Politics
Global Democracy Report: Rule of law weakens as the United States hits 50
According to a new report by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) titled "The Global State of Democracy
Key takeaways
- Major indicators of US democracy from press freedom to judicial independence hit their lowest levels in 50 years.
- The rapid decline of democracy in the USA is weakening judicial independence and fragmenting the international system.
- Around 57 percent of countries declined in at least one key indicator of democratic performance between 2020 and 2025.
- Global judicial independence hit a 36-year low, and credible elections fell to a 30-year low.
- A recent decline in the number and quality of democracies threatens the 'democratic peace' produced by decades of democratization.
According to a new report by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) titled "The Global State of Democracy 2026: Democracy in an Age of Conflict," global rule of law and democratic performance are in severe decline. The United States has hit 50-year lows in key indicators, including judicial independence, freedom of the press, and access to justice, which is weakening global confidence in multilateralism. Globally, 57 percent of countries declined in at least one democratic indicator between 2020 and 2025, with 2025 marking the 11th consecutive year of net global democratic decline. Despite widespread setbacks, fragile democratic improvements were noted in countries undergoing political transitions, including Bangladesh, Nepal, Poland, Sri Lanka, and Syria.
The erosion of US democracy is weakening global checks and balances and international peace.
In their words
“Now, the rapid decline of democracy in the USA is weakening judicial independence and fragmenting the international system - threatening democracy around the world.”
“Democracy’s decline is no longer just about our national political rights; it is reshaping the conditions for peace and security around the world.”
By the numbers
- 50-year
- Lows hit by major indicators of US democracy
- 57%
- Countries declining in at least one democratic indicator
- 36-year
- Low hit by global judicial independence
- 11
- Consecutive years of net global democratic decline
- 41%
- Assessed countries in low-performance band for Rule of Law
How it unfolded
- International IDEA's democratic records and dataset begin
- Start of five-year period measuring widespread democratic declines
- Stagnating democratic performance becomes the most common trend
- International IDEA releases its Global State of Democracy report
Why this matters
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Governments should treat democracy support abroad as a national security priority because stronger democratic systems help reduce conditions leading to conflict.
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Common questions
- What happened with The United States and global democracy?
- Major indicators of US democracy from press freedom to judicial independence hit their lowest levels in 50 years.
- Where can I read the original report?
- Read the full report at Google News.
