Los Angeles/DNA — The world has taken a small step backward on the path of democracy since 2010, according to a global index being released this week by an international group of governance researchers.

The 2024 Berggruen Governance Index (BGI) shows slippage of measurable benchmarks of democratic accountability across 145 countries — from a 2010 average of 67 on a 100-point scale to 65 points in 2021. The global average had risen from 64 to 67 points during 2000-2010.