Democracy is "stagnating" in Europe and retreating worldwide at unprecedented levels according to the latest annual Democracy Index compiled by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). The Democracy Index survey ranks 165 independent states and two territories, looking at various factors such as electoral process and pluralism, the functioning of government, political participation, political culture and civil liberties. "Both expressed a demand for more popular sovereignty and better political representation and both hold out the potential for a regeneration of democracy." In Western Europe, France and Portugal were promoted from “flawed democracy” to “full democracy” but Malta moved in the other direction. "The democratic deterioration in the MENA region was more modest but followed a trend of steady regression since 2012, when the gains of the Arab Spring began to be reversed", the Index report says.

Source: The North Africa Journal January 22, 2020 13:41 UTC