NEW REPORT: Election Manipulation and Armed Conflict Drove 18th Consecutive Year of Decline in Freedom

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Feb 29, 2024, 09:30 ET

The 51st edition of Freedom in the World finds that only 21 countries recorded improvements in 2023, while 52 suffered declines.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Global freedom declined for an 18th consecutive year in 2023 as political rights and civil liberties deteriorated in 52 countries, representing a fifth of the world's population, according to a new report released today by Freedom House. The declines were both widespread and severe, eclipsing the improvements observed in 21 other countries.

The new report, Freedom in the World 2024: The Mounting Damage of Flawed Elections and Armed Conflict, found that election manipulation, warfare, and attacks on pluralism—the peaceful coexistence of people with different political ideas, religions, or ethnic identities—were key drivers of the global decline. Nearly 38 percent of the world's people now live in countries rated Not Free, 42 percent live in Partly Free countries, and only 20 percent live in Free countries.

"Global freedom took a big step backward in 2023," said Michael J. Abramowitz, president of Freedom House. "The world faces another crucial test in 2024, as billions of people head to the polls and multiple armed conflicts—including in the Sahel, Eastern Europe, the South Caucasus, and the Middle East—continue to violate people's basic rights. If democracies do not respond to these challenges, more of the global population will be denied fundamental liberties in the years ahead, ultimately affecting peace, prosperity, security, and freedom for everyone. But in the face of immense obstacles, people in every sort of political environment continue the fight to uphold their rights and dignity, offering hope even in discouraging times."

Key report findings include the following:

Widespread problems with elections, including violence and manipulation, drove deterioration in rights and freedoms. In countries including Cambodia, Guatemala, Poland, Turkey, and Zimbabwe, incumbents tried to control electoral competition, hinder their political opponents, or prevent them from taking power after election day. Such efforts notably failed to block changes in government in Guatemala and Poland.
Armed conflicts and threats of authoritarian aggression made the world less safe and less democratic. Around the world, violent conflict—often driven by authoritarian aggression—caused death and destruction and imperiled freedom. The Kremlin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine continued for a second year, further degrading basic rights in occupied areas and prompting more intense repression in Russia itself. Civilians bore the brunt of a civil war stemming from the 2021 military coup in Myanmar, and of brutal fighting between rival military and paramilitary factions in Sudan.
The denial of political rights and civil liberties in disputed territories dragged down freedom in the associated countries, including some democracies. Repression in disputed territories was largely perpetrated by autocratic regimes, but the democratically elected governments of Israel and India were complicit in violating basic rights in the West Bank and Gaza Strip and in Indian-administered Kashmir, respectively.
Nagorno-Karabakh suffered the largest score decline. The territory lost a total of 40 points on the report's 100-point scale after nearly its entire population of 120,000 ethnic Armenians was forced to flee under intense pressure from Azerbaijan's military. It was followed by Niger, which lost 18 points as a result of a military coup that deposed the democratically elected government in July. The year's other major declines occurred in Tunisia (−5 points), Peru (−4 points), and Sudan (−4 points). One country and one territory suffered downgrades in their overall freedom status: Ecuador declined from Free to Partly Free, and Nagorno-Karabakh declined from Partly Free to Not Free.
Fiji earned the largest score improvement. The country gained a total of 7 points on the report's 100-point scale. It was followed by Thailand, which gained 6 points due to more competitive elections that led to significant opposition victories in the parliament, even if unelected forces kept the leading opposition party out of government. The year's other major improvements occurred in Liberia (+4 points) and Nepal (+4 points). One country received an upgrade in its overall freedom status: Thailand improved from Not Free to Partly Free.

"This year will be a pivotal one for democratic societies and their efforts to advance the cause of freedom around the world," said Yana Gorokhovskaia, the report's coauthor and Freedom House's research director for strategy and design. "Upholding the rights of those in disputed territories, reinforcing guardrails for free and fair elections, and responding swiftly when antidemocratic leaders seek to overthrow elected governments are just some of the actions that must be taken consistently to stop the global decline."

The report identifies a number of measures that democratic governments can implement to protect and expand political rights and civil liberties. The recommendations include:

Provide steady support and flexible funding to those on the front lines of the struggle against tyranny. Democratic governments and donors must increase and sustain support for those working to defend and promote fundamental freedoms around the world. Failure to do so emboldens autocrats and can result in the loss of hard-won progress.
Uphold the rights of people living in disputed territories. The events of the past year in places such as Nagorno-Karabakh and the Gaza Strip provided stark evidence that populations without self-determination are at greater risk of extreme human rights abuses or atrocities.
Protect free and fair elections in 2024. At least 40 countries—representing more than two-fifths of the world's population—are holding national-level elections in 2024, with many more conducting other types of balloting. Free and fair elections are a cornerstone of any democracy, and independent and transparent electoral processes are necessary to foster genuine competition and public trust.
Respond consistently to attempts to overthrow duly elected governments. When the international community fails to address coups and coup attempts in a firm and principled manner, it normalizes these illegitimate actions and encourages their proliferation.
Protect human rights activists in exile and facilitate their work. Activists prefer to work from within their home countries, but they are increasingly targeted by their governments with judicial harassment, violent political persecution, torture, and arrests. As a result, many have been forced to flee abroad. Democratic governments should provide shelter when needed to enable activists to continue their important efforts to counter authoritarianism.

View the report's complete recommendations here.

Freedom in the World includes scores and detailed country reports on political rights and civil liberties for 195 countries and 15 territories around the globe. This report, the 51st annual edition, covers developments in 2023 and provides a brief analysis of long-term trends. The report methodology is derived in large measure from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1948.

Click here to read translated versions of the press release: Arabic, French, Chinese (simplified), Chinese (traditional), Russian, Spanish. Click here to read additional, regionally focused press releases: Africa, Americas, Asia-Pacific, Eurasia, Europe, Middle East.

Freedom House is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works to create a world where all are free. We inform the world about threats to freedom, mobilize global action, and support democracy's defenders.

SOURCE Freedom House