Elections during the summer

By: V-Dem Staff
Jun 12, 2018


Summer vacation is approaching for many of us here at the V-Dem Institute. But even though we might take a break, democracy doesn’t! This week’s graph will highlight a few upcoming elections during the summer months and the state of liberal democracy in these countries. Parliamentary elections are planned in Turkey on June 24 and in Pakistan on July 25. Presidential and parliamentary elections will be held in Mexico on July 1, in Mali on July 29, and Zimbabwe on July 30. With version 8 of the V-Dem data (released in May!), we can look at the development of liberal democracy in these countries up until 2017. 

The V-Dem Liberal Democracy Index captures whether the government is based on free and fair elections and whether basic individual rights are protected. While the scores for Zimbabwe, Mexico, and Pakistan have remained rather stable on medium to low levels, Turkey has experienced a substantial decline. In Mali, the index values dropped significantly after the coup in 2012. However, liberal democracy seems to be back to the previous level, and the upcoming elections may indicate whether the country is on a positive track towards a more peaceful and democratic future. 

To find out more about liberal democracy around the globe, use our online analysis tools at v-dem.net.