Sweden’s V-Dem Institute Democracy Report 2026 Executive Summary – Democracy in the World 2025 – Democracy is back to 1978 levels for the average global citizen. The gains of the “third wave of democratization”, starting 1974 in Portugal, are almost eradicated. The level of democracy for the average citizen in Western Europe and North America is at its lowest level in over 50 years, primarily due to ongoing autocratization in the USA.

• The USA loses its long-term status as a liberal democracy – for the first time in over 50 years. Autocracies and Democracies
• The world has 92 autocracies and 87 democracies at the end of 2025.
• 74% of the world population (6 billion) now live in autocracies.
• Only 7% of the world population (0.6 billion) live in liberal democracies.
• The “Great Reversal”: 2000 vs. 2025 – Almost all aspects of democracy register far-reaching declines during the last decade – a dramatic reversal compared to 25 years ago.
• Freedom of expression is the most hard-hit: 44 countries are declining in 2025.
• Torture is now increasingly used to suppress political opposition – 33 countries are substantially degenerating in 2025.
• Trends of Regime Transformation – The world has never before seen as many countries autocratizing at the same time as during the last few years of the “third wave of autocratization”.
  • A record of 41% (3.4 billion) of the world population currently reside in autocratizing countries.
  • The European Union is greatly affected.
  • Autocratization in Europe affects seven EU member states and two of its main allies – the UK and the USA….”