In the 19th and 20th centuries, democratic government emerged from the muds of political conjecture to bring the world personal freedom and prosperity without precedent in global history. But around the world, the system responsible for safeguarding global progress is slowly fading away. In countries like Russia, Turkey, and even the United States, democracy is declining as leaders gain more power, elections become less fair, and basic rights are threatened.
According to recent reports from the V-Dem Institute, Freedom House, International IDEA, and the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), democracy has been declining around the world for the past two decades. These reports show that only 6.6% of the global population lives in a full democracy, while 72% live in autocracies. In elections worldwide, turnout is dropping as voters lose faith in their democracies. 2024 marked the first time in over twenty years that autocracies outnumbered democracies. Countries like Pakistan, Lebanon, and Niger have shifted from flawed democracies to autocracies, resulting in the loss of human rights and real elections. Other countries like India, Turkey, Russia, and Brazil have limited freedom of speech with platform bans and internet shutdowns. This issue is also being debated in the U.S., where some want to ban platforms like TikTok. While there are a few positive signs in places like Poland and Bangladesh, overall, freedom of expression, fair elections, and political rights are at serious risk around the world.
Russia is a strong example of this decline. Over the past two decades, Russia’s democracy has been dismantled by Vladimir Putin. According to Freedom House, free speech in Russia took especially serious blows in 2021 and 2022, in the run-up to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Totemic opposition parties were allowed, but many opposition leaders were blocked, jailed, or disqualified, making elections heavily controlled. Censorship increased, with independent news outlets shuttered and laws that make speaking out or ‘discrediting the Armed Forces’ illegal. President Putin has changed the constitution to keep himself in power until at least 2036. Because of this, there is no longer real political competition—two things that are essential to any fair democracy.
Another example of democratic decline is Turkey. Over the past ten years, Turkey has shifted from a flawed democracy to what many experts now call an authoritarian or hybrid regime. This change happened in several ways. In 2017, Turkey passed a constitutional referendum that changed its government from a parliamentary system to a presidential one. This gave President Recep Tayyip Erdogan much more power, including control over the courts and the ability to make laws by executive order, removing many of the checks and balances that once limited executive power. The government also cracked down on opposition, especially the media: news outlets were shut down, and journalists and activists were arrested. Election coverage shifted: state-run media fully support Erdogan, and give the opposition little coverage. In 2019, when an opposition candidate, Ekrem Imamoglu, won the mayoral election in Istanbul, the government forced a re-run—yet the opposition still won by an even bigger margin. In 2025, Imamoglu was arrested —a political move by President Erdogan to get rid of a strong rival and protect his power.
Just like Turkey, the United States has also shown signs of democratic backsliding over the past decade, which could eventually lead to the decline of its democracy. One major reason is past attempts to undermine elections. For example, after the 2020 presidential election, false claims of voter fraud spread widely, leading to Donald Trump’s attempt to overturn the official results. Another concern is growing political polarization and the spread of misinformation. Americans are becoming more divided, often viewing people with different political beliefs as enemies. Misinformation on social media fuels extremism and makes it harder for people to trust government institutions. There have also been attacks on the courts, the FBI, and the media, with political leaders making false or politically motivated accusations. Recent court decisions clear the way for American leaders to increasingly abuse their power, ignore laws, and use the government to target their opponents — exactly what happens in authoritarian countries.
One of the biggest reasons people are worried about democracy weakening—especially in the U.S.—is because the system of checks and balances is breaking down. Checks and balances are supposed to make sure power is shared equally in government so that no one person or group has too much control. But in many countries, including the U.S., this system is being weakened. Leaders try to stay in power as long as possible — there are U.S. senators as old as 91 — and many are not being held accountable for their actions. If this continues, democracy will lose the very systems that keep it fair and balanced. If democracy further weakens, human rights will be undermined globally, peace will fray, and governments will be free to ignore popular opinion. Voting, media independence, and legislative-executive balance are key to strong democracies: maintaining democratic strength amid their increasing embattlement requires our participation and advocacy. Autocracy rarely comes all at once: rather, it is the result of the slow rotting of ideas and institutions. Staving off those who wish to exploit our weaknesses — regardless of political affiliation — is surely the most important task of our current politics.
