The decline of democracy indicators in the United States is clearly reflected in the recent report by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance based in Stockholm. According to this report, key democracy indicators in the United States have reached their lowest level in the past 50 years. This situation has been particularly exacerbated during the presidency of Donald Trump and has impacted the rule of law globally.
Negative Impacts of Trump's Administration on Democracy
International IDEA added the United States to its list of "backsliding" democracies for the first time in 2021, warning of the "clear deterioration" that began in 2019. The report points to a decline in judicial independence, the holding of credible elections, freedom of expression and the press, and access to justice. This situation reflects a global trend where the number of countries experiencing a decline in democracy has surpassed those that have improved.
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Global Consequences of the Decline of Democracy
Kevin Casas-Zamora, the Secretary-General of this think tank, emphasized that as democracies decline, the risk of military conflicts increases. He stated: "The main message of our research is that investment in democracy should be at the center of every country's security strategy." The connection between the erosion of democracy quality and the increase in conflicts in policymaking and public discourse is not given enough attention. Additionally, data from Uppsala University in Sweden indicates that 2025 will see the most violent conflicts since 1946.
Casas-Zamora further noted that events in the United States affect other countries, particularly democratic trends in other parts of the world. He referred to a "pandemic of election denial" that clearly illustrates the negative impacts of the political climate in the United States on the global order. This situation could lead to further weakening of democracies in other countries, thus highlighting the need for a serious reassessment of democratic policies and approaches.
In other words, the decline in the quality of democracy in the United States is not only a threat to the rule of law and individual freedoms in the country but could also lead to a global democracy crisis. However, Casas-Zamora emphasizes that this decline is not inevitable and can be reversed. In this unstable global environment, events may occur that create positive political openings and help revive damaged democracies.
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