In the latest report on Freedom in the world 2018, Freedom House has noted that democracy faced its most serious crisis in decades in 2017 as its basic tenets came under attack around the world. 71 countries suffered net declines in political rights and civil liberties, with only 35 registering gains. Although decline in freedoms is noted in all countries in the Western Balkans, most notable is Turkey’s passage over the threshold from Partly Free to Not Free, as the culmination of a long and accelerating slide. Political rights and civil liberties around the world deteriorated to their lowest point in more than a decade in 2017, extending a period characterized by emboldened autocrats, beleaguered democracies, and the United States’ withdrawal from its leadership role in the global struggle for human freedom. This marked the 12th consecutive year of decline in global freedom. Read more here.
Source: Freedom House