Election season
It’s a good year to be in the business of political punditry, with more than 70 countries, representing over 4 billion people, set to head to the polls in 2024, according to The Economist.
While the US Presidential election will likely dominate international headlines, it is India that will actually undertake the largest democratic exercise globally: its 900 million registered voters are set to take center stage in May, as Narendra Modi's ruling BJP looks to secure a third term in power.
Of course, significance isn’t determined solely by numbers. In 10 days, Taiwan’s population of 24 million will elect a new leader to steer the country through its rocky relationship with mainland China, as tensions escalate sharply.
Not all votes count the same
The record number of elections this year is testament to the decades of progress that have seen democracies flourish, with a majority of countries now classified as democratic regimes.
But not all elections are created equal: some 33% of countries — including Russia, which is set to hold an election in March that is all but guaranteed to yield Putin as the winner — are classified as “electoral autocracies” by the V-Dem project, meaning that their elections lack meaning, freedom, and fairness. Indeed, some analysts believe democracy has lost ground in recent years.
Zooming out: This year’s elections offer another fresh challenge, as generative AI tools may now be used to spread misinformation more effectively than ever.
