Transformation Insights is the Newsletter of the Transformation Index (BTI). We analyze Transformation Processes toward democracy and market economy in international comparison and identify successful strategies for peaceful change. BTI Transformation Index

 

2024: A Global Election Super Year

2024 represents a landmark year in democratic participation. Over 70 elections encircling around 4.2 billion people are taking place. This is the first time that more than half the world’s population is asked to the polls in one year. From Algeria to Venezuela, the BTI election calendar covers 47 elections. What does this election year mean for the quality of democracy in the 137 states analyzed in the BTI 2024? Find our Election Calendar here.

 

BTI Blog

 

Democracy in Action: The Election Super Year 2024

published July 2024
Featuring over 70 elections and 4.2 billion voters, 2024 represents a landmark year in political participation. With half of this election super year over, it is time to take stock of past results, look ahead for what is still to come, and introduce a tool to keep track of the 46 global elections from Algeria to Venezuela: the BTI Election Calendar. Read more here.

© PhotoDisc/Getty Images

 
GCIS / GovernmentZA / Flickr – CC BY-ND 2.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/legalcode.en

South Africa Poised for a Historic Shift: How the 2024 Election Challenges ANC-rule

published July 2024
For three decades the African National Congress (ANC), once led by Nelson Mandela, has governed South Africa. For much of this time, the party could count on the unwavering loyalty its supporters: Even when the socio-economic development of the country stalled or its Presidents faced crises, the ANC’s grip on power remained steady. With a historic election in May and a series of challenges ahead, 2024 might be the year that this political reality finally starts to crack. Read more here.

Claudia Sheinbaum, photo by EneasMx – Own work, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=145996520

Historic Election: Mexico’s New Female President will Face Old Politics

published June 2024
In the most important Mexican elections in the recent past, two female candidates competed over the presidency – and Claudia Sheinbaum won a historic victory. This historical breakthrough is no longer the biggest story, however, as the new president-elect must grapple with the country’s immediate issues. Read more here.

 
Marcos Corrêa/PR / Palácio do Planalto / Flickr – CC BY 2.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/legalcode.en

Modi’s Monopoly: India’s Political Diversity is Dwindling

published May 2024
The world’s largest democracy is headed for the polls. But even before the election in India concludes, it is almost certain that Narendra Modi will be the one and only winner. The prime minister has consolidated his power and pushed political alternatives to the brink of insignificance. How did he manage to do that? Read more here.

Robert Fico, Slovak Prime Minister. European Commission, Jean-François Badias / Wikimedia Commons – CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

A Looming Illiberal Shift: Slovakia after the 2024 Presidential Election

published May 2024
Since Slovakia became a full member of the EU in 2004, officials in Brussels had little reason to doubt its European resolve and democratic ambitions. With a prime minister that is increasingly cozying up to Russia and a newly elected President who supports his authoritarian tendencies, blind trust might no longer be justified. Read more here.

 
Tasnim News Agency, CC-BY-4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Democratization and De-escalation

published April 2024
The last twenty years have witnessed an increasing erosion of democracy worldwide. In parallel, the level of conflict intensity has steadily risen. Both trends are interconnected. Identifying the drivers of political regression assists us in devising strategies to depolarize societies and end political violence. Read more here.

Mathew Schwartz, CC BY 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Resistance to Increasing Autocratization

published March 2024
The world is currently experiencing a so-called third wave of autocratization, which encompasses all regions and is returning the global level of democracy to that of 1985. These results are confirmed by democracy indices such as the BTI, Freedom House and V-Dem. The main drivers of this development are executive incumbents who are gradually restricting or abolishing accountability mechanisms and thus concentrating political power in one person. This is often accompanied by restrictions on freedom of assembly and censorship of the media landscape. Prominent examples include Turkey under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Hungary under Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Brazil under President Jair Bolsonaro. Read more here.

 

BTI News, Team & Events

 
 
Bertelsmann Stiftung

Bertelsmann Stiftung Welcomes Chancellor Olaf Scholz

As part of a Bertelsmann Stiftung event featuring German chancellor Olaf Scholz, the BTI Team was invited to present the results of the BTI 2024. To view the discussion and presentation, follow this link.

© Fundación Bertelsmann/JOSE LUIS PINDADO

BTI 2024 Presentation at Fundación Bertelsmann

As part of of the outreach campaign of the BTI 2024, the team was invited to present the report at the Fundación Bertelsmann in Madrid in March 2024. Find the presentation and panel discussion via the link.

 

BTI Team visits Washington D.C. and Stockholm

This summer, our Senior Experts Sabine Donner and Hauke Hartmann visited Washington D.C. and Stockholm to discuss the BTI 2024 results with many international partners and think tanks, including USAID, International IDEA, Global Democracy Coalition, the World Bank, and more. Follow our LinkedIn appearance to gain deeper insights into our activities here.

Spanish Version of the BTI 2024 Executive Summary

In its most recent edition, the executive summary of the BTI was also published in Spanish by CADAL. Many thanks to Gabriel Salvia for the continuously great collaboration. Find the resumen ejecutivo here.

 

Welcoming Sebastian to our Team

The BTI Team is happy to welcome Sebastian Plate as our new Project Manager. His experience in International Relations and Futures Studies helps us strengthen our expertise in analysing Transformation processes.

© Ansichtssache_Britta_Schroeder

 

BTI Social Media

 
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BTI on LinkedIn

The BTI now also posts regularly on LinkedIn. Content ranges from news on BTI activities to developments in BTI regions and countries, and analyses on current affairs in International Relations. Follow our activities via this link.

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BTI on X

We continue to share content on X. Follow our profile via this link.

 

In Our Next Newsletter

 

Comparative Governance: Insights from Democracies and Autocracies

How can we compare different forms of governance? | How does the second half of the Election Super Year 2024 unfold? | BTI-Blog: Comparing Ruanda and Singapore +++ Botswana - A Model for Democracy? +++ Georgia - What does the ‘Russian Law’ mean for politicial participation in light of the upcoming elections in October 2024? +++ Cambodia's Nepotism: Hun Manet and His First Year in Office | BTI LinkedIn