Sat, Feb 17, 2024 page3

• Taiwan’s democracy stays top in Asia

  • Staff writer, with CNA, LONDON
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  Taiwan remained top in Asia and 10th globally among the 167 countries and territories ranked in the Democracy Index 2023, which was released on Thursday by the London-based Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU).

  However, Taiwan’s score of 8.92 out of 10 was slightly lower than the 8.99 it was awarded in 2022, the EIU’s Democracy Index 2023: Age of Conflict report showed.

  In Asia, Taiwan led regional partners South Korea and Japan, ranked 16th and 22nd respectively, the report said.

  

  A message in Chinese that means “Democratic nation” is displayed on Taipei 101 as a national flag flies in the foreground on Oct. 10, 2021.

  Photo: CNA

  In 2021, the EIU ranked Taiwan as the eighth-strongest democracy in the world and the strongest in Asia with a score of 8.99.

  Norway retained its position as the most democratic country in Thursday’s report, a spot it has held for 14 years, followed by New Zealand and Iceland.

  The other countries in the top 10 are Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Ireland, Switzerland and the Netherlands, while China and Uzbekistan were tied for 148th.

  The EIU is an economics consultancy associated with The Economist magazine that provides forecasting and advisory services.

  The Economist on Wednesday said in a report on the rankings that “this year should be a triumphant one for democracy.”

  “More people are expected to vote in national elections in 2024 than ever before, but many elections will be problematic,” it said.

  This year’s index showed that “only 43 of the more than 70 elections are expected to be fully free and fair,” it added.

  The index ranks countries and territories based on 60 indicators in five categories: electoral process and pluralism, functioning of government, political participation, political culture and civil liberties.

  Based on the indicators, each area is given an overall score from zero to 10, and is classified as either a “full democracy,” “flawed democracy,” “hybrid regime” or “authoritarian regime.”

  Last year was “an inauspicious year for democracy” with the average global index score falling to its lowest level of 5.23 since the index began in 2006, the EIU reports said.

  In 2022, the score was 5.29, it said.

  “The increasing incidence of violent conflict has badly dented the global democracy score and prevented a recovery after the pandemic years of 2020-[20]22,” it said.

  Less than 8 percent of the world’s population live in a full democracy, while up to 39.4 percent live under authoritarian rule, up from 36.9 percent in the 2022 report, the EIU said.

  Western Europe was the only climber in Thursday’s index, with 15 out of 24 “full democracies” globally in the region, it said.

  Canada was the only “full democracy” in North America, with the US classified as a “flawed democracy” since 2016, it said.

  In Asia and Australasia, Taiwan, Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea are listed as “full democracies,” it said.

  Asia’s overall score dropped from 5.46 in 2022 to 5.41 last year, the lowest since 2006, the EIU report said.
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