WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Of the 167 countries covered by the model, 76 countries, or 45.5 percent, were considered democracies. Only 4.5 percent of the world's population lives in a "full democracy," compared to 8.9 percent in the 2015 report.
"The US, a standard-bearer of democracy for the world, has become a ‘flawed democracy,’ as popular confidence in the functioning of public institutions has declined," the report stated.
The trend predates the 2016 election and the United States would have slipped below the threshold for "full democracy" despite the election, according to the report.
The report defined flawed democracies as nations with fair and free elections and a basic respect for civil liberties but significant weaknesses, including problems with governance, an underdeveloped political structure and low levels of political participation.
