The state of democracy around the world is a pressing concern. The Democracy Index 2024, paints a bleak picture, with the overall global Democracy Index score declining from 5.23 in 2023 to 5.23 in 2024. This downward trend is alarming, with 130 countries experiencing a decline in their score or making no improvement. The global average score has fallen from 5.52 in 2006 to a historic low of 5.23 in 2024. More than one-third of the world's population, approximately 39.2%, live under authoritarian rule, with 60 countries classified as "authoritarian regimes".