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Asia and the Pacific
Western Asia

Democracy Tracker

The Democracy Tracker provides event-centric, monthly information on democracy and human rights developments in 173 countries. Event reports describe a change to the status-quo of the state of democracy at the country level. They 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, or hover over to the country profiles menu at the top to access the full data and analysis of a specific country.

Positive and Negative Events in September 2024

+1
Brazil Arrow Brazil
+1
Cambodia Arrow Cambodia
+1
Chile Arrow Chile
+1
Colombia Arrow Colombia
+1
Ghana Arrow Ghana
+1
Haiti Arrow Haiti
+1
Jordan Arrow Jordan
+1
Peru Arrow Peru
+1
Philippines Arrow Philippines
+1
Spain Arrow Spain
+1
Taiwan Arrow Taiwan
-1
Afghanistan Arrow Afghanistan
-1
Argentina Arrow Argentina
-1
Benin Arrow Benin
-1
Chad Arrow Chad
-1
Comoros Arrow Comoros
-1
Cyprus Arrow Cyprus
-1
Dominican Republic Arrow Dominican Republic
-1
Finland Arrow Finland
-1
Georgia Arrow Georgia
-1
Lesotho Arrow Lesotho
-1
Mali Arrow Mali
-1
Mexico Arrow Mexico
-1
Myanmar Arrow Myanmar
-1
Nicaragua Arrow Nicaragua
-1
Pakistan Arrow Pakistan
-1
Palestine Arrow Palestine
-1
Republic of Moldova Arrow Republic of Moldova
-1
Russian Federation Arrow Russian Federation
-1
South Sudan Arrow South Sudan
-1
Tanzania Arrow Tanzania
-1
Tunisia Arrow Tunisia
-1
Uzbekistan Arrow Uzbekistan
-1
Zambia Arrow Zambia
-2
Lebanon Arrow Lebanon

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

Flag
May 2022

Malaysia

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Representation
Rights
Rule of Law
Participation

Critical Events in September 2024

Asia and the Pacific • Fiji

Barbara Malimali was named the head of the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) by the Constitutional Offices Commission on 4 September, despite being the subject of an ongoing FICAC investigation into abuse of office in her previous post as chairperson of the Electoral Commission. The ensuing controversy has reignited longstanding debates over the independence and credibility of FICAC. The FICAC Deputy Commissioner ordered Malimali be taken in for questioning on 5 September and then, after a public backlash from other high-ranking officials, resigned herself, citing pressure to not open investigations into Malimali and other high-ranking officials. Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has said there is no reason for Malimali to resign unless she is formally charged by FICAC, while opposition politicians, such as former Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry, have insisted she must step aside to ensure a transparent and accountable inquiry.  

Europe • Georgia

On 17 September, the Georgian Parliament unanimously approved the bill “on family values and protection of minors” on its third and final reading. Parliamentary votes have been continuously boycotted by opposition MPs since the passing of the contested “foreign agents’ law” earlier this year. The bill includes a wide-ranging set of laws restricting the rights of LGBTQIA+ individuals, prohibiting the legal recognition of same-sex couples and transgender individuals, eliminating their right to gender-affirming care and criminalizing the depiction of LGBTQIA+ individuals in the media. The bill has faced criticism from domestic civil society and from the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. The day following the approval of the bill saw the murder of a high-profile transgender woman. 

Western Asia • Lebanon

Israel attacked Lebanon in September, causing major casualties, extensive destruction of civilian infrastructure, and mass displacement. On 17 and 18 September, coordinated explosions of manipulated handheld pagers and walkie-talkies distributed to alleged Hezbollah affiliates (including civilians), killed 32 people and injured over 3,250 others. UN experts condemned these attacks as ‘indiscriminate’ and potential war crimes. Israeli airstrikes intensified across the country, with the deadliest attack on 23 September killing 558 people and injuring 1,835 others, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry. High-profile political assassinations took place, including the killing of Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, along with other senior members of Hezbollah, Hamas and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). However, most of the casualties were unarmed civilians, as reported by Lebanon’s Health Ministry. By the end of the month, 100,000 people had fled to Syria.

Americas • Mexico

On 15 September, a constitutional reform affecting the judiciary was enacted. The reform introduces the election by popular vote of all federal judges, including Supreme Court justices, Electoral Tribunal magistrates, and state judges. It also changes the Supreme Court’s organization and creates a Judicial Discipline Tribunal and an administrative organ of the judiciary that will replace the Judiciary Council (currently in charge of discipline and administration of the federal judiciary). The practice of ‘faceless judges’ may be introduced for cases related to organized crime. Experience and eligibility requirements have been relaxed and the length of tenure and remuneration amended. The introduction of these elections will be phased, beginning in 2025. Proponents of the reform argue it will address judicial corruption and nepotism and say that the prohibition of public or private funds for campaigns will ensure the integrity of the process. Legislation regarding what campaigns will consist of is still pending. Critics say it risks judicial independence, politicization of justice and further influence of organized crime in the justice system.

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

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

Americas

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

Asia and the Pacific

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

Europe

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

Western Asia

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Arrow PSE
-2
Arrow LBN
0
Arrow SYR
0
Arrow KWT
+1
Arrow JOR
without report
Arrow IRQ
without report
Arrow BHR
without report
Arrow IRN
without report
Arrow ISR
without report
Arrow OMN
without report
Arrow QAT
without report
Arrow SAU
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

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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