Divided we fall: Democracy at risk in the US

Divided we fall: Democracy at risk in the US | GZERO World with Ian Bremmer

2024 is gearing up to be a pivotal year for global democracy, with elections testing authoritarian appeal, particularly in the United States.

2023 was a year of war, in Europe, of war in the Middle East, and beyond. So it's safe to say that the year to come will not be all honey and roses. But here's a prediction: Even if 2024 may not be a GOOD year, it WILL be the most consequential one for the future of democracy, both abroad and here in the United States.

Around the world, elections will test the limits of authoritarian appeal and the guardrails of democratic institutions. That includes right here in the United States. And this comes at a time when one-quarter of Americans believe that the FBI was behind the January 6th insurrection at the Capitol. That’s right, one quarter. So, there’s not a lot of shared trust amongst Americans—or even shared agreement on basic facts—as we head toward November 5. The renowned Stanford political scientist Francis Fukuyama is here to discuss the global and domestic threats to democracy in 2024.

Catch GZERO World with Ian Bremmer every week at gzeromedia.com/gzeroworld or on US public television. Check local listings.

More from GZERO Media

- YouTube

Following a terrorist attack in Kashmir last spring, India and Pakistan, both nuclear powers, exchanged military strikes in an alarming escalation. Former Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Khar joins Ian Bremmer on GZERO World to discuss Pakistan’s perspective in the simmering conflict.

- YouTube

A military confrontation between India and Pakistan in May nearly pushed the two nuclear-armed countries to the brink of war. On Ian Explains, Ian Bremmer breaks down the complicated history of the India-Pakistan conflict, one of the most contentious and bitter rivalries in the world.

A combination picture shows Russian President Vladimir Putin during a meeting with Arkhangelsk Region Governor Alexander Tsybulsky in Severodvinsk, Arkhangelsk region, Russia July 24, 2025.
REUTERS/Leah Millis

In negotiations, the most desperate party rarely gets the best terms. As Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin meet in Alaska today to discuss ending the Ukraine War, their diverging timelines may shape what deals emerge – if any.