# Global decline in democracy and rise of autocracy > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/global-decline-in-democracy-and-rise-of-autocracy > Updated: 2026-09-01T14:29:52.000Z. Sources: 7. Developments: 2. Reports from the V-Dem Institute and Freedom House indicate a significant global decline in democracy, with approximately 74 percent of the world’s population—roughly six billion people—living under autocratic regimes. Freedom House noted that 2025 marked the twentieth consecutive year of decline in global freedom, with the proportion of the population in democracies falling from 50 percent to 26 percent over two decades. Experts suggest democratic erosion is increasingly driven by elected leaders who use their mandates to alter rules for their own advantage rather than through traditional military coups. By September 2026, the number of autocratic states (92) had surpassed the number of democracies (87) for the first time in over two decades. The V-Dem Institute identified several drivers for this shift, including the paralysis of the United Nations Security Council, the erosion of media and academic freedom, and the targeting of electoral and judicial systems. Additionally, the institute noted that the United States has lost its status as a liberal democracy for the first time in over half a century. ## Timeline ### 2026-09-01: Autocratic regimes outnumber democracies globally for first time in decades A V-Dem Institute report reveals that autocratic regimes (92) now outnumber democracies (87) globally, affecting 74 percent of the human population. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/autocratic-regimes-outnumber-democracies-globally-for-first-time-in-decades ### 2026-08-26: Global democracy declines as 74% of population lives under autocracy Global reports from V-Dem and Freedom House reveal that 74% of the world's population now lives under autocratic regimes, marking a significant multi-decade decline in global democracy and freedom. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/global-democracy-declines-as-74-of-population-lives-under-autocracy --- Cite as: Global decline in democracy and rise of autocracy. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/global-decline-in-democracy-and-rise-of-autocracy