• 2 years ago
The international think tank IDEA has added the United States to its annual list of "shrinking democracies.
democracies".
This year we coded the U.S. as declining for the first time, but the decline appears to have taken place as early as 2019, According to the report of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance.
"The decline in civil liberties and government controls indicates that there are serious problems with the foundations of democracy." Alexander Hudson, co-author of the report, via The Guardian.
A historic turning point occurred in 2020-21 when former President Donald Trump questioned the legitimacy of the 2020 U.S. election results, according to the report of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance.
Alexander Hudson also referred to a "decline in the quality of freedom of association and assembly over the summer during the 2020 protests," which took place after the police killing of George Floyd.
According to the report, over the past decade the number of declining democracies has doubled.
It also cites the pandemic as a contributing as a contributing factor.
"The pandemic has certainly accelerated and amplified some of the negative trends, particularly in places where democracy and the rule of law were struggling before the pandemic." Kevin Casas-Zamora, secretary general of International IDEA, via The Guardian.

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