NE NEWS SERVICE
NEW DELHI, JAN 23
India slipped10 places to the 51st position in the 2019 Democracy Index’s global ranking, according to The Economist Intelligence Unit. The report cited the “erosion of civil liberties” in the country as the primary cause of the downtrend.
India’s overall score fell from 7.23 in 2018 to 6.90 in the index that provides a snapshot of the current state of democracy worldwide for 165 independent states and two territories.
Norway topped the list, followed by Iceland and Sweden. North Korea was at the bottom of the global ranking at 167th place.
The index is based on five categories –electoral process and pluralism; the functioning of government; political participation; political culture; and civil liberties.
Based on their total score, the countries are classified as one of four types of regime: “full democracy” (scores greater than 8); flawed democracy — scores greater than 6 and less than or equal to 8; hybrid regime — scores greater than 4 and less than or equal to 6; authoritarian regime — scores less than or equal to 4”. India was included in the “flawed democracy” category.
China’s score fell to 2.26, and the country is now ranked 153rd, close to the bottom of the global rankings.
