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2024 Democracy Index: A Look at Global Trends

The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) has unveiled its 2024 Democracy Index, revealing troubling trends in global democracy that continue into the new year. The new index demonstrates a decline from last year's score of 5.23 to 5.17 on a scale of 0-10, indicating a stark drop from the 2006 score of 5.52, which marks a historic low in democratic standards.

This year's index assessed 167 countries, with findings that signal a pervasive decline in democratic governance: 130 nations either saw their scores drop or remain stagnant. Alarmingly, over a third of the global population now resides under authoritarian regimes, with 60 countries classified as such. The increase in authoritarianism, which is up by one country from the previous year and eight since 2014, underscores a concerning trend toward more repressive governance worldwide.

Key Findings and Demographic Shifts

The analysis categorizes countries into different regimes:

• - Full democracies: 25 countries (15% of total) affecting 6.6% of the global population
• - Flawed democracies: 46 countries (27.5%) impacting 38.4% of the world's populace
• - Hybrid regimes: 36 countries (21.6%), with a mere 15.7% of the population
• - Authoritarian regimes: 60 countries (35.9%) influencing 39.2% of people around the globe

Declines in Key Categories

The areas experiencing the most significant decline since 2008 include civil liberties, which fell by one point, and electoral processes and pluralism, which decreased by 0.66. In contrast, political participation showed a slight improvement of 0.74 points.

Western Europe remains the standout region, boasting the highest index score of 8.38 and being the only area to see an increase this year. Notably, the United Kingdom raised its score slightly, moving up from 18th to 17th position globally. However, the United States maintained a stagnant score and remains categorized as a "flawed democracy," ranked 28th. The stability of the United States' ranking will depend greatly on its institutional checks and balances in 2025.

The Nordic countries continue to lead the rankings, with Norway at the top, followed by New Zealand and Sweden. Noteworthy shifts include France's downgrade due to a decline in governance functionality, dropping from a full democracy to a flawed democracy. Similarly, South Korea's recent political turbulence caused it to fall below the full democracy threshold.

Global Elections: The Votequake of 2024

The year 2024 was notable for its plethora of elections. Out of 75 countries that held national elections, many results reflected public discontent with incumbents. Yet, despite these opportunities for democratic change, numerous elections were marred by issues such as lack of fairness and suppressed freedoms, further complicating the democratic landscape.

The report highlights the troubling trend of a dysfunctional government category that registered a minimal decline of 0.13 points, making it the worst-rated area of the index. This places the average global score for functioning governments at an abysmal 4.53. Public dissatisfaction is rampant due to various factors, including corruption, inefficacy, and insufficient accountability in government institutions.

Conclusion: The Future of Democracy

Looking ahead, the EIU warns that while autocracies appear to be gaining ground, democracies globally grapple with pressing challenges that threaten their future viability. With the emergence of political figures such as Donald Trump and Marine Le Pen, there is a growing concern over the risk of rising political polarization and disillusionment.

In light of these ongoing trends, the 2024 Democracy Index serves as a crucial indicator of where global governance stands. The findings provoke critical reflection and demand urgency for reform within democratic frameworks to reclaim the foundational principles of liberty and justice for all. The results of this year's index compel a serious conversation regarding the state of democracy and the pathways that need to be forged to secure and enhance democratic governance worldwide.