Democratic Decline in the US Threatens Global Rule of Law
A report by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance reveals that democratic indicators in the US have fallen to their lowest levels in half a century, weakening global norms.
According to a new report published by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, approximately half of the democratic indicators in the United States have fallen to their lowest levels in fifty years, accelerating the weakening of the global rule of law.
New Report by the International Institute
According to the report published by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance on Tuesday, the United States stands as the most prominent example and accelerator of the global trend of democratic decline.
Executive Branch and Institutional Checks
The report emphasizes that the administration, which rapidly consolidated power in the executive branch, used this power for personal objectives, narrowed public expression spaces, and strained institutional check-and-balance mechanisms.
Global Democratic Decline
On a global scale, 57 percent of countries experienced a decline in democratic performance indicators between 2020 and 2025, while judicial independence dropped to a thirty-six-year low and credible elections fell to a thirty-year low.
Significant Statistical Declines in the US
The United States recorded seven statistically significant declines between 2020 and 2025 in areas such as access to justice, freedom of expression, freedom of the press, and judicial independence.
International System and Conflict Risk
The report states that the democratic decline in the US fractures the international system, tests multilateral cooperation, and increases the risk of global violent conflict, which reached record levels in 2025.