The Global State of Democracy 2023: The New Checks and Balances is now live!
Read the report
Menu Menu Close
Africa
Americas
Asia and the Pacific
Europe
Western Asia

Democracy Tracker

The Democracy Tracker provides event-centric, monthly information on democracy and human rights developments in 173 countries. Event reports include a description of the event, indications of the specific aspects of democracy that have been impacted, the magnitude of the impact, links to original sources and keywords to enable further research. Click on the country hexagons below to read the most recent developments.

Positive and Negative Events in October 2023

+1
Armenia Arrow Armenia
+1
Austria Arrow Austria
+1
Democratic Republic of the Congo Arrow Democratic Republic of the Congo
+1
Iceland Arrow Iceland
+1
Mauritius Arrow Mauritius
+1
Oman Arrow Oman
+1
Pakistan Arrow Pakistan
+1
Sierra Leone Arrow Sierra Leone
+1
UK Arrow UK
-1
Angola Arrow Angola
-1
Brazil Arrow Brazil
-1
Chad Arrow Chad
-1
China Arrow China
-1
Colombia Arrow Colombia
-1
Egypt Arrow Egypt
-1
France Arrow France
-1
Georgia Arrow Georgia
-1
Guinea Arrow Guinea
-1
Indonesia Arrow Indonesia
-1
Kazakhstan Arrow Kazakhstan
-1
Lesotho Arrow Lesotho
-1
Lithuania Arrow Lithuania
-1
Madagascar Arrow Madagascar
-1
Mexico Arrow Mexico
-1
Mozambique Arrow Mozambique
-1
Nicaragua Arrow Nicaragua
-1
Papua New Guinea Arrow Papua New Guinea
-1
Russian Federation Arrow Russian Federation
-1
Serbia Arrow Serbia
-1
Uganda Arrow Uganda
-1
United States of America Arrow United States of America
-1
Vanuatu Arrow Vanuatu
-1
Venezuela Arrow Venezuela
-1
Zimbabwe Arrow Zimbabwe
-2
Belarus Arrow Belarus
-2
Israel Arrow Israel
-2
Myanmar Arrow Myanmar
-2
Palestine Arrow Palestine

*Assessments are relative to each country and do not represent comparisons or rankings between countries.

Flag
May 2022

Malaysia

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Proin consequat augue non efficitur fermentum. Proin eu...

Representation
Rights
Rule of Law
Participation

Critical Events in October 2023

Europe • Iceland

On 24 October, more than a quarter of Iceland’s population went on a full-day strike against gender-based violence and pay discrimination. The crowd of over 100,000 women and non-binary people was joined by Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir and caused widespread disruptions, with schools, kindergartens and most banks having to close. It is the first strike of its kind since 1975, when a full-day strike by 90 per cent of Icelandic women resulted in the creation of a women’s political party and the election of the world’s first elected female president. Although the country at present is among the world’s most gender equal, research from the University of Iceland has found that 40 per cent of Icelandic women have experienced physical and/or sexual abuse in their lifetime. National statistics from 2022 reveal that Icelandic women earn 9.1 per cent less than Icelandic men, with a gap of over 25 per cent in some occupations.
Gender-Based Violence
Women's Political Participation
Strike
Katrín Jakobsdóttir

Asia and the Pacific • Myanmar

A coalition of ethnic rebel groups and anti-coup forces launched a coordinated armed offensive against Myanmar’s military junta in the country’s northern Shan state on 27 October. The attack is the most serious military challenge to the junta since it overthrew Myanmar’s democratically elected government in a coup in 2021. Tens of thousands of civilians have been displaced by the fighting, which comes in the wake of two years of violence from the military junta, and a 300 percent increase in junta airstrikes in some regions in recent months, according to Human Rights Watch.
Military Junta
Humanitarian crisis
Armed Conflict

Africa • Madagascar

The High Constitutional Court of Madagascar ruled on 12 October that the first round of the presidential election would be delayed by one week (from 9 November to 16 November). The court did not provide a reason for the delay, but the capital city was the scene of regular clashes between opposition supporters and the police in the weeks before, as unauthorized marches broadly supporting 11 opposition candidates were met with tear gas. Outdoor demonstrations have been banned in Madagascar since April. During one of these incidents, former president (and current presidential candidate) Marc Ravalomanana sustained a minor injury. Incumbent President Andry Rajoelina is running for re-election, and opposition politicians interpret the restriction on demonstrations as favouring his campaign.
Protests
Police violence
Elections

Americas • Nicaragua

Nicaragua’s electoral authority (Consejo Supremo Electoral, CSE) has cancelled the legal personality of the Yatama political party, an Indigenous party that mainly represents the Miskito people. The CSE’s relevant resolution did not provide an explanation for the decision. Yatama’s leader and sole member of Congress, Brooklyn Rivera, had been detained in previous days, as had his alternate, Nancy Elizabeth Henriquez, who also holds a leadership position in Yatama. In April, Rivera had also been denied entry to Nicaragua after attending a UN forum in which he had called attention to the invasion of Indigenous lands, stating he had been forced to enter the country through informal crossings along the border with Honduras. In addition, two community radio stations owned by Yatama were confiscated after authorities argued they were operating without the necessary permits. According to Yatama, the Ortega government’s actions against the party aim to prevent it from participating in regional elections to be held in March, in Caribbean provinces where Yatama maintains considerable support.
Indigenous Rights
Elections

About the Global State of Democracy Initiative

International IDEA launched the Global State of Democracy (GSoD) Initiative in 2016. This Initiative provides evidence-based and balanced analysis and data on the state and quality of democracy globally and for 173 countries across all regions of the world. It aims to contribute to the public debate on democracy and inform policy interventions to strengthen democracy.

Monthly Event Reports

See all the information related to countries that have updates this month.

Africa

+1
Arrow MUS
-1
Arrow UGA
-1
Arrow LSO
-1
Arrow ZWE
+1
Arrow SLE
-1
Arrow TCD
+1
Arrow COD
-1
Arrow AGO
-1
Arrow MDG
-1
Arrow MOZ
-1
Arrow GIN
0
Arrow LBR
-1
Arrow EGY
0
Arrow LBY
0
Arrow DZA
without report
Arrow ZAF
without report
Arrow BEN
without report
Arrow BWA
without report
Arrow BFA
without report
Arrow BDI
without report
Arrow CMR
without report
Arrow CAF
without report
Arrow COM
without report
Arrow CIV
without report
Arrow CPV
without report
Arrow DJI
without report
Arrow GNQ
without report
Arrow ERI
without report
Arrow ETH
without report
Arrow GAB
without report
Arrow GMB
without report
Arrow SWZ
without report
Arrow GHA
without report
Arrow GNB
without report
Arrow KEN
without report
Arrow MWI
without report
Arrow MLI
without report
Arrow MRT
without report
Arrow MAR
without report
Arrow NAM
without report
Arrow NER
without report
Arrow NGA
without report
Arrow COG
without report
Arrow RWA
without report
Arrow SEN
without report
Arrow SOM
without report
Arrow SSD
without report
Arrow SDN
without report
Arrow TZA
without report
Arrow TGO
without report
Arrow TUN
without report
Arrow ZMB
View all

Americas

-1
Arrow NIC
-1
Arrow USA
-1
Arrow BRA
0
Arrow ECU
-1
Arrow VEN
0
Arrow ARG
-1
Arrow COL
-1
Arrow MEX
without report
Arrow CAN
without report
Arrow HTI
without report
Arrow BRB
without report
Arrow BOL
without report
Arrow CHL
without report
Arrow CRI
without report
Arrow CUB
without report
Arrow DOM
without report
Arrow SLV
without report
Arrow GTM
without report
Arrow GUY
without report
Arrow HND
without report
Arrow JAM
without report
Arrow PAN
without report
Arrow PRY
without report
Arrow PER
without report
Arrow SUR
without report
Arrow TTO
without report
Arrow URY
View all

Asia and the Pacific

-1
Arrow CHN
0
Arrow AUS
0
Arrow IND
+1
Arrow PAK
0
Arrow BGD
-1
Arrow KAZ
-1
Arrow VUT
-1
Arrow PNG
0
Arrow NZL
-2
Arrow MMR
-1
Arrow IDN
without report
Arrow TWN
without report
Arrow LKA
without report
Arrow MYS
without report
Arrow TLS
without report
Arrow AFG
without report
Arrow JPN
without report
Arrow BTN
without report
Arrow KHM
without report
Arrow PRK
without report
Arrow FJI
without report
Arrow KGZ
without report
Arrow LAO
without report
Arrow MDV
without report
Arrow MNG
without report
Arrow NPL
without report
Arrow PHL
without report
Arrow KOR
without report
Arrow SGP
without report
Arrow SLB
without report
Arrow TJK
without report
Arrow THA
without report
Arrow TKM
without report
Arrow UZB
without report
Arrow VNM
View all

Europe

0
Arrow ALB
-1
Arrow LTU
0
Arrow LVA
0
Arrow SVN
0
Arrow POL
-1
Arrow SRB
-1
Arrow RUS
-2
Arrow BLR
+1
Arrow ARM
-1
Arrow GEO
+1
Arrow AUT
-1
Arrow FRA
0
Arrow LUX
0
Arrow CHE
+1
Arrow ISL
+1
Arrow GBR
without report
Arrow ESP
without report
Arrow UKR
without report
Arrow HUN
without report
Arrow KSV
without report
Arrow TUR
without report
Arrow SVK
without report
Arrow AZE
without report
Arrow BEL
without report
Arrow BIH
without report
Arrow BGR
without report
Arrow HRV
without report
Arrow CYP
without report
Arrow CZE
without report
Arrow DNK
without report
Arrow EST
without report
Arrow FIN
without report
Arrow DEU
without report
Arrow GRC
without report
Arrow IRL
without report
Arrow ITA
without report
Arrow MLT
without report
Arrow MDA
without report
Arrow MNE
without report
Arrow NLD
without report
Arrow MKD
without report
Arrow NOR
without report
Arrow PRT
without report
Arrow ROU
without report
Arrow SWE
View all

Western Asia

-2
Arrow ISR
-2
Arrow PSE
+1
Arrow OMN
without report
Arrow IRQ
without report
Arrow BHR
without report
Arrow IRN
without report
Arrow JOR
without report
Arrow KWT
without report
Arrow LBN
without report
Arrow QAT
without report
Arrow SAU
without report
Arrow SYR
without report
Arrow ARE
without report
Arrow YEM
View all
Flag
May 2022

Malaysia

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Proin consequat augue non efficitur fermentum. Proin eu...

Representation
Rights
Rule of Law
Participation

Stay updated on the Global State of Democracy

Get the latest Democracy Tracker developments delivered straight to your inbox by signing up for the Democracy Tracker monthly newsletter

Contact Us

Contact us to request tailored presentations and trainings, or to send your questions and feedback.

Funders and Donors

The European Union Federal Ministry for Economic Coorperation and Development Robert Bosch Stiftung
The Global State of Democracy Initiative is also supported by contributions of International IDEA Member States