Austria’s Democracy Index Falls to 54.1% — Anadolu Agency

In Austria, the democracy index fell to 54.1% — one percentage point lower than last year. This is the fourth consecutive annual decline in the indicator, which assesses the efforts of the government and parliament to support liberal democracy.

As Anadolu Agency reports, the report was presented by a coalition of 10 non-governmental organizations. The current result is approaching the lowest level since 2019, when the index stood at 53.8%. Assessments of democratic conditions are published annually.

The largest deterioration is in the justice sector

The study covers seven areas: sovereignty, political parties, legislative and executive power, the judiciary, media, and civil society. Deterioration was recorded in eight of the 16 assessment sections.

The assessment of the judicial system fell by four percentage points over the year. Among the reasons, the report’s authors cited a shortage of permanent positions, inadequate conditions in the penitentiary and correctional system, as well as insufficient or absent enforcement by the Federal Prosecutor’s Office.

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Concerns over rights and media

Negative dynamics were also noted in the area of fundamental rights, including digital rights. The report mentions a ban on wearing headscarves in schools for girls under the age of 14 and prison overcrowding.

Media indicators have been deteriorating for several years. The index’s authors link this to the absence of a law against strategic lawsuits against public participation, opportunities for political influence over public broadcaster ORF, and economic pressure on the media sector.

The organizers also called for greater transparency in parliament’s work, particularly regarding lawmakers’ income and financial interests. Marion Breitschopf, a representative of the non-governmental organization Meine Abgeordneten, said that a resilient democracy requires politicians who transparently disclose whose interests they represent and how they vote.