Democracy has never been more under threat. In every region of the world, populist leaders reject pluralism and demand unchecked power to advance the interests of their supporters, often at the expense of minorities and perceived foes. The Global State of Democracy 2021 finds that democratic erosion is accelerating, including in long-established democracies. It is one of the most serious and prolonged periods of decline in our records, putting democracy at risk for more people than ever before.
In addressing this challenge, global democrats must consider how to democratize the governance of transnational institutions that shape world politics. Traditionally, such efforts have been focused on the notion of popular sovereignty, whereby those directly affected by a decision should be allowed to deliberate over its substance (Bohman 2007). More recently, scholars have pointed out that this approach ignores the fact that only about 50 per cent of nation-states are democratic and that democratization in international organizations is unlikely to reach such a high level.
Despite these setbacks, the pandemic period has also shown democracy’s resilience in several ways. Electoral processes have adapted to deal with postponements, while civic activism is taking place despite restrictive conditions in countries like Belarus and Myanmar. The GSoD indicators on Participation show some positive trends, and some studies suggest that youth movements are re-energizing democracy’s ideals in a way that will last long after the Covid-19 crisis has ended. If we can harness these gains, it may prove possible to reimagine what a global democracy might look like.