International IDEA launches updated Global State of Democracy Indices

Democracy is not just a type of regime; it is a human aspiration and the only type of government that allows us to pursue the type of lives we want to lead. It checks power, enables free speech, and guarantees our participation. 

In spite of democracy’s spectacular growth over the last half century, we have witnessed the growth of serious challenges to the integrity and sustainability of democratic rule over the last decade. In addition to democratic backsliding, we have seen some leaders use the tools of democracy to dismantle it from within. By weakening parliaments, harassing journalists, packing courts, and limiting civil society, many democracies are under threat.

Is this a temporary setback or is democracy in decay? Has the pandemic affected the quality of democracy? What are global, regional, and national trends in the markers of democracy, including clean elections, judicial independence or gender equality? This and more can be answered through version 5 of our Global State of Democracy Indices.

With updated data that spans the period from 1975 until December 2020, the Indices provide information on 116 democratic indicators for 165 countries.

Explore how democracy has evolved and its main global trends here: GSoD Indices 

The full version of the dataset is available here: Dataset Resources