A survey published on Thursday, the 11th of April, by the governance watchdog, the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA), concludes that voter scepticism and lack of faith in democracy and institutions is widespread in many countries. The report, published at a time when the US, India, the UK, and the European Union are all due to hold important elections in 2024, paints a bleak picture of the state of many democracies around the world, reports Reuters.
The survey, conducted between July 2023 and January 2024, polled around 1 500 people in 19 countries, including Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Gambia, Iraq, Italy, Lebanon, Lithuania, Pakistan, Romania, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Korea, and Tanzania.
The results show that in 11 of the 19 countries surveyed, less than half of the voters felt that the last elections were free and fair.
Only voters in Denmark felt that courts “always” or “often” provide access to justice. Surprisingly, in eight of the 19 countries, more people liked the idea of a strong leader who does not have to follow parliament or organise elections than those who disliked the idea.
“Democracies need to respond to public scepticism,
both by improving governance and by tackling the growing culture of misinformation that has fuelled false accusations against credible elections,” Kevin Casas-Zamora, Secretary General of IDEA, was quoted as saying in a statement.
This year’s US presidential election is expected to see incumbent Democrat Joe Biden take on former President Donald Trump, who falsely claimed election fraud after losing in 2020. The poll found that only 47% of respondents in the US trust the country’s electoral processes.
The European Parliament elections in June could see a strong far-right showing, with implications for policies ranging from support for Ukraine in its conflict with Russia to action on climate change. In February, Parliament condemned Russia’s efforts to undermine European democracy.
The survey also found that minorities, women and people on low incomes were more likely to report facing greater obstacles when trying to access political institutions.
However, the survey also found that in most countries, a majority of respondents
felt that they usually or always had the freedom to express their views publicly.
“In 17 of the 19 countries surveyed, less than half of the population is satisfied with their government, and in only four countries do a majority of citizens feel that their economic situation is better than that of their parents,” the international IDEA statement was quoted.
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