The State of Democracy Around the World 🏛️

Key Takeaways

• Just 6.6% of the global population live in "full democracies" in 2024, falling from 8% since 2023.
• Norway retains its position as the world’s most democratic country for the 16th year in a row.
• Meanwhile, the U.S. has remained a "flawed democracy" since 2016, ranking 28th out of 167 nations in the Economist Intelligence Unit's Global Democracy Index.

Democracy Continues to Backslide

The state of global democracy is at 20-year lows, with 83 countries downgrading their democratic scores in 2024.

France and South Korea transitioned into "flawed democracies" given political turbulence and deteriorating public confidence in government.

On the flip side, Portugal, Estonia, and the Czech Republic upgraded into "full democracies". In Portugal's case, fiscal discipline and a thriving tourism sector have supported the country's improved score.