This year is a historic one not just for elections, but in all likelihood for democracy. Voters will cast ballots in countries representing almost half the human population. By one measure, this is a triumph for democracy and freedom: today there is a global consensus that political legitimacy comes from the people through the ballot box.
At the same time, elections are also being used as a tool by dictators; a charade in authoritarian countries. The votes don’t matter and the results are pre-determined— but the dictators feel obliged to create the pretense of democracy. “Elections” this year in countries such as Russia and Iran are actually another affirmation of democracy’s victory over authoritarianism in the hearts and minds of people around the world.
And yet the critical elements of democracy—free and fair elections, opposition political parties, independent judiciary, free press, robust civil society— are under attack in democracies across the globe. In every region of the world, countries that had once been seen as democratic success stories have now become autocracies, robbing their people of their rights and freedoms. Even strong democracies are facing attacks and experiencing backsliding.
Why is this happening and how do we reverse this autocratizing trend? For many years, democracy assistance focused
on building democratic infrastructure – parliaments, judiciaries, election commissions etc. – without adequate
attention paid to the ability of democratic governments to meet the basic needs of their populations. Institutions that were strong on paper were weak in practice.
Countering democratic backsliding requires a multi-faceted approach that draws on strategic perspectives tailored to each national context. Priorities include seeing democracy assistance not as a pillar of development assistance but rather as a necessary foundation on which the success of all other development assistance depends; having a long-term perspective with a focus on building resilience within democratic institutions and societies; and ensuring democratic governments are meeting the basic needs of their people.
This challenge is at the heart of IFES’s mission: together we build resilient democracies that deliver for all.
This is the work we are advancing at IFES, and in these pages, you will find examples of how we are making a difference.