Key democracy indicators in the United States have reached their lowest point in half a century, according to data from the Stockholm-based International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International Idea).
The report said the decline in democratic standards in the US is part of a broader global deterioration, with the rule of law facing particular strain worldwide. It linked changes in the US to “threats and actions” that, in the authors’ assessment, weakened the rule of law both at home and internationally.
US Scores Fall as Executive Power Expands
International Idea’s annual Global State of Democracy report, which covers 174 countries and tracks democratic performance since 1975, said the drop in the US was particularly pronounced.
The study described how President Donald Trump expanded executive power quickly and used it, in the report’s view, to pursue a narrow set of personal goals and to retaliate against perceived enemies. It said the impact was far-reaching, undermining legal constraints domestically and adding pressure to long-standing alliances and multilateral cooperation.
International Idea added the US to its list of “backsliding” democracies in 2021, citing a “visible deterioration” it said began in 2019. The report also said 2025 marked the 11th consecutive year in which more countries declined than improved democratically, the longest continuous downturn since International Idea began its records.
Global Rule of Law Hits Weakest Point
The report found that globally, rule of law was the weakest area of democracy in 2025. It said 71 countries, accounting for 41% of those assessed, were classed as low-performing on the measure.
It also reported that the decline was accelerating. Twenty-nine countries recorded downturns, reflecting what the authors described as a widening challenge to democratic governance.
International Idea assessed judicial independence, credible elections and freedoms including expression and press freedom, along with access to justice. It said these components were at their lowest levels for at least 30 years in many countries. It also warned that narrowing civic space threatened democratic resilience, including through measures such as strategic lawsuits against public participation, “foreign agent” laws and the criminalisation of peaceful protest.
Conflict Risk Rises as Democracies Weaken
International Idea’s findings were echoed by the Uppsala Conflict Data Program at Uppsala University in Sweden, which reported that 2025 saw the most violent conflicts in its dataset dating back to 1946. That year included the highest number of interstate conflicts recorded during the period.
The report’s authors said the link between democratic decline and heightened conflict risk was becoming more apparent as political systems deteriorate, though they argued that this connection was not being reflected adequately in policymaking or public debate.
Some Positive Moves, But Reform Proves Difficult
Despite the overall negative picture, International Idea pointed to examples of progress in specific countries. It cited Australia, where civil society groups were consulted on an anti-racism strategy and children’s online privacy, and Syria, where Bashar al-Assad’s rule was overthrown.
In Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka, the report said youth-led protests unseated long-serving leaders. However, it added that building far-reaching, meaningful reform quickly has proved difficult.
International Idea said its wider assessment assigns each country to one of three categories: democracies, “hybrid” governments or authoritarian regimes, based on 50 years of democratic indicators.
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15 September 2026
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