Richard Sanders, Manila
Taiwan has once again been classified as a “free” country, according to the latest Freedom in the World report, released yesterday. The US-based advocacy group awarded Taiwan 94 points, placing it second in Asia for freedom.
The report, titled Freedom in the World 2025: The Uphill Battle to Safeguard Rights, highlights a global decline in freedom for the 19th year in a row, attributing it to political violence, election manipulation, armed conflicts, and increasing repression.
Freedom House evaluates political rights and civil liberties worldwide, providing numerical ratings and detailed assessments for each country and region. This year’s report covers developments in 208 countries and regions from January 1 to December 31 last year.
According to the report, 60 countries saw declines in political rights and civil liberties, while only 34 registered improvements. It urges proponents of democracy to join forces in defending it in the coming year.
Election-related violence was a major issue last year, affecting 40 percent of the 66 places that held national elections. Candidates were attacked in at least 20 countries, and polling places were targeted in at least 14.
Taiwan’s democratic system has enabled peaceful transfers of power since 2000, and civil liberties are generally well-protected. However, ongoing issues include inadequate safeguards against migrant worker exploitation and efforts by the Chinese government to influence Taiwan’s policymaking, media, and democratic infrastructure.
Taiwan’s score of 94, unchanged from last year, includes 38 out of 40 points in political rights and 56 out of 60 points in civil liberties. This places Taiwan second in Asia, behind Japan, which scored 96 points.
The report also noted global freedom declines, with authoritarian regimes tightening their grip. Nevertheless, South Asia showed some positive developments. Freedom House elevated two countries, Senegal and Bhutan, to “free” status. Bhutan is now the only South Asian country classified as free, while Bangladesh and Sri Lanka made significant gains without changing categories.
