Democracy in crisis: Uzbekistan rises in rankings amid global setbacks

In 2024, Uzbekistan lost 0.2 points in the Democracy Index, compiled by the Economist Intelligence Unit, a division of The Economist magazine. However, the country climbed two spots in the overall ranking due to declines in other nations. This is detailed in the report published by the Economist Intelligence Unit.

Among Central Asia’s five states, two—Turkmenistan and Tajikistan—rank very low in democracy. The Democracy Index declined or remained stagnant across the region. Turkmenistan continues to rank last in the region, with an index score of 1.66 (161st globally), a figure unchanged since 2020. Tajikistan’s index dropped from 1.94 in 2023 to 1.83 in 2024, attributed to worsening political participation under President Emomali Rahmon’s fully controlled political system.

“Uzbekistan also saw a slight decline in 2024, from 2.12 to 2.10. However, due to deteriorations in other countries, it climbed two spots, improving its ranking,” the report notes.

As a result, Uzbekistan rose to 146th place globally, gaining two positions in the overall ranking.

Kyrgyzstan remains the leader in democracy within Central Asia, although its score also declined in 2024—from 3.72 in 2023 to 3.52. The decline is mainly attributed to setbacks in electoral processes and increased pressure on the media.

Kazakhstan maintained its position with an index score of 3.08, remaining in the authoritarian regime category. Globally, it ranked 118th.

Among Central Asia and Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) countries, Armenia scored the highest in democracy, achieving 5.35 points and ranking 82nd globally. This places it in the category of hybrid regimes. Other nations in the region continue to be classified as authoritarian regimes.

The report highlights that the democracy crisis is not limited to specific regions but is a global phenomenon.

“Widespread disillusionment with democracy is confirmed by surveys underlying the index. These data help understand the factors driving public dissatisfaction with the state of democracy. It is evident that the existence of formal democratic institutions alone is insufficient to ensure social support, especially when these institutions lose influence and decisions are made by unelected structures,” the Economist Intelligence Unit specialists emphasized.

The Democracy Index uses a straightforward evaluation system, with the top-performing country scoring 10 points. Based on the results, countries are categorized as full democracies, flawed democracies, hybrid regimes, or authoritarian regimes.

As in previous years, European countries were recognized as the most democratic, with Norway leading the ranking (index 9.81), followed by New Zealand, Sweden, Iceland, and other European states. Afghanistan ranks last globally.