An annual report from the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, released Tuesday, indicates that democratic performance in the United States has declined to levels not seen in five decades. The organization tracks democratic conditions across 174 countries using data extending back to 1975. Seema Shah, who directs the Stockholm-based institute’s democracy assessment team, identified the U.S. as the most prominent example of democratic deterioration during the period from 2020 to 2025.
According to the report’s findings, the U.S. has experienced declines in nearly half of the 30 indicators the organization measures. The report notes that in 2025, executive power became increasingly concentrated, with policy decisions oriented toward narrow personal objectives and retaliatory actions against perceived opposition. These developments have had consequences for the rule of law both domestically and internationally, while also straining established international partnerships and multilateral frameworks.
Historically, the U.S. had maintained strong performance in judicial independence and the rule of law, while playing a significant role in advancing democratic principles globally. Shah observed that this positioning has shifted. U.S. foreign policy no longer prioritizes democratic governance as a central component, and the democratic assistance programs traditionally extended to developing nations have been substantially reduced. At a regional summit last year in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the Trump administration characterized previous U.S. approaches as overly interventionist and signaled a shift away from promoting governance standards to other nations.
The broader global picture shows additional challenges for democracy worldwide. The survey indicates that 57% of the 174 countries assessed experienced declines in at least one major democratic indicator, with governance according to law identified as the weakest-performing dimension globally. Shah noted an additional concern: in approximately 90% of instances where democracies have experienced decline followed by recovery, another period of democratic decline occurs within five years, often because entrenched interests resist substantive change.
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