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2024. március 19., kedd 08:00 |
How to halt democracy erosion (part 1) |
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Gütersloh, 19 March, 2024 (APA/OTS) - The quality of democracy in developing and transformation countries has been in steady decline over the past 20 years. The latest findings of the Transformation Index of the Bertelsmann Stiftung, now in its tenth edition, show that out of 137 countries surveyed, only 63 remain democracies, while a majority are classified as autocracies. However, there is reason for hope. The examples of the transformation countries Bra-zil and Poland, where voters have rebuffed authoritarian trends, show the potential for reversing democratic erosion. |
In the early years of the BTI, almost 20 years ago, democracies
around the world faced much less pressure. Today, almost a third of
the 137 countries surveyed by the BTI show the lowest level of
political participation opportunities ever recorded by the BTI. In
the last two years alone, elections in 25 countries were less free
and fair, while assembly and association rights in 32 states have
been increasingly curtailed and the freedom of expression in 39
countries has faced tightened controls. This gradual erosion of
democracy can provide a pathway for the establishment of
authoritarian rule, a trend exemplified by the cases of Bangladesh,
Mozambique and Türkiye.
Nonetheless, there are still democracies able to withstand the
pressure. The Baltic States as well as Taiwan, South Korea, Costa
Rica, Chile and Uruguay demonstrate how successful transformation
can be achieved. Firmly anchored in the rule of law, governance in
these states emphasizes strategic prioritization, participatory
processes and inclusion. It thus deliv-ers strong outcomes in the
areas of education, health care, infrastructure and living standards
which, in turn, strengthen democracy on the whole.
To counteract the erosion of democracy, institutions and mechanisms
of oversight such as the judiciary, parliament and the media are
essential. Free and (partially) fair elections have brought about
change in some East-Central and Southeastern European countries such
as Czechia, Moldova, North Macedonia, Poland and Slovenia, as well
as in Latin America, such as Brazil, Guatemala and Honduras.
"Authoritarian trends can be stopped at the ballot box," says Hauke
Hartmann, Senior Expert at the Bertelsmann Stiftung. "This requires
a mobiliza-tion of civil society prior to elections and a return to
the rule of law after the elections."
Civil society matters
In the defense of democracy, one crucial stronghold is the
resilience of civil society. Recent examples from Brazil, Kenya and
Zambia underscore the pivotal role civil society plays in ensuring
fair elections and upholding their integrity, often in collaboration
with electoral au-thorities or constitutional courts. Similarly, in
Poland and Sri Lanka, successful mobilization efforts have
safeguarded civil and social rights. These instances highlight the
importance of uniting street-level activism with institutional
checks on government power to effectively resist authoritarian
trends. Strengthening and safeguarding these civic forces and
institutions stand as paramount strategies for fortifying democracy.
Encouragingly, recent BTI assessments indicate that cooperation
among interest groups and the self-organizational capacities of
civil society remain robust.
Good governance remains elusive, especially in autocracies
Despite claims by authoritarian leaders that their states are
governed more efficiently than democracies due to streamlined
decision-making processes, the latest BTI findings suggest
otherwise. In fact, the report reveals that at the bottom of the
efficiency scale are 45 regimes plagued by disorganization and
corruption, spanning from Cambodia to Venezuela to Zimba-bwe, nearly
all of which are ruled with an iron fist. While a few autocratic
regimes demon-strate efficient governance, they are a rare
exception.
The extent to which the quality of democracy and good governance
are intertwined cannot be overstated, especially with regard to
consensus-building. In 80 countries, the ability and will-ingness to
foster consensus have declined over the past decade, marking the
most significant setback in the realm of good governance. "In many
cases, governments have neglected ef-forts to cultivate societal
consensus for too long. Continuous dialogue and inclusivity in
deci-sion-making processes are not weaknesses but strengths of
democratic governance," says Sabine Donner, Senior Expert at the
Bertelsmann Stiftung. "Good policymaking remains one of the most
potent responses to authoritarian challenges." (continues)
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2024. március 19., kedd 08:00 |
How to halt democracy erosion (part 2) |
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Gütersloh, 19 March, 2024 (APA/OTS) - |
Additional information: Since 2006, the Bertelsmann Stiftung's Transformation Index (BTI)
has analyzed and evalu-ated on a biennial basis the quality of
democracy, economic performance and governance worldwide. The
current sample includes 137 developing and transformation countries.
The assessment is based on the qualitative input provided by
comprehensive country reports that in sum exceed 5,000 pages. These
reports are the result of a collaborative process involving nearly
300 experts from leading universities and think tanks across more
than 120 countries. The review period for the current edition was
from Feb. 1, 2021 through Jan. 31, 2023. The BTI is the only
international comparative index that measures the quality of
governance using data collected by the project itself and which
offers a comprehensive analysis of the role of political steering
functions in transformation processes.
Contact:
Dr. Hauke Hartmann, Phone: +49 (0) 52 41 81 81 389
E-Mail: hauke.hartmann@bertelsmann-stiftung.de
Sabine Donner, Phone: +49 (0) 52 41 81 81 501
E-Mail: sabine.donner@bertelsmann-stiftung.de
About the Bertelsmann Stiftung: Inspiring people. Shaping the
future. The Bertelsmann Stiftung is committed to ensuring that everyone in
society can participate in political, econom-ic and cultural life.
Our programs include Education and the Next Generation, Democracy
and Social Cohesion, Digitalization and the Common Good, Europe's
Future, Health, and Sustainable Social Market Economies. In our
work, we focus on people, because people are the drivers of change
and can make the world a better place. We share knowledge, promote
expertise and develop solutions. A nonprofit foundation, the
Bertelsmann Stiftung was established in 1977 by Reinhard Mohn.
For more information, please visit: www.bertelsmann-stiftung.de
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