Article by Democracy Without Borders: “More than two thirds of people worldwide say it is very important to have democracy in their country, while respondents in most countries identify improving living standards and well-being as democracy’s main purpose, according to the Democracy Perception Index 2026. The survey also found widespread pessimism about the national direction many individual countries were taking, especially in democracies and in Europe.
The annual survey, released by Nira Data in collaboration with the Alliance of Democracies Foundation, is based on interviews with more than 94,000 respondents in 98 countries, representing more than 90 percent of the world’s population.
“What we see is not declining demand, but rising expectations: citizens are looking for systems that deliver security, stability, and economic progress. This growing disconnect between democratic ideals and lived reality is a defining challenge for leaders today”, Nira Data’s CEO Nico Jaspers noted in the survey report’s foreword.
Almost everywhere, majorities consider democracy either extremely or very important
In almost every country included in the poll, a majority said democracy was either “extremely” or “very” important. Support was highest in Greece, Hungary and Sweden, and lowest in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Saudi Arabia and Vietnam. At the same time, more respondents said their country was moving in the wrong direction. The report finds that pessimism is especially pronounced in democracies. France, Germany, Lebanon, Puerto Rico and Nigeria were among the countries where responses on national direction were most negative. China recorded the most positive responses, followed by El Salvador, Kuwait, Algeria and Belarus.
Asked about the main purpose of democracy, respondents in most countries prioritized material and social outcomes. Improving living standards and well-being was the top answer in 62 percent of the countries surveyed. Promoting a fair and peaceful society was the leading answer in 18 percent of countries, freely choosing the government in 10 percent, and protecting individual rights and freedoms in 9 percent…(More)”.
