2024 is a giant test of nerves for democracy

AROUND HALF the world’s population, or some 4bn people, live in places that are holding elections this year. These polls will decide who governs over 70 countries. But together they also represent a big test for the health of democratic systems; for over a decade there have been fears that democracy as a political ideal is ailing. By February 14th, when Indonesia went to the polls, we estimate that countries with 770m people had cast ballots (or prevented their citizens from doing so): or roughly 18.5% of the year’s total. That makes it possible to take an initial look at how the 2024 democracy test is going. The short answer is: not particularly well.In one respect democracy is being modernised: a technological revolution is taking place as short-form videos and group messaging transform political campaigning around the world (artificial intelligence, including “deepfakes”, is visible everywhere but is so far not decisive). Yet in another respect democratic processes are reversing, from Pakistan, where after a recent dubious poll, to tiny El Salvador. An alarming number of elections are being interfered with.