Democracy is in retreat worldwide; six billion people live under autocracy.

Two independent reports, those of the Swedish V-Dem Institute and Freedom House, paint a grim picture: autocracies are on the rise, democracies are crumbling, and 74% of the world's population now lives under authoritarian regimes.

The figures are clear. According to the Swedish V-Dem Institute, 74% of the world's population, or approximately six billion people, now live in autocracies. Conversely, only 7% live in liberal democracies. These figures, reported by several major international newspapers, are fueling growing concern as a dozen major elections approach, from Tel Aviv in October to Washington in November, including Paris, Rome, and Madrid in 2027.

Geopolitical analyst and futurist Virginie Raisson-Victor points to a shift in the nature of the danger: "The threat to democracy has transformed. Holding free elections is no longer enough to guarantee democracy." The peril no longer comes from military coups, but from the winners of the ballot box themselves, who use their mandate to change the rules of the game to their advantage.

The United States exemplifies this trajectory. According to V-Dem, the country has shifted from a liberal democracy to an electoral democracy under the presidency of Donald Trump . The midterm elections scheduled for November are presented as a test of America's ability to rebalance power.

Several factors explain this erosion: the loss of effectiveness of institutions, a crisis of representation widening the gap between the population and elites, the upheaval of public debate by social networks and their algorithms, a series of crises pushing for governing in an emergency, and a deep disillusionment with the democratic promise itself.

Contemporary authoritarian regimes no longer need tanks. They rely on repressive security laws, targeted tax investigations, the closure of independent media, and the suppression of all dissent. What is even more striking is the lack of reaction: authoritarianism is met with indifference, even applause. Populists, both left and right, have exploited this vulnerability by portraying traditional parties, the independent judiciary, and the media as a single, corrupt elite.

Yet, resistance is organizing. In the United States and abroad, deference to Trump is gradually giving way to distrust. The pattern that prevailed at the beginning of his return to power (demands, pressure, capitulation of the other party) no longer works systematically. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney refused to yield to the American trade ultimatum, even at the cost of punitive tariffs. European leaders declined to participate in the confrontation with Iran. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the American plan for Gaza. The Gulf Arab states forced Washington to abandon its maritime toll project in the Strait of Hormuz. On American soil, universities, law firms, and bond markets have each, in their own way, resisted the presidential directives.