Elections across the world faced a wide range of pressures on electoral integrity in 2025, from violence and mis- and disinformation to electoral management malfunctions, cyber attacks and natural hazards, according to a new report.

The report, Review of the 2025 Year of Elections: Inclusivity, Transparency and Trust, from the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA), was written in collaboration with the Electoral Integrity Project and co-authored by Toby James, Professor of Politics & Public Policy at the University of East Anglia (UEA).

It examines 39 countries that held national elections in 2025 and looks at both the risks facing elections and how electoral institutions are responding, with a particular focus on inclusivity, transparency and trust.

“The report shows that all countries, large or small, are facing challenges in ensuring that elections truly empower people. But they also show the value of drawing lessons across borders,” said Prof James, who also co-edited the report.

“Challenges such as the role of money in elections, election disinformation and political polarisation are not confined to single countries. Efforts to improve elections should therefore be global as well.”

Electoral campaigns remain a particularly vulnerable part of the electoral cycle. The report also points to growing pressure on media integrity and campaign finance, as declining press freedom and increasingly digital financial flows create new challenges for electoral processes.

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