How Much Democratic Backsliding?

• DOI: 10.1353/jod.2017.0075
• Publication Date: 2017-10-08T09:30:42Z
• Authors: Valeriya Mechkova; Anna Lührmann; Staffan I. Lindberg
• Keywords: 05 social sciences; 1. No poverty; 16. Peace & justice; 0506 political science

Democracy is facing challenges across the world, yet suggestions of a global crisis are not warranted. Based on data from largest democracy database ever compiled, Varieties Project (V-Dem), we find that number democracies worldwide declined slightly 100 in 2011 to 97 today, and 16 countries transitioned over last ten years, including Tunisia, Nepal, Nigeria. However, there fair degree volatility. In 2013 alone, five but nine went other way. Worrisome trends include gradual erosion freedom expression association several countries, among them Turkey, Hungary, Poland, Brazil.