Greece has fallen five spots in the Economist Intelligence Unit’s (EIU) Democracy Index 2024, now ranking 25th globally. Although it retains its classification as a “full democracy” with an overall score of 8.07, the decline is mainly due to weaknesses in government functioning, dnews.gr, has reported.
Greece achieved a perfect score of 10 in “Electoral Process and Pluralism,” confirming the credibility of its electoral system. However, its score of 6.79 in government functioning highlights ongoing issues with transparency, accountability, and governance efficiency.
Political participation was rated at 7.22, suggesting there is room for improvement in citizen engagement beyond voting. Greece’s political culture scored 7.50, while civil liberties received a robust 8.82, indicating strong protection of fundamental freedoms. Nevertheless, challenges remain, particularly regarding press freedom, judicial independence, and concerns over state influence in media and public protests.
The top spots in the Democracy Index 2024 are once again held by Northern European countries. Norway leads with a score of 9.81, followed by New Zealand (9.61), Sweden (9.39), Iceland (9.38), Switzerland (9.32), Finland (9.30), and Denmark (9.28). These nations stand out for their institutional stability, high levels of political participation, and effective governance, solidifying their positions as the world’s leading democracies.
Source: dnews.gr