According to a 2025 democracy report from Instituto V-DEM, about 5.8 billion people worldwide (72% of the world’s population) currently live in autocracies-the highest level since 1978
Autocracies became a majority in the world, according to the report of 2025, from Instituto V-DEM, linked to the University of Gotemburg, . The study data show that the world had, at the end of 2024, 88 democracies and 91 autocracies, an inversion over the previous year. Annually, the Institute publishes data on the situation of democracy in the world. The survey considers autocracy the political regime in which power is concentrated in a person or political group, with little or no democratic control, and restricted civil and political freedoms. In the case of democracy, there are multiparty, free and fair elections; Satisfactory degrees of suffrage, freedom of expression and freedom of association and judicial and legislative restrictions on the executive branch are fulfilled, together with the protection of civil liberties and equality before the law.
According to the report, about three out of four people worldwide, or 72% (5.8 billion people), currently live in autocracy – the highest level since 1978. The researchers analyzed 179 countries in 2024. According to the text, autocratic regimes are concentrated in the Middle East, North Africa, South and Central Asia, and sub -Saharan Africa. Democratic countries are more common in Western Europe and North America, as well as in some parts of East Asia and Pacific, Eastern Europe and South America.
Polarization and Disinformation
The survey places misinformation and political polarization among the main threats to democracies. According to the study, misinformation is used by autocratic governments to purposely inflate negative feelings in the population and create a sense of distrust. Already polarization serves to reduce confidence in government institutions. “Studies suggest that polarization often becomes help for governments to spread disinformation, weakening democracy. If polarization is high, citizens are more willing to exchange democratic principles for other interests or help their side to gain. Brexit voting and 2016 presidential elections are two prominent examples in which this standard has occurred,” the study points out.
According to the report, political polarization increased significantly in nine countries, considering elections that occurred in 2024. The report mention the political scenario in the United States, “where toxic polarization levels largely defined debates during the 2024 elections.” The study makes an observation that “some aspects of democracy in the US was already being affected by 2024, V-DEM data has not yet captured recent and extremely worrying developments.”
Political violence and press attack
The survey also shows that political violence and the increase in attacks on the media were the components of democracy that suffered the most during the 2024 electoral claims in the world. “Almost a quarter of all elections held in 2024-14 in 61-were marked by an increase in political violence. For example, Mexico held their bloody election in recent history, with at least 37 murdered competitors, and there were attempts to murder the prime minister in Slovakia and then candidate Trump.”
*With information from Agência Brasil
