US democratic decline threatens global rule of law, report warns
A new report has warned that democratic decline in the United States is contributing to a wider weakening of the global rule of law. The study, released on Tuesday by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, says nearly half of the indicators used to measure US democracy have fallen to their lowest levels in 50 years. It describes the United States as the most prominent example and accelerator of a broader international trend.
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The report says President Donald Trump quickly amassed power in the executive branch and used it to pursue a narrow set of personal goals and retaliation against perceived enemies. It adds that the political environment is marked by reduced space for public expression and weaker institutional checks on power. According to the study, resistance in that setting is becoming increasingly unsafe.
The report also places the US decline in a global context, saying around 57 percent of countries fell in at least one key indicator of democratic performance between 2020 and 2025. It says judicial independence has dropped to a 36-year low, while credible elections are at their lowest level in 30 years. The authors argue that the US stands out because of both the scale of its decline and its influence on international politics.
International IDEA says the consequences extend beyond domestic politics and are testing long-standing alliances and multilateral cooperation. The report argues that the retreat from democratic norms has emboldened authoritarian leaders elsewhere and strained institutions that depend on shared legal standards. It says the erosion of the rule of law is affecting both national systems and the international order.
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The study points to Brazil and Serbia as examples of how political developments in the US can echo abroad. It says the aftermath of Brazil's 2022 election, when Jair Bolsonaro sought to remain in power after losing the presidency and supporters later stormed government buildings, echoed the aftermath of the 2020 US election. In Serbia, officials cited Trump's claims of mismanagement at USAID to justify raids on civil society organisations.
International IDEA Secretary-General Kevin Casas-Zamora said the rule of law has long underpinned the resilience of democracies at home and in the international system. He said the rapid decline of democracy in the US is weakening judicial independence and fragmenting the international system. The report does not say whether the trend can be reversed, and it remains unclear how governments and institutions will respond in the coming months.
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