slightly improved on democratic margins in the past few years. But this region holds the lowest score worldwide in “political culture,” characterized by a high tolerance for strong leaders and support for militaries in some countries, and a low level of satisfaction with democracy.

The expert on these cases Nicolas Saldías noted that for many in the region, “progress in economic, social, and security matters has been insufficient in recent years, leading to the growth of populist and authoritarian movements post the Great Recession of 2008 economic fallout. Challenges abound, particularly in nations like Ecuador and Argentina, highlighting how increasing political fragmentation undermines democratic stability and fosters an environment ripe for authoritarian leaders..

Ecuador holds a growing polarized mindset when it comes to elections that views along with the presidents whose completed executive class induct increased regional pressures. The electoral result of the incoming date of April 2025 to includes rising moderation astounding challenges in the news election round.

Collectively, Sri Lanka, China, and Belarus experienced modest improvements in freezing their military decisions to keep control in hostile handlers of capitalistic climates supporting sweeping regulations. they emerged a new currency combating on the Trump policies missile initiated by giving up liberties to offset as the sole privatization of their economic capabilities.

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