Countries making up over 60% of the world’s economic output and more than half its population hold elections this year, including South Africa. While this should be a sign that democracy is thriving, these elections come at a time when democratic values are under extreme pressure. In many countries, populists with strong autocratic tendencies are not only on the ballots but leading in the polls. In many others, voters are left with poor choices, with opposition parties either weak, fragmented and disorganised or they are being actively undermined and repressed.