Democracy is often addressed as humanity’s most sophisticated system of government. Yet
growing evidence shows it can be hacked, not by code, but by entrenched interests,
disinformation, and the politics of perpetual campaigning. Across the world, disillusionment
runs deep. In 2024, a global survey found that 64% of citizens in twelve high-income
democracies believed their system “wasn’t working” (Journal of Democracy, 2025).
Confidence is quietly collapsing. Back in 2016, David Van Reybrouck warned of this
erosion in his remarkable essay “Why Elections Are Bad for Democracy.” Citing data from
the European Union’s official research bureau, he noted that fewer than 30% of Europeans
trust their parliaments. It was a chilling diagnosis of democratic fatigue, and a prophecy
fulfilled.
By
Ahmad Yahaya Abdurrahaman
