- The V-Dem Institute has released a new dashboard tracking the effects of Covid-19 related measures on democratic standards in 146 countries.
- Most democracies have addressed the pandemic with no or only minor violations of democratic standards.
- There are concerning developments in 89 countries. Most of them were already autocratic before the pandemic.
- The Pandemic Backsliding Index identifies the risk that a government is using the pandemic to erode already weak democratic institutions.
- The areas of most concern are media freedom, limitations on the legislature, and the discriminatory and abusive enforcement of emergency measures.
