The EIU is a research and analysis company in governments to navigate the ever-changing global landscape.

“The annual index, which provides a snapshot of the state of global democracy, registered a decline in its total score from 5.29 in 2022 to 5.23,” according to the report.

Almost half of the world’s population lives in a democracy of some sort, around 45.4%, while only 7.8% reside in a “full democracy” (scores above 8), according to EIU’s measure of democracy.

“Substantially more than one-third of the world’s population live under authoritarian rule which clicked at 39.4%,” the report showed.

Meanwhile, the average index score improved by the smallest margin possible in Western Europe.

The biggest regressions occurred in Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Middle East and North Africa. Countries in the Sahel and West Africa were also among the worst performers in the 2023 index, as coups and conflicts spread across the region.