Electoral autocracy is a hybrid regime, in which democratic institutions are imitative and adhere to authoritarian methods. In these regimes, regular elections are held, but they are accused of failing to reach democratic standards of freedom and fairness.[1][2]
In September 2022[3] the European Parliament passed a resolution that due to "a breakdown in democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights in Hungary"and remaining neutral in Russia-Ukraine conflict the country turned into "a hybrid regime of electoral autocracy".[4][2][5]
India under Modi government
In 2021, the Swedish political research institute Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) lowered India's ranking from flawed democracy to electoral autocracy, citing alleged increasing nationalist rhetoric and diminishing freedom of expression under the government of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its Prime Minister Narendra Modi. United States-based Freedom House also lowered Indian democracy ranking from free democracy to a "partially free democracy".[6][7][8] In the same year, Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance classified India as a backsliding democracy, citing similar reasons.[9][10] According to The Guardian, the Indian government dismissed the reports citing self appointed people cannot be custodian of democracy for India [11] but was concerned about the reputations damage caused by the changing designations.[12]
