It requires a broad definition of democracy to consider either of those democracies. The V-Dem Institute puts both in the second tier of “electoral democracy” behind the “true” democracies, termed “liberal democracy.”
From Wikipedia, the electoral democracies are those that:
Regimes that possess the bare minimum to be considered a democracy. They are “de-facto accountable to citizens through periodic elections”, but are not liberal democracies and lack further entrenched individual and minority rights beyond the electoral sphere. Basic electoral democracies may not possess a fully developed rule of law, legislative and judicial oversight of the executive branch, protections against the “tyranny of the majority”, and only minimal fulfillment of Robert Dahl’s institutional prerequisites for democracy.[13]
Both countries are also considered to be backsliding toward autocracy.
Yes, by a broad definition. They can be considered democracies because elections, while not free and fair, are not directly rigged, opposition parties are allowed to contest them, and the press is partially free. Contrast this to a country like China or Russia, where elections are a sham, opposition is banned or controlled, and the press is tightly controlled by the government.
I will say though that both V-Dem and the Economist are being somewhat generous. Considering recent events in Hungary, one could argue both countries should really rank lower than Hungary.
It requires a broad definition of democracy to consider either of those democracies. The V-Dem Institute puts both in the second tier of “electoral democracy” behind the “true” democracies, termed “liberal democracy.”
From Wikipedia, the electoral democracies are those that:
Both countries are also considered to be backsliding toward autocracy.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Economist_Democracy_Index
Israel and USA are both flawed democracies placed at 30 and 34.
But they are still democracies.
Yes, by a broad definition. They can be considered democracies because elections, while not free and fair, are not directly rigged, opposition parties are allowed to contest them, and the press is partially free. Contrast this to a country like China or Russia, where elections are a sham, opposition is banned or controlled, and the press is tightly controlled by the government.
I will say though that both V-Dem and the Economist are being somewhat generous. Considering recent events in Hungary, one could argue both countries should really rank lower than Hungary.
I agree, and in Hungary Victor Orban had a lot of control of the media. That’s a pretty big part of being a democracy, that the press (media) is free.
In the US, corporate media is largely aligned with the Trump regime and journalists that dare to ask an actual question are denied access.