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Declining U.S. Democratic Scores Seen as Catalyst for Authoritarian Gains Worldwide
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International IDEA Report Flags Historic Low in U.S. Democratic Scores
On September 15, the Stockholm-based International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) released a report indicating that major indicators of U.S. democracy—press freedom, judicial independence, credible elections, freedom of speech, and access to justice—have fallen to their lowest levels in the past 50 years. The institute, a global intergovernmental body founded by 14 states in 1995, monitors elections and democratic health in more than 30 member nations.
Decline Linked to Global Authoritarian Momentum
IDEA’s secretary-general, Kevin Casas-Zamora, a former vice-president of Costa Rica, warned that the U.S. downturn is “patient zero” of a broader democratic erosion. He argued that the 2020 U.S. election dispute and the subsequent January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol have legitimised challenges to electoral credibility abroad. According to the report, the same rhetoric inspired riots in Brasília on January 8, 2023, when supporters of former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro stormed the parliament demanding military intervention against President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Key Findings and Numbers
- 57 percent of the 2020-2025 sample of countries examined by IDEA experienced a decline in at least one democratic indicator.
- The United States, once an observer member of IDEA, ceased its observer status in 2026 (as noted by the institute).
Reactions from IDEA Leadership
Casas-Zamora highlighted that arguments used to curtail the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) have been replicated in Serbia to suppress civil-society organisations. He emphasized that the U.S. retreat from a rules-based international order has weakened confidence in multilateralism and emboldened authoritarian leaders and populists worldwide.
Potential Consequences for Multilateralism
The report suggests that diminished U.S. democratic credibility may erode global support for multilateral institutions, encouraging hard-line regimes to pursue unilateral or illiberal policies. By weakening the perceived legitimacy of democratic norms, the United States’ internal challenges could have lasting ripple effects on the stability of democratic governance across the studied nations.