Global Decline in Electoral Credibility: A Call to Defend Democracy

The credibility of elections worldwide is at risk due to lower voter turnout and increasingly contested results. IDEA's report highlights the decline in free and fair elections, attributing it to government intimidation and disinformation. The report calls for urgent measures to protect democratic processes.

An intergovernmental watchdog warned on Tuesday that lower voter turnout and increasingly contested results globally are threatening the credibility of elections. The Stockholm-based International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) reported that its sub-index for free and fair elections suffered its biggest decline on record in 2023. According to IDEA, 2023 marked the eighth consecutive year of a net decline in overall democratic performance, the longest such fall since records began in 1975.

The watchdog's Global State of Democracy indexes, based on over 100 variables, use four main categories—representation, rights, rule of law, and participation—to measure performance. The sub-category related to free and fair elections and parliamentary oversight saw its worst year on record in 2023.

IDEA's Secretary-General Kevin Casas-Zamora emphasized the report as a call to action to protect democratic elections. The report noted increasing government intimidation and electoral irregularities, as well as risks from foreign interference, disinformation, and the use of AI in campaigns. Voter participation dropped globally to 55.5% in 2023 from 65.2% in 2008. The U.S., which faces a presidential election this year, has seen some recovery in democratic performance, though challenges remain, highlighted by an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump in July.

(With inputs from agencies.)