Last year saw worst decline in credible elections, new report finds
Election officials check identification papers of people who lined up to vote in Burkina Faso's presidential and legislative elections as polling stations open in Ouagadougou, November 22, 2020
LAST year saw the worst decline in credible elections and parliamentary oversight in almost half a century, driven by government intimidation, foreign interference, disinformation and the misuse of artificial intelligence in campaigns, the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International Idea) says in a report published today.
The credibility of elections is threatened by falling turnout and increasingly contested results, according to the institute, which said that one in three elections are being disputed in some way.
The organisation says the average percentage of the voting-age population that cast ballots declined from 65.2 per cent in 2008 to 55.5 per cent last year.
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