2024 has proven to be a challenging test for many authoritarian regimes around the globe.
As noted by The Wall Street Journal, authoritarian leaders in various parts of the world have encountered unexpected issues, leading to the downfall of several seemingly invincible dictatorships.
In Syria, rebels captured the capital, Damascus, bringing an end to Bashar al-Assad's 24-year brutal rule. For most external observers, Assad's fall came as a genuine shock, as his regime had long been regarded as invulnerable. In Bangladesh, student protests resulted in the ousting of Sheikh Hasina's government, which had been in power for 15 years.
Additionally, the greatest losses from Assad's downfall were suffered by Iran's theocratic government. Prior to the regime's collapse, Iran sold billions of dollars' worth of oil to Syria on credit, hoping to establish a business empire and use the country as a base for threatening Israel. Iranian proxies in Gaza and Lebanon also faced setbacks. Israel launched its first attack on Iran, destroying its air defense systems, while Iranian missile strikes on Israel did not cause significant damage.
Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, despite his electoral success, found himself under pressure from both internal opposition and external forces. The military regime in Myanmar is also facing serious challenges due to the resurgence of rebel groups and a decrease in diplomatic support from China.
According to Diamond from Stanford University, this year a number of semi-authoritarian parties that had been in power for many years either lost their positions or suffered defeats, which has curtailed their authority.
“In many places, elections have done what they were supposed to do,” the expert summarized.
Source: wsj.