Global Satisfaction With Democracy
This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.
Almost half of the world’s population resides in countries that held or will hold executive or legislative elections in 2024. This prompts a closer look at how people feel about the way democracy is working in their respective nations.
This graphic shows the percentage of the population that is satisfied or dissatisfied with democracy in 26 countries. The data comes from the Pew Research Center.
Methodology
In 2024, the Pew Research Center conducted over 900 interviews in each country via telephone or face-to-face.
Respondents were asked, “How satisfied are you with the way democracy is working in [survey country] – very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, not too satisfied, or not at all satisfied?” Those who did not answer are excluded. Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding.
Decline in Satisfaction with Democracy
Satisfaction with democracy has declined in recent years, particularly in high-income nations. In nine out of the 12 countries where this question has been asked consistently, satisfaction levels are lower today than in 2021.
CountrySatisfied (%)Dissatisfied (%)
U.S.3168
Canada5246
Mexico5050
Brazil4454
Argentina4455
Chile3066
Colombia2177
Peru1189
Sweden7524
Netherlands5841
Poland5739
Germany5545
Hungary4950
UK3960
France3565
Italy3067
Spain3068
Greece2278
Singapore8019
India7720
Thailand6435
Philippines5742
Malaysia5149
Sri Lanka3858
South Korea3663
Japan3167
Australia6039
Notably, six countries have seen a double-digit drop in satisfaction: Canada, Germany, Greece, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Regional Differences
Europe: 75% of Swedes are satisfied with their democracy, compared to just 22% in Greece.
Asia-Pacific: More than three-quarters of Indians and Singaporeans are satisfied, whereas only 31% of Japanese are satisfied with their democracy.
Latin America: About two-thirds or more of Chileans, Colombians, and Peruvians express negative views about their democracies.
According to the Pew Research Center, satisfaction with democracy is strongly related to their perceptions of how the economy is performing. Additionally, views on the governing party also influence assessments of democracy.
The post Charted: Satisfaction With Democracy, in 26 Countries appeared first on Visual Capitalist.