Freedom House

📣 NEW: #NationsInTransit 2024 is now LIVE! https://lnkd.in/g3_zPWmT Democratic governance in the region spanning from Central Europe to Central Asia marked 20 consecutive years of decline. The region's deepening democratic divide revealed a shifting geopolitical order. Of the 29 countries covered by our report, 10 suffered declines in their Democracy Score, while just five earned improvements. The continued assault of basic freedoms by Eurasian autocracies and the challenges to democratic institutions within Hybrid Regimes easily outweighed democratic countries’ modest gains. A geopolitical reordering is underway, with countries throughout the region sorting themselves into two opposing blocs: those committed to a liberal, democratic order and those that violently reject it. Moscow’s ongoing attempt to conquer Ukraine and the Azerbaijani regime’s inhumane conquest of Nagorno-Karabakh illustrate the deadly consequences of authoritarian expansion. Autocracies have deepened their repression and cooperated to upend international norms. Democracy Scores further deteriorated in four of the eight Consolidated Authoritarian Regimes analyzed in our report. These regimes collaborate in and outside the region to evade sanctions, crush opposition, and circumvent accountability for violations of international law—building a new order yet to be countered by the democratic community. Democracies in the region showed improvements, but Poland’s democratic recovery will be crucial for the future of the wider region. Four of the five countries whose Democracy Scores improved were already classified as Semi-Consolidated or Consolidated Democracies. Though Poland’s score declined due to the ex-ruling party’s electoral manipulation efforts, an opposition victory poses a vital opportunity to restore the country’s democratic institutions. Hybrid Regimes were caught between the democratic and autocratic blocs, with some on a clear, antidemocratic trajectory. Ukraine was the only Hybrid Regime to experience a Democracy Score improvement. The 11-country group of Hybrid Regimes can be broken down as those autocratizing, those democratizing, and those in between. For lasting democratic change, international partners will need to tailor their policies accordingly. To effectively counter authoritarian gains, democratic governments must broaden their approach to democracy promotion. Beyond their traditional focus on free elections, rights protection, and institutional reform, they must be ready to invest more substantially in military preparedness and provide Ukraine with necessary aid. Failure to do so with only perpetuate the current negative trend. Read our full report and review our recommendations for how to address these trends by visiting our website: https://lnkd.in/g3_zPWmT

“In the first half of 2024, incumbent leaders were more likely to lose elections in Free countries than Party Free ones, while autocrats went largely undefeated.” FH’s Adrian Shahbaz identifies the trends we've observed as billions vote worldwide. https://lnkd.in/gSzrZeFt

🗳️ Where do we stand halfway through the year of global elections? FH's Adrian Shahbaz spotlights the issues defining a few of this year's key elections, including ongoing election manipulation efforts and an alarming uptick in political violence. https://lnkd.in/gSzrZeFt

💰 Repressive regimes may seize their opponents’ financial resources and property to try and bully them into silence, posing especially significant challenges to those already facing economic insecurity. Learn more about the antidemocratic playbook: https://lnkd.in/gdkSQCXn

🇭🇺 Hungary is rated Partly Free by both #FreedomInTheWorld 2024 and #FreedomOnTheNet 2023 and is labeled a Hybrid Regime by #NationsInTransit 2024. Since 2010, Orbán’s Fidesz party has increasingly coopted the country's independent institutions. More: https://lnkd.in/gK4K_HMm

🇻🇪 Ahead of elections on July 28th, the Venezuelan govt has made brazen efforts to control the electoral playing field and online information sphere. See what issues risk undermining free and fair elections by reading our full preelection assessment.⬇️ https://lnkd.in/g7ADhjAP

2024 LEARN Intern Highlight: Svitlana Kukharuk Motivated by her firsthand experience in Ukraine, Svitlana (Bard College) joined our Development team this summer to help secure the resources we need to counter authoritarian expansion around the world. Thank you, Svitlana!

Today's Spotlight🔆on Freedom: 🗳️ A Turbulent Start to the Year of Global Elections 🇱🇰 Election Watch: Sri Lanka 🇳🇬 Nigeria: #FreeMubarakBala More: bit.ly/FH-7-25 Subscribe: https://lnkd.in/dpBr643W

🕵️ Government opponents, both real and perceived, face various forms of physical monitoring meant to intimidate them, hinder their work, and prevent them from living a normal life. Learn more about the tactics autocrats are using to discourage dissent.⬇️ https://lnkd.in/gdkSQCXn

🏆 How free are former hosts of the Summer Olympics? Over the past 20 years, every host country except China has been rated Free by #FreedomInTheWorld. Over the same period, every host country except Japan has experienced a freedom score decline since hosting.