2024 Global Elections: A Crucial Test or Triumph for Democracy?
In 2024, over 50 nations, collectively housing half the world's population, are slated to conduct national elections. However, the significant scale of citizen participation in exercising their voting rights brings a mix of outcomes. The upcoming year is poised to challenge resilient democracies while potentially bolstering leaders inclined towards authoritarianism.
From Russia, Taiwan and the United Kingdom to India, El Salvador and South Africa, the presidential and legislative contests have huge implications for human rights, economies, international relations and prospects for peace in a volatile world.
There are predictions that the elections will neither be free nor fair in some countries, given the curbs on opposition candidates, weary electorates and the potential for news distortion and fake news promulgation which have made the fate of democracy a front-and-center campaign issue.
A possible rematch between President Joe Biden and his predecessor Donald Trump looms large in the election calendar; a Trump victory in November is perhaps the greatest global wildcard. According to the Director, London-based think-tank Chatham House, Bronwen Maddox, high-stakes votes before then will also gauge the “mood of dissatisfaction, impatience, uneasiness” among far-flung electorates.
