News

Half of world’s democracies in decline: Report

Published

4 years ago

2022/12/4

US and India among countries with most severe democratic erosion

Half the world’s democratic countries are experiencing an erosion of democracy, intensified by war in Ukraine and economic crisis, an international think tank said in a report.
“We’re seeing extraordinarily severe headwinds for democracy now, intensified by the political fallout from the economic crisis that started with the pandemic and the economic consequences of the war in Ukraine,” International IDEA Secretary-General Kevin Casas-Zamorav said.
“It might be that the credibility of elections is challenged. It might be that the rule of law is under assault. It might be that civic space is being constrained,” he explained.The number of democracies with the most severe democratic erosion – a group dubbed “backsliding” countries which has included the United States since last year – increased from six to seven in 2022 with the addition of El Salvador to the list.

The others are Brazil, Hungary, India, Mauritius and Poland.

Casas-Zamora singled out the US as particularly worrying.
“I’m very concerned by what we’re seeing in the United States,” he said.
The country faces political polarisation, institutional dysfunction and threats to civil liberties, according to the report.
“It’s quite clear by now that the fever didn’t break with the election of a new administration,” he said, pointing to “the runaway levels of polarisation (and) the attempts to undermine the credibility of electoral results without any evidence of fraud”.
Casas-Zamora noted the US had also taken a “visible step backwards” in sexual and reproductive rights, “which is very exceptional because most countries, pretty much all other countries, are going forward in terms of expanding sexual and reproductive rights”.
“The US is moving backwards,” he said.

Of the 173 countries covered by International IDEA’s report, 104 were democracies and 52 of those were in decline.
Meanwhile, the number of countries moving toward authoritarianism, 27, was more than double the number moving toward democracy, at 13.
Almost half of all authoritarian regimes became even more repressive in 2022, with Afghanistan, Belarus, Cambodia, Comoros and Nicaragua singled out as experiencing a “broad decline”.
In Asia, where only 54 percent of people live in a democracy, authoritarianism is solidifying, the report said, while Africa, despite a myriad of challenges, remains “resilient” in the face of instability.
A decade after the Arab Spring, the Middle East continues to be “the most authoritarian region in the world”. It has only three democracies – Iraq, Israel and Lebanon.
In Europe, almost half of all democracies, or 17 countries, suffered democratic erosion in the last five years.
“Democracies are struggling to effectively bring balance to environments marked by instability and anxiety, and populists continue to gain ground around the world as democratic innovation and growth stagnate or decline,” the report said.

It noted there were “troubling patterns” even in countries that were performing at middle to high levels of democratic standards.
In the past five years, progress has stalled across all of the indices IDEA studies, with some scores “the same as they were in 1990”, it said.
“Democratic systems have really wobbled over the past couple of decades and it quite clearly has become a burning issue in our age,” Casas-Zamora said.
There were, however, some signs of progress.
IDEA noted that people were coming together to push their governments to meet 21st-century demands, ranging from creating community-based childcare in Asia to reproductive freedoms in Latin America, and youth climate protests around the globe.
“But also in places like Iran, where people have gone out to demand freedom and equality and dignity,” Casas-Zamora said.
“So there are a few bright spots but the overall trend is very bleak.”

All News Advertisement

News

Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 warm-up: Chamari Athapaththu’s 94 helps Sri Lanka beat Pakistan

Published

5 hours ago

2026/06/7

Priyan

File photo: Chamari Athapaththu top-scored for Sri Lanka (Cricinfo)

Captain Chamari Athapaththu’s 94 helped Sri Lanka chase down 169 with ease against Pakistan. Athapaththu and Vishmi Gunaratne together started strongly, putting up a 159-run stand as Sri Lanka won with eight balls to spare.

With the ball, right-arm seamer Chethana Vimukthi, who was called up as the injured Shashini Gimhani’s replacement. for the T20 World Cup, made an impact for Sri Lanka, finishing with figures of 4 for 31. Vimukthi broke the 60-run stand between openers Muneeba Ali and Gull Feroza, following which Pakistan lost wickets regularly. Captain Fatima Sana top-scored for Pakistan from No. 7 with 37 to push the total past 150. In reply, Sri Lanka made easy work of the chase, with Athapaththu itting five sixes and nine fours in her 56-ball stay.

Scores:

Sri Lanka Women 169 for 1 in 18.4 overs (Chamari Athapaththu 94, Vishmi Gunaratne 63*; Fatima Sana 1-20 ) beat Pakistan Women 168 for 8 in 20 overs (Muneesha Ali 36, Gull Feroza 26. Ayesha Zafar 10, Saira Jabeen 12, Fatima Sana 37, Aliya Riyaaz 22; Sugandika Kumari 1-33, Chethana Vimukthi 4-31, Malki Madara 1-19, Nimasha Meepage 1-16) by nine wickets

(Cricinfo)

News

Open hearing on coal procurement inquiry set for July first week

Published

7 hours ago

2026/06/7

Thilina Walpola

Open hearing of evidence into alleged irregularities in coal procurement is scheduled to begin in the first week of July, while the Presidential Commission of Inquiry continues recording statements from relevant officials, investigators said.

So far, the Commission has recorded statements from around 40 government officials, including members of procurement committees and other personnel attached to institutions involved in coal-related transactions.

Officials said that, depending on evidence gathered during the ongoing inquiry, statements may also be obtained from former ministers if required.

The Commission has also received 28 complaints in connection with alleged irregularities in coal imports and related procurement processes.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on April 17 appointed a three-member Presidential Commission of Inquiry under the Special Presidential Commissions of Inquiry Act No. 07 of 1978 to probe alleged malpractice in coal imports and electricity generation since the inception of coal-based power generation up to April 16, 2026.

The Commission is chaired by Supreme Court Justice Gihan Kulatunga, with Court of Appeal Judge Aditya Patabendige and High Court Judge Sanjeewa Somaratne serving as members. Former State Ministry Secretary P.V. Bandulasena acts as Secretary to the Commission.

The inquiry covers alleged procurement irregularities, possible financial losses to the State, import of substandard coal, quality inspection failures, contractual breaches and operational issues in power generation, including whether corrective measures were taken where necessary.

It will also identify responsible political authorities, officials of Sri Lanka Coal Company (Private) Limited and suppliers, while recommending legal or administrative action and measures to prevent future lapses.

Meanwhile, the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) is also preparing to table its report on coal procurement in Parliament, with officials from relevant institutions having been summoned during its proceedings. COPE Chairman MP Dr. Nishantha Samaraweera said audit findings had also been considered, and any matters requiring further investigation would be referred to law enforcement and anti-corruption authorities.

News

TNA MP calls for complete repeal of PTA

Published

7 hours ago

2026/06/7

Thilina Walpola

Trincomalee District TNA MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam has submitted a motion to Parliament calling for the immediate repeal of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), arguing that the controversial law has enabled arbitrary detention, torture and the targeting of minority communities for more than four decades.

In his motion, now published in the Addendum to the Order Book of Parliament, the MP urged the Government to repeal the Prevention of Terrorism Act, No. 48 of 1979, in its entirety and refrain from introducing any replacement legislation containing similar provisions.

Rasamanickam contended that the PTA had been used for over 40 years to facilitate prolonged arbitrary detention and to obtain false confessions through torture. He further alleged that the law had disproportionately affected minority communities and civil society groups.

The motion states that there is no justification for maintaining a permanent counter-terrorism law that grants sweeping powers to the authorities.

The TNA legislator argued that existing legal provisions were sufficient to address security threats, noting that terrorism-related offences could already be prosecuted under the Penal Code.

He also pointed out that the Government retained the power to declare a state of emergency when circumstances warranted extraordinary measures, rendering a permanent anti-terrorism framework unnecessary.

Accordingly, the motion calls on Parliament to resolve that the Government take immediate steps to abolish the PTA without replacing it with legislation containing comparable powers.

The Prevention of Terrorism Act, enacted in 1979, has long been the subject of criticism from human rights organisations, civil society groups and international bodies, which have raised concerns over provisions relating to detention without trial and safeguards against abuse.