Where Has Freedom Fallen the Most Since 2014? 🚨

Key Takeaways

• Nicaragua tops the list, where the Ortega regime has shuttered over 57 media outlets, violently suppressed protests, and removed presidential term limits.
• In Tunisia, President Kaïs Saïed has eroded judicial independence and intensified repression of political opponents—leaving the country on the verge of economic collapse.
• El Salvador also ranks among the top three, as President Nayib Bukele faces criticism for mass arrests and corruption.

Backsliding Freedom

Over the past decade, numerous countries have experienced dramatic declines in freedom, according to Freedom House’s annual rankings.

The index measures 25 indicators across civil liberties and political rights.

Overall, seven of the top 20 largest declines are in Africa, while Latin America and Asia each have three.

Serbia and Türkiye stand as the top two in Europe, with Serbia seeing protests, rigged elections, and the arrest of activists.