What's happening to democracy in Melanesia?

The Global State of Democracy (GSoD) report, the flagship publication of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA), provides annual analysis of democratization in 173 countries across the globe. The GSoD Indices, which are a quantitative data set, provide the majority of the data on which this report is based.

The Indices measure national performance across discrete areas of democracy, broadly understood as a system in which there is public control over decision making and decision makers and in which there is equality in the exercise of that control. The data cover the years 1975–2024. The Indices are organized through a hierarchical conceptual framework oriented around four core categories of democratic performance: Representation, Rights, Rule of Law and Participation (see Figure below). Below the four categories are factors (such as Credible Elections or Judicial Independence). Finally, at the lowest level are specific indices, or subfactors (such as Freedom of Expression or Social Group Equality).

In 2024, democracy is experiencing a significant milestone with a record number of voters participating globally. However, this achievement is overshadowed by a decline in the quality of elections in many countries. Compared to previous years, voter turnout has been decreasing, while incidents of protests and riots related to elections have been on the rise. Between mid-2020 and mid-2024, one in five elections faced legal challenges, particularly concerning voting and vote counting processes. Additionally, during this period, one in five elections saw losing candidates or parties publicly rejecting the results, and opposition parties boycotted one in ten elections.

This era is characterized by radical uncertainty, with multiple, compounding challenges threatening the stability and growth of democratic processes. Political leaders’ public statements disputing election credibility or challenging results in court have become more common, sending mixed signals to voters. These actions can either highlight legitimate concerns or serve as cynical attempts to undermine public trust in electoral outcomes. Overall, the current state of democracy is marked by both unprecedented voter engagement and significant challenges to the integrity and stability of electoral processes.

In this webinar, we explore the data of Fiji, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu and hear from the guest speakers as they provide comments on their respective countries.

SPEAKERS

Anna Naupa, Pacific Policy and Development Specialist
Michael Kabuni, PhD Student
Tarcisius Kabutaulaka, Associate Professor, University of Hawai'i, Solomon Islands
Chantelle Khan, Executive Director, SEEP, Fiji

MODERATOR: Amelia Rigsby, TV Producer & host, Fijian Broadcasting Corporation