Democracy in the US could be undermined by external factors, experts say

• According to three studies, democracy in the US is becoming weaker with each passing year, and the reason is not only internal developments, but also external factors.
• V-Dem shows that the gap in freedom from 79 to 57 by 2026, while Freedom House — from 84 to 81; the researchers attribute the decline to external influence.
• Bright Line Watch points to the biggest deterioration in the 2025 election year (from 53 by early 2025) that led to a further drop in stability by 57, with the decline in democratic indicators.

In an article about this, El Pas, El Pas, and vox.com explain.

According to the researchers, the US may be losing its democratic system due to external factors. The studies refer to the fact that the US is facing serious challenges that are not only internal, but also related to the influence of foreign actors. The authors note that the decline in democratic indicators is linked to external pressure and the weakening of democratic institutions in the country.

In particular, the authors cite the results of three studies: V-Dem Institute — Freedom House — which show that the country has been moving toward weakening democratic institutions. The authors emphasize that the decline in democratic indicators is related to external influence and the weakening of democratic institutions in the US.

V-Dem data for 2026 show a decline in 22 points over the year — from 79 to 57. The researchers also note that the sharpest decline in democratic indicators for the US is related to the weakening of the country’s democratic system, which has been ongoing since 1965. In particular, the report notes that the US has been moving toward lower democratic stability. According to the authors, the indicator is now at 31 points below Denmark (88) — the country with the highest rating.

Freedom House, for its part, shows a similar decline in the country’s democratic indicators: the ranking has decreased from 84 to 81 in three points. The report also notes that the indicator for the lowest level of civil liberties is 100, while the US is now below other countries.

The author argues that the difference between the two studies is due to how V-Dem measures the stability of democratic institutions, while Freedom House focuses more on the freedom of elections. At the same time, the author states that V-Dem uses a broader definition of freedom, including the ability to influence political decisions and the preservation of democratic institutions.

Thirdly, Bright Line Watch, the author notes, describes a similar situation: the decline in democratic stability in the US has been ongoing for several years. The report notes that the sharpest decline in democratic indicators in the US occurred in 2025: from 70 at the beginning of the year to 53 by mid-2025. However, the author emphasizes that the decline in democratic stability continues: the US is losing its democratic system due to external pressure, which is driving the decline in democratic indicators.

The author also notes that the reasons for the decline in democratic stability are not only internal factors, but also external ones. The report states that V-Dem considers the indicator “legislative constraints” to be the largest decline in 2025, while Bright Line Watch attributes most of the decline in democratic indicators to a different factor.

In conclusion, the article emphasizes that the decline in democratic indicators in the US could be linked to external factors. The author argues that Bright Line Watch connects the decline in democratic indicators in 2025 with a specific cause: the country’s shift toward “demanding” democratic stability. The report also notes that the decline in democratic stability is due to changes in external influences and the weakening of democratic institutions in the US.

Tags: USA/Politics/Research