Global Democracy Setbacks in 2023
Democracy faced setbacks worldwide in 2023 with violence and manipulation marring elections. Freedom House downgraded Ecuador from free to partly free and upgraded Thailand from not free to partly free. Political rights and civil liberties declined in 52 countries, with only 21 countries showing improvements.
Key Points
- 52 countries experienced a decline in political rights and civil liberties
- Only 21 countries showed improvements in democracy
- Fiji made significant progress post-election by reducing censorship and improving women's participation
Pros
- Fiji showed significant improvement in its democracy, gaining seven points on Freedom House's scale
- Thailand saw an upgrade due to competitive elections
- Freedom House's report sheds light on the state of global democracy and freedom
Cons
- Incumbents in multiple countries attempted to control electoral competition and hinder political opponents
- Ecuador faced election disruption by violent criminal gangs, leading to the assassination of a presidential candidate
- Global freedom has declined for the 18th straight year