South Sudan
South Sudan exhibits low range performance across all categories of the Global State of Democracy Framework. It is among the bottom 25 per cent of countries with regard to all factors of democracy. Even so, over the last five years, it has experienced significant advances in Rule of Law, Access to Justice, and Absence of Corruption. While South Sudan is natural resource-rich, it remains a low-income country with an economy heavily dependent on oil revenue. This reliance has made the country highly vulnerable to external shocks—most recently in 2024, when fighting in neighboring Sudan ruptured a key oil pipeline, cutting nearly two-thirds of state revenue. Agriculture remains the second most important sector and the primary source of livelihood for most households. Economic growth has been weak due to widespread corruption, protracted conflict, poor infrastructure, and climate-related disasters.
Early inhabitants of the land now known as South Sudan included mound-builders known as the Luel or Turkwel, followed by Nilotic migrations and, later, non-Nilotic peoples in the 17th century. This created a diverse society shaped by migration, agropastoralism and social hierarchies. The region was first ruled by Egypt, then jointly by Egyptian-British colonial administrators in the late 19th century. While the north adopted Arab-Islamic culture, Christian missionaries spread English and Christianity in the south, contributing to enduring cultural divides.
After Sudan’s independence in 1956, unmet assurances of inclusion to the southern region led to two civil wars, causing the deaths of millions. A US-backed peace agreement in 2005 granted the South autonomy, and a 2011 referendum resulted in a near-unanimous vote for independence. Post-independence, tensions with Sudan has persisted—particularly over oil revenue, as South Sudan holds most reserves but relies on Sudanese infrastructure for transportation. Internally, the country has been mired in political conflict, ethnic violence, and a dire humanitarian crisis. Civil war erupted in 2013 between President Salva Kiir and Vice President Riek Machar, who represent different ethnic groups. Despite peace agreements in 2015 and 2018, respectively, aimed at power-sharing and a transitional government, implementation has been slow and violence recurrent. A transitional government was formed in 2020, but disputes over governance have blocked progress. With the peace process faltering, the government has increasingly relied on repression, militarized governance, and electoral delays to consolidate power—most notably through Marchar’s detention in early 2024 and renewed hostilities with opposition-aligned forces—undermining prospects for a credible transition and raising the risk of renewed large-scale conflict.
Gender-based violence is widespread and systemic throughout South Sudan. Other issues include low female literacy, insufficient health services, underrepresentation of women in political life, and harmful traditional practices such as early marriage. Government forces and armed groups have also been accused of extrajudicial executions, state repression, and recruiting children into armed groups. Same-sex sexual activity remains criminalized under colonial-era laws. Though enforcement of these laws appears to be limited, the lack of legal protections and LGBTQIA+ civil society fosters a climate of fear, invisibility, and discrimination.
Looking ahead, South Sudan’s worsening security environment and governance crisis warrant close monitoring across Personal Integrity and Security, Credible Elections, Civic Engagement, and Basic Welfare. The indefinite postponement of elections, growing authoritarian consolidation, and intensifying conflict have raised serious doubts about the durability of the peace process. Weakening institutions, increased repression, and shrinking civic space threaten the country’s democratic trajectory.
Last updated: June 2025
https://www.idea.int/democracytracker/
May 2025
Fighting escalates in South Sudan amid peace deal collapse
In May, fighting between government forces and opposition-aligned groups intensified in South Sudan, threatening to unravel the 2018 peace agreement. Between 3 and 20 May, government forces escalated aerial and ground offensives in Jonglei and Upper Nile states, including a 3 May airstrike on a Médecins Sans Frontières hospital in Old Fangak that killed at least seven civilians and injured over 20—suspending critical medical care for over 100,000 people. UN officials condemned the deliberate targeting of medical infrastructure as a potential war crime. The escalation follows earlier hostilities that began in February in Upper Nile, involving militia groups like the White Army. More than 130,000 people have been displaced in the past three months amid worsening humanitarian conditions, while dozens of opposition-linked politicians have been arbitrarily detained. First Vice President Riek Machar remains under house arrest. As ethnic tensions deepen and violence spreads, international observers have warned that South Sudan risks sliding back into full-scale civil war.
Sources: UN Human Rights Office, International Crisis Group, The New Humanitarian, Radio Tamazuj, UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan, British Broadcasting Corporation
March 2025
Detention of opposition leaders destabilises peace deal
On 26 March, First Vice-President Riek Machar was placed under house arrest by security forces, accused of inciting rebellion to derail the peace process. The move prompted fears of renewed civil war. Machar’s party, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement In Opposition (SPLM-IO), said the arrest violated the 2018 peace deal, which it declared had collapsed. Other senior SPLM-IO figures were also detained and replaced by President Salva Kiir loyalists. The move followed 4 March clashes, when the White Army, a Machar-linked militia, attacked army positions in Upper Nile. Government forces responded with airstrikes on civilian areas, reportedly using barrel bombs, causing causalities and displacing at least 63,000 people. The crisis deepened with Uganda’s deployment of troops and tanks into South Sudan, raising concerns over arms embargo breaches and foreign interference. In February, Kiir dismissed two vice-presidents and promoted his adviser Benjamin Bol Mel, positioning him as a likely successor.
Sources: United Nations, The Guardian, Africa Confidential, Institute for Security Studies, British Broadcasting Corporation, Radio Tamazuj, Reuters
January 2025
Riots lead to causalities, curfew, and social media suspension
On 16 and 17 January, riots erupted in Juba and other parts of South Sudan following reports of South Sudanese nationals being killed in Sudan's El Gezira state earlier in the month. In retaliation, at least 16 Sudanese nationals were killed according to South Sudan police, while youths looted and vandalized shops owned by Sudanese individuals and burned several homes. In response, authorities imposed a nationwide dusk-to-dawn curfew starting on 17 January, which lasted for more than 10 days and was intended to restore security and prevent further destruction of property. Additionally, on 22 January, the National Communication Authority ordered internet service providers to block access to social media platforms, including Facebook and TikTok, for a minimum of 30 days, citing concerns over the spread of graphic videos depicting the reported killing of South Sudanese nationals in Sudan. However, the social media ban was lifted on 27 January after the removal of the material in question.
Sources: South Sudan National Communication Authority, Radio Tamazuj, Associated Press, Reuters (1), Reuters (2), Committee to Protect Journalists
September 2024
Government postpones elections for the fourth time since independence
On 20 September, South Sudan’s parliament approved a two-year postponement of the long-awaited elections announced by the transitional government on 13 September, citing delays in implementing key provisions of the 2018 peace agreement and insufficient funds to register voters. The elections, originally scheduled for December 2024, are now expected to be held in 2026. This marks the fourth election postponement in the past decade, with South Sudan yet to hold elections since gaining independence in 2011. The decision has drawn sharp criticism from both national and international actors. A group of South Sudanese lawyers petitioned the court, challenging the legality of the postponement, while the United States, the United Kingdom, and Norway – international guarantors of the peace process – issued a joint statement condemning the delay as a failure of leadership.
Sources: Sudan Tribune, Radio Tamazuj, VOA News, Africa Confidential, AP News, International Peace Institute
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