Topic: 2025 – Authoritarianism and Democracy
Country: Greece
Delegate Name: Asher Ndenga
The battle between authoritarianism and democracy is one that every nation is involved in. Greece is a democratic nation in the Mediterranean; however, it was an authoritarian state from 1967 to 1974. According to an article published by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in 2023, about 52% of citizens across 77 countries agree that having a strong leader, unbound to legislatures and elections, is a good thing, a rise from 38% in 2009. The Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) annual report for 2023 found that while the number of countries is generally divided evenly between democracies (91) and autocracies (88), 71% of the world’s population lives in autocracies, or about 5.7 billion people. Autocratic governments often employ tactics such as misinformation and censorship to achieve their plans. Due primarily to polarization and authoritarian governments, progress made towards gender equality has prompted a gender backlash in several countries.
Democracy is a fundamental value of the United Nations, and in the seventy-nine years since its founding, the UN has done more to defend democracy worldwide than any other global organization. In 2012, the Human Rights Council adopted a resolution titled “Human rights, democracy and the rule of law,” which reaffirmed that democracy, development, and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms are interconnected and equally important. Later in 2015, world leaders adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which continue to guide efforts to end poverty, end violent conflict, and address inequality. Additionally, the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) and UNDP focus on issues such as democracy deficits, weak institutions, and poor governance. OHCHR assists in building strong and independent judicial systems, parliaments, human rights institutions, and thriving civil societies. They have supported transition justice programmes in over 20 countries over the past fifteen years. UNDP assists governments in strengthening their public institutions to combat corruption and foster inclusive participation, ensuring no one is left behind. Each year, UNDP invests approximately $565 million USD to support inclusive governance and development at the local level.
Greece is a democratic nation; however, from 1967 to 1974, the country was controlled by a right-wing military junta. In 1974, a new constitution was adopted, which protected human and political rights for all Greek citizens and adopted the idea of popular sovereignty. It also established a parliamentary democracy with a president as the head of state and a government led by a prime minister.
The delegation of Greece calls on the UN to support democratic civil society by stopping the misuse of technology by repressive regimes. Democracies within the UN should monitor the export of technologies that could potentially be used for surveillance and censorship by autocratic regimes. With the main tactic of these countries being the spread of misinformation, a crackdown on these technologies could offer a possible solution to the great predicament we all face.
