Mauritius Rises 23 Places in Global Democracy Ranking

Mauritius has emerged as the world’s top-performing nation in a new global democracy report, soaring 23 places to 52nd in the latest rankings. The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA), based in Stockholm, announced the findings in its annual report, The Global State of Democracy 2025: Democracy on the Move. This significant leap is the largest recorded among all 173 countries evaluated, driven primarily by improvements in credible elections.

The Island’s Stellar Performance

The island nation’s remarkable progress was highlighted in the report’s “Representation” category, which measures election credibility, inclusive suffrage, political party freedom, parliamentary effectiveness, and local democracy.

Mauritius now ranks 52nd in this category with a score of 0.671 on a scale of 0 to 1. This success can be attributed to the peaceful and well-managed general elections held on November 10, 2024, which were praised by observers from the Electoral Commissions Forum of SADC countries for their efficient operations and peaceful environment.

Despite this major win, the report presents a mixed picture for Mauritius. The country’s rank slipped by eight places to 74th in “Rights,” with a score of 0.526, largely due to a decline in economic equality.

Furthermore, while Mauritius gained 11 places to 65th in the “Rule of Law” category, a score of 0.514, concerns were raised regarding judicial independence.

However, the nation’s “Participation” score remains a strong point, ranking 25th with a score of 0.72, thanks to high levels of civic engagement on par with other strong African democracies like Botswana and Ghana.

The report also notes the country’s need to address the issue of voting rights for its large diaspora, as allowing citizens abroad to vote is seen as a key step in strengthening democratic resilience.

A Troubled Global Landscape

The International IDEA report paints a bleak picture of the global democratic landscape, describing it as a period of “radical uncertainty”.

Over the last five years, 94 countries—54% of those assessed—experienced a decline in at least one democratic measure, while only 55 saw improvement.

The report attributes this global backsliding to various challenges, including ongoing conflicts, rising insecurity, and unprecedented migration, with over 300 million people living outside their country of origin.

Globally, the “Representation” category has hit its lowest point since 2001, with seven times more declines than gains, despite 74 national elections taking place in 2024.

“Rule of Law” remains the weakest area, with 71 countries—41% of those evaluated—ranking at the bottom of the table.

“Rights,” which includes press freedom and expression, has also seen a significant decline, with press freedom alone dropping in 43 countries, marking the most extensive deterioration since 1975.

“Participation” is the only category to remain relatively stable, buoyed by strong civic engagement, particularly in Africa.

Source: Defi Media