Battle to safeguard rights: Freedom in the World 2025 Report

Freedom House’s Freedom in the World 2025 report highlights a continued decline in global democracy, with 60 countries experiencing setbacks in political rights and civil liberties, while only 34 made improvements.

Myanmar continues to face severe challenges, including military repression, armed conflict, and widespread human rights violations. Since the 2021 coup, crackdowns on dissent, arbitrary arrests, and violent suppression of protests have intensified. Civilians endure airstrikes, forced displacement, and internet blackouts, while political prisoners remain behind bars. The struggle for democracy persists despite the regime’s efforts to silence opposition, with protests and resistance movements continuing both inside Myanmar and among the diaspora. The photo, taken in August 2023 in London, captures a protest against the regime in Myanmar. Photo: Alisdare Hickson, Flickr CC BY-SA 2.0

The report warns of rising authoritarianism, election-related violence, and conflicts undermining democratic institutions. While some nations, like Bhutan and Sri Lanka, showed progress, others, including El Salvador and Tunisia, faced severe repression. The findings emphasize the urgent need for stronger democratic safeguards worldwide.

195 countries and 13 territories

On February 26, 2025, Freedom House released its annual «Freedom in the World» report, titled The Uphill Battle to Safeguard Rights. This 52nd edition of the report assesses the state of political rights and civil liberties in 195 countries and 13 territories, covering developments from January 1 to December 31, 2024. The report underscores ongoing global challenges to democracy, highlighting a persistent decline in freedoms for the 19th consecutive year.

Key findings of the report

Global decline in freedom

Freedom House’s 2025 findings reveal that:

• 60 countries saw declines in political rights and civil liberties.

• 34 countries recorded improvements.

• For the 19th consecutive year, global freedom has declined, continuing a worrying trend.

• Notable declines were recorded in El Salvador, Haiti, Kuwait, and Tunisia.

• Significant improvements were observed in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and Syria.
  

Despite isolated democratic gains, the overall trend points toward increased authoritarianism, political repression, and weakened civil liberties worldwide.

Erosion of democratic processes

The report highlights how elections, a core component of democracy, have increasingly become targets of violence and manipulation. Among the 66 countries and territories that held national elections in 2024:

• Over 40% experienced election-related violence.

• At least 20 countries saw attacks on candidates.

• At least 14 countries witnessed assaults on polling stations.
  

The report particularly notes that weak democratic institutions have allowed authoritarian leaders to consolidate power by limiting press freedom, undermining judicial independence, and suppressing opposition movements.

The Freedom in the World 2025 report by Freedom House indicates that the Gaza Strip continues to experience severe restrictions on political rights and civil liberties. Residents face significant challenges, including limited freedom of expression, association, and assembly. The governing authorities impose strict controls, and ongoing conflicts have exacerbated the humanitarian situation, leading to widespread human rights violations.  On October 5, 2024, a protest in Paris (photo) demanded an immediate ceasefire in Palestine and Lebanon. Photo: Jeanne Menjoulet, Flickr CC BY 2.0

Impact of armed conflicts

Ongoing civil wars, cross-border conflicts, and violence from militias and criminal organizations contributed significantly to global instability. The report identifies key conflict zones, where fundamental rights have been severely restricted due to armed violence:

• Ukraine continues to suffer from Russia’s military aggression.

• Sudan remains plagued by civil war, with devastating humanitarian consequences.

• Gaza and the West Bank saw intensified conflict, limiting freedoms.

• Haiti faced growing lawlessness due to gang violence and political instability.
  

These conflicts have displaced millions, leading to mass human rights violations, including restrictions on movement, press censorship, and extrajudicial killings.

Resilience and democratic gains

Despite the overall decline in global freedom, several countries made notable progress:

• Bangladesh and Bhutan saw improved political participation and strengthened electoral processes.

• Sri Lanka experienced an easing of political restrictions following the country’s economic crisis.

• Syria recorded slight improvements due to localized ceasefires and increased international mediation efforts.
  

Although these improvements are significant, Freedom House warns that sustaining such gains requires continued vigilance and institutional reforms.

Policy recommendations

To counter the ongoing democratic recession, the report outlines several urgent recommendations:

Rebuilding democratic institutions – Nations emerging from authoritarian rule must strengthen judicial independence, uphold free media, and support civil society.

Preventing democratic backsliding – Governments must address election interference, political violence, and digital authoritarianism.

Addressing armed conflict and organized crime – International efforts should focus on conflict resolution, disarmament initiatives, and strengthening rule of law mechanisms.

Strengthening international coalitions – Democracies worldwide must collaborate to counter authoritarian influence and support grassroots democratic movements.

Various reactions

The release of Freedom House's «Freedom in the World 2025» report has prompted various reactions from international observers and media outlets. Here's a summary of notable commentaries:

Reuters highlighted the resilience of democratic systems in 2024 despite facing significant challenges. The analysis noted that while high-profile elections occurred globally, including the re-election of former U.S. President Donald Trump amidst assassination attempts, and Mexico's election of its first female president, Claudia Sheinbaum, these events underscored both the vulnerabilities and strengths of democratic processes. The report also mentioned the rise of far-right movements in Europe and political crises in countries like South Korea, emphasizing the critical importance of maintaining democratic stability.

The Australian's perspective

The Australian discussed geopolitical shifts impacting global freedom, particularly focusing on the United States' policy changes under President Trump. The article detailed the U.S. withdrawal of military and intelligence aid to Ukraine, pushing it toward negotiations with Russia without security guarantees. This policy shift aligns with Russia's geopolitical aims and has emboldened Russia to intensify its attacks on Ukrainian civilians and frontline positions. The piece underscores the broader implications of such policy changes on global democratic trends and the importance of international support in upholding democratic institutions.

University of Padua's Human Rights Centre

The Human Rights Centre at the University of Padua reflected on the report's findings, acknowledging the negative global trends but also highlighting signs of hope. The commentary noted that competitive elections and the fall of authoritarian regimes have opened new opportunities for democracy in several countries. It emphasized that the future of freedom will depend on the international community's ability to strengthen democratic institutions, protect human rights, and promote peace.

These varied reactions underscore the complex landscape of global democracy, reflecting both challenges and opportunities in the ongoing effort to safeguard political rights and civil liberties worldwide.