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Africa
Americas
Asia and the Pacific
Europe
Western Asia

Democracy Tracker

The Democracy Tracker provides comprehensive qualitative data on the state of democracy in 173 countries. The tool reports events that impact the relative state of democracy and human rights at the country level every month, highlighting how these events affect the Global State of Democracy’s five attributes. Click on the country hexagons below to read the most recent developments. Some country pages are in the process of being populated. Please stay tuned. *Improvements and declines are relative to each country and do not represent comparisons or rankings between countries.

positive
Republic of Korea Arrow Republic of Korea
positive
Fiji Arrow Fiji
positive
Kenya Arrow Kenya
positive
Spain Arrow Spain
positive
Nigeria Arrow Nigeria
negative
Poland Arrow Poland
negative
Turkey Arrow Turkey
negative
Guinea Arrow Guinea
negative
Mauritania Arrow Mauritania
negative
Lebanon Arrow Lebanon
negative
Saudi Arabia Arrow Saudi Arabia
negative
Syrian Arab Republic Arrow Syrian Arab Republic
negative
Cambodia Arrow Cambodia
negative
Somalia Arrow Somalia
negative
Bangladesh Arrow Bangladesh
negative
Indonesia Arrow Indonesia
negative
Jamaica Arrow Jamaica
negative
Suriname Arrow Suriname
negative
Mexico Arrow Mexico
negative
Belarus Arrow Belarus
negative
Russian Federation Arrow Russian Federation
negative
Bulgaria Arrow Bulgaria
negative
Tunisia Arrow Tunisia
negative
India Arrow India
negative
Palestine Arrow Palestine
Flag
May 2022

Malaysia

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

Representative government
Fundamental rights
Checks on government
Impartial administration
Participatory engagement

Critical Developments This Month

Europe • Belarus

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Byalyatski and his fellow human rights activists in the organization Viasna, Valyantsin Stefanovich, and Uladzimer Labkovich, were sentenced to 12, 11, and 9 years imprisonment, respectively. They were charged with and convicted of tax-evasion and smuggling by a court in Minsk. The decision has been part of a wave of convictions of human rights activists, journalists, and individual citizens in Belarus. The ruling was roundly condemned by the international community as groundless and politically motivated retribution for Viasna’s human rights work. A fourth activist, Zmitser Salauyou, was sentenced to 8 years in absentia.

Africa • Nigeria

On 25 February, Nigerians voted in one of the most consequential elections in Africa in 2023. The lead-up to the election was dominated by economic challenges and protests against shortages of fuel and the newly redesigned currency. Turnout was markedly low, down from the already low mark of 35 per cent in 2019, with only 27 per cent of registered voters participating in the election. International observers faulted the Independent National Election Commission (INEC) for logistical failures, irregularities, and a lack of transparency. The ruling party (All People’s Congress) candidate Bola Ahmed Tinubu was declared the winner of the presidential election. In the National Assembly, the APC lost ground to opposition parties, but retained its majority in the Senate and likely also in the House of Representatives. The election failed to advance women’s representation, with only 18 women elected to the 469-member National Assembly thus far (some seats remain to be determined). Opposition parties have announced that they will challenge the outcome of the presidential election in the courts. Those proceedings are likely to last at least six months.

Americas • Mexico

After initial discussion and approval in December by the Senate and Chamber of Deputies, on 22 February Congress passed the “Plan B” electoral reform, which entered into force on 3 March. In response, on 26 February large demonstrations took place across the country against what protesters say are attempts to undermine the electoral authorities, particularly the National Electoral Institute (INE).  Since the reform was first proposed, it has been met with extensive international and nationwide criticism, as it effectively reduces the structure, staff, and power of the National Electoral Institute (INE), impacts its autonomy, loosens restrictions on campaigning and propaganda as well as INE’s enforcement capabilities on the subject. Some opponents have described the reform as an attack on democracy itself and have expressed concern over how the overhaul to INE’s structure will obstruct its ability to effectively organize and oversee elections. The reform also includes provisions related to the vote of Mexicans living abroad and electronic voting. Mexico’s opposition parties and the INE have filed constitutional challenges before the Supreme Court (SCJN), which is expected to consider them in the coming months. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador denies the reforms are a threat to democracy and argues the Plan B’s measures will increase the efficiency of the electoral system, result in savings of hundreds of millions of dollars a year and reduce the influence of economic interests in politics. 

Asia and the Pacific • Sri Lanka

Rights activists have expressed concern about numerous government attempts to delay and invalidate long-overdue local government elections scheduled for 9 March. Delay tactics noted so far include several rounds of talks held between President Ranil Wickremesinghe and his cabinet members after summoning the Election Commission (EC) to discuss election postponement after citing "financial difficulties." The Supreme Court issued a critical verdict on 10 February ordering the EC to hold the elections, which are now scheduled for 25 April 2023. Yet disruptions continue, with the Government Printer refusing to print ballot papers for postal voting unless paid in advance by the EC. Opposition-led protesters on 26 February were also met by police with tear gas and water cannons, resulting in dozens injured and at least one death. Critics allege that the delays come as the government fears they will fare badly at the polls

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 Updates

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

Asia and the Pacific

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negative
Arrow BGD
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neutral
Arrow CHN
positive
Arrow FJI
negative
Arrow IDN
negative
Arrow IND
without report
Arrow JPN
neutral
Arrow KAZ
without report
Arrow KGZ
negative
Arrow KHM
positive
Arrow KOR
without report
Arrow LAO
neutral
Arrow LKA
without report
Arrow MDV
neutral
Arrow MMR
without report
Arrow MNG
without report
Arrow MYS
without report
Arrow NPL
without report
Arrow NZL
without report
Arrow PAK
without report
Arrow PHL
without report
Arrow PNG
without report
Arrow PRK
without report
Arrow SGP
neutral
Arrow SLB
neutral
Arrow THA
without report
Arrow TJK
without report
Arrow TKM
without report
Arrow TLS
without report
Arrow TWN
without report
Arrow UZB
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Arrow VNM
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Arrow VUT
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Africa

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

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

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Arrow ARE
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Arrow BHR
without report
Arrow IRN
neutral
Arrow IRQ
neutral
Arrow ISR
without report
Arrow JOR
without report
Arrow KWT
negative
Arrow LBN
without report
Arrow OMN
negative
Arrow PSE
without report
Arrow QAT
negative
Arrow SAU
negative
Arrow SYR
without report
Arrow YEM
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Americas

without report
Arrow ARG
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Arrow BOL
neutral
Arrow BRA
without report
Arrow BRB
neutral
Arrow CAN
without report
Arrow CHL
without report
Arrow COL
without report
Arrow CRI
without report
Arrow CUB
without report
Arrow DOM
neutral
Arrow ECU
neutral
Arrow GTM
without report
Arrow GUY
without report
Arrow HND
neutral
Arrow HTI
negative
Arrow JAM
negative
Arrow MEX
neutral
Arrow NIC
without report
Arrow PAN
without report
Arrow PER
without report
Arrow PRY
without report
Arrow SLV
negative
Arrow SUR
without report
Arrow TTO
without report
Arrow URY
without report
Arrow USA
without report
Arrow VEN
View all
Flag
May 2022

Malaysia

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

Representative government
Fundamental rights
Checks on government
Impartial administration
Participatory engagement

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