TThis is a historic election year, with more than 1.6 billion people being called to vote in 2024. In more than 70 countries, people decide the political course of their countries. But we end this cycle with a sense that democracy is more threatened than ever.
There is an undeniable disconnect between the people and their leaders. Skepticism and lack of trust should not surprise us. We do not intend to leave an easy world behind, especially for the younger generation. These challenges, including climate change, lack of economic opportunity, social injustice, and the global housing crisis, are steadily eroding democratic ideals. As a result, our society is facing a wave of distrust in democratic institutions, especially among our young citizens.
This scenario highlights a fundamental question facing many governments: Is it possible that representative democracy no longer represents us?
There is one area where the numbers speak for themselves, and the message is not a positive one. Globally, women hold less than 30% of seats and fewer than 30 countries are led by women. While these numbers are an improvement over previous years, they still reflect a chronic problem. At this pace, it will take approximately 130 years to achieve gender equality.
To put this into perspective, plastic bags take about 100 years to decompose. If we used it today, it would disappear from the face of this earth before democracy achieved gender equality. Gender is not the only example of the disconnect between politics and people, but it is especially stark. How can our representative system ignore half the people it is supposed to represent?
Leaders must ensure that their organizations accurately reflect the society they seek to serve. An unprecedented example of gender equality in representation was the 2022 Chilean Constituent Convention, where half of the delegates were women. This milestone establishes the country as a global leader in gender equality. Although the proposed constitution was rejected, the process proved that democracies can move towards inclusion. He also emphasized the need for democratic dialogue beyond electoral cycles.
We share a collective responsibility to pass on to future generations the immense power they can have to drive change. Public representatives need to understand the weight of their responsibilities, while citizens need to recognize that true democracy is much more than voting every few years and support democratic institutions. must accept their role as custodians.
For all its imperfections and for all its progress, we must remain grateful for the peace and progress it has brought to the world. Although we may not always agree with the results of elections, we respect them and believe that even in times of uncertainty and hardship, democracies can produce greater social progress than any other system of government in history. We must teach the younger generation what we have brought to the table.
Initiatives like the Global Coalition for Democracy’s Thank You Democracy initiative are critical to ensuring that democratic gains, from universal female suffrage to marriage equality, are not forgotten. There is still much work to do, but we have a responsibility to protect our democracy as one of our most precious assets and treat it fairly.
This year’s elections have taught us many lessons. Some are hopeful, while others are discouraged. I personally believe that we must act to build a democracy fit for the future, one where citizens are once again at the center of the debate, as they once were. I would like to end this year with a stronger conviction than ever that we must do so.
Michelle Bachelet is vice president of Club de Madrid and served as president of Chile from 2006 to 2010 and from 2014 to 2018.
