Ukraine climbs 13 spots in global democracy ranking amidst ongoing war

A report by IDEA provided the information.

The think tank noted that this trend should be considered in the context of the crisis in the quality of life, climate change, and Russia's aggression against Ukraine in 2022. These factors present significant challenges for many elected leaders.

Europe remains the region with the highest level of democracy in the world, but some established democracies, such as Austria, Hungary, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, and the United Kingdom, have seen significant deterioration in some democratic dynamics indicators.

It also says that Azerbaijan, Belarus, Russia and Turkey are among the outliers in Europe, with scores well below the European average on many democracy indicators.

IDEA said that many countries in the Americas have successfully held credible elections and continue to perform above average in all democracy categories, although countries such as El Salvador and Guatemala have recently experienced sharp declines.

At the same time, the think tank said that there were also "green leaves" with extremely high levels of political participation and reduced corruption, especially in Africa.

The document shows that Denmark, Norway, and Switzerland occupy the top three spots in the democracy ranking among 173 countries. Russia dropped three positions to 136th place. China ranks the lowest along with other countries.

What you need to know about IDEA

The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance bases its Global Democracy Indexes on more than 100 variables and uses four main categories - representation, rights, rule of law, and participation - to assess performance.

IDEA, which is headquartered in Stockholm, notes that half of the world's countries are experiencing democratic regression, which is manifested in flawed electoral processes and restrictions on rights such as freedom of speech and assembly.

According to the data, 2022 marked the sixth consecutive year during which countries experiencing a decline in democratic standards exceeded those with improved democratic standards. This represents the most extended period of democratic deterioration since the inception of statistical records in 1975.

Democracy is reported to be in crisis due to the deterioration of such foundations as elections, parliaments, and independent courts that are supposed to ensure the rule of law and accountability of politicians.