Key facts
- Democratic backsliding in the U.S. is damaging international rules and alliances, increasing global conflict risk, according to a new report.
- IDEA recorded seven statistically significant declines in U.S. democratic performance between 2020 and 2025.
- Nearly half of the 30 indicators IDEA uses to measure American democracy have fallen to their lowest levels since 1975.
- A July Lowy Institute analysis described U.S. politics as increasingly tribal.
- The report states U.S. President Donald Trump quickly amassed power in the executive branch in 2025.
- In 2025, 57 percent of 173 countries declined in at least one democratic factor over five years.
Democratic backsliding in the United States is creating significant problems for Europe and increasing global conflict risk, according to a new report from the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA). The report, released Tuesday, states that the weakening of checks and norms in the U.S. is pressuring international alliances and rules that the rest of the world relies on, while also encouraging other governments to attack their own domestic institutions.
IDEA Secretary-General Kevin Casas-Zamora stated in an interview that "Whatever happens in the U.S. has global ramifications, and I think this is one of the really big stories happening in the world today." Comparing 2025 with 2020, IDEA recorded seven statistically significant declines in U.S. democratic performance, including in judicial independence, access to justice, parliamentary effectiveness, press freedom, and freedom of expression. Nearly half of the 30 indicators IDEA uses to measure American democracy have fallen to their lowest levels since 1975.
A July analysis by the Lowy Institute described U.S. politics as increasingly tribal, with rival camps viewing each other as threats and justifying anti-democratic behavior when convenient. The IDEA report asserts that U.S. President Donald Trump quickly amassed power in the executive branch in 2025, undermining the rule of law domestically and internationally and testing long-standing alliances. This assessment is supported by a February 2025 executive order that directed officials carrying out U.S. foreign policy to act under the president’s authority and warned of professional discipline for non-compliance.
Casas-Zamora elaborated that the spillover effect is evident in how governments justify attacks on democratic institutions and civil society, citing examples where arguments used in the U.S. were later employed in Serbia to restrict civil society organizations. The U.S. decline is part of a broader global democratic recession, with 98 out of 173 countries showing a decline in at least one democratic factor over five years in 2025, marking the 11th consecutive year of deterioration. The report emphasizes that democratic erosion is also a security problem, noting 65 violent conflicts worldwide in 2025, the highest number since 1946.
Europe, while still leading democratic rankings, recorded 77 declines against 42 advances between 2020 and 2025, with civil liberties, access to justice, and credible elections under pressure. The recent performance of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), which won 43.8 percent in Saxony-Anhalt, illustrates this strain. Casas-Zamora suggested that the appeal of populist-authoritarian parties stems from a feeling of underrepresentation among voters, who may prioritize issues like border security and fairness over procedural democratic arguments. He concluded that protecting democracy should be central to security agendas.