85 of the 173 countries studied have performed poorly on at least one key indicator of democratic performance over the past five years. Among the criteria retained by the organization: civil liberties, judicial independence and political participation.
According to Our world in data, the number of liberal democracies – which have an electoral system and separation of powers and whose citizens enjoy individual rights and are equal before the law – fell from 43 in 2010 to 32 in 2020.
“The foundations of democracy are weakening around the world,” with problems “ranging from flawed elections to restricted rights,” the IDEA report said.