STOCKHOLM: Practically half the world’s international locations are seeing the extent of democracy decline, a world assume tank stated on Thursday (Nov 2).
And a few international locations with traditionally lengthy democratic traditions are amongst them.
The Stockholm-based Worldwide Institute for Democracy and Electoral Help (Worldwide IDEA) stated 85 out of 173 international locations surveyed had “suffered a decline in at the least one key indicator of democratic efficiency prior to now 5 years”.
“Many established democracies are experiencing setbacks … starting from declines in social group equality in the US, freedom of the press in Austria and entry to justice in the UK,” it added.
“That is the sixth 12 months that we have seen extra international locations with democratic declines than enhancements,” its programme officer, Michael Runey, advised AFP. He is likely one of the authors of The World State of Democracy 2023 report.
That six-year development represented the longest “democratic recession” the organisation had seen because it began accumulating knowledge in 1975, he added.
The rule of regulation embodied by impartial courts and freedom from political violence was additionally weakening in international locations reminiscent of Austria, Hungary and Peru, the report famous.
The “bedrocks of democracy are weakening throughout the globe”, it warned.
Whereas the declines may very well be seen in all components of the world, in Africa they had been exemplified by the wave of coups d’etat there.
CHECKS, BALANCES WEAKENED
Within the rights class, the authors famous declines in freedom of expression and freedom of meeting, although general declines weren’t vital.
Within the class of the rule of regulation, there have been enhancements “after a few years of stagnation in ranges of corruption”, although the image was “not unambiguously constructive”, the report stated.
