Democracy under Siege: Freedom in the World 2021

This report by Freedom House as part of Freedom in the World 2021, explores the role and impact of the pandemic in the 15th consecutive year of decline in global freedom.

"As a lethal pandemic, economic and physical insecurity, and violent conflict ravaged the world in 2020, democracy’s defenders sustained heavy new losses in their struggle against authoritarian foes, shifting the international balance in favor of tyranny. Incumbent leaders increasingly used force to crush opponents and settle scores, sometimes in the name of public health, while beleaguered activists—lacking effective international support—faced heavy jail sentences, torture, or murder in many settings."