Global freedom receded for an 18th consecutive year in 2023, according to an annual report from watchdog group Freedom House.

Why it matters: The report found that political rights and civil liberties deteriorated in 52 countries, accounting for one-fifth of the global population.

• Only 20% of the world's population lives in countries considered "free," while a majority of people live in "partly free" (42%) or "not free" (38%) countries.
• Freedom House struck an optimistic note last year that global freedom was approaching turning point, but those hopes were dashed in 2023.

What they're saying: "2023 was a relatively grim year," Freedom House's Cathryn Grothe, a co-author of the report, told Axios.

• Grothe said regressions in freedom affected around 22% of the world's population, while only around 7% experienced improvements.
• Election manipulation, attacks on political pluralism and warfare were the primary drivers of last year's decrease, she said.

Zoom in: The report highlighted attempts by incumbents in Cambodia, Guatemala, Poland, Turkey and Zimbabwe to control elections, hinder their political opponents or prevent transfers of power.

• Niger saw a sharp decline following a military coup, while Ecuador dropped from "free" to "partly free" because of a rise in political violence and instability.
• The report also highlighted infringements on freedom from the democratically elected governments in India — which has fallen sharply in Freedom House's rankings during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's tenure — and Israel.

The flipside: Thailand was the only country to have its status upgraded, moving from "not free" to "partly free" after holding competitive elections.

• Finland remained the freest country in the world, again receiving a perfect score of 100.

What's next: Freedom around the world will be greatly tested in 2024, as countries containing around half of the world's population have held or are expected to hold elections this year.

• These include seven of the world's most populous nations: India, the U.S., Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Russia and Mexico.

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