New York, N.Y. — Dealing with authoritarian leaders requires global leaders who are internationalist. On this rapidly changing playing field, with democratic institutions on fire around the world, it is extremely hard to keep up. Here is one writer’s attempt:
| Authoritarian Leader | Luce Index | Liberal Democratic Leader | Luce Index | |
| Brazil | Former President Jair Bolsonaro | President Luiz Lula da Silva | ||
| El Salvador | President Nayib Bukele | |||
| Egypt | Abdel Fattah el-Sisi | |||
| Hungary | Prime Minister Viktor Orbán | European Parliament Member Peter Magyar | ||
| India | Prime Minister Narendra Modi | |||
| Iran | Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei | |||
| Philippines | Former President Rodrigo Duterte | |||
| U.S. | President Donald Trump (Republican Party) | House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (Democratic Party) | ||
| Türkiye | President Recep Erdoğan (Justice & Development Party) | Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu (Republican People’s Party) | ||
Ali Khamenei
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The global political landscape continues to evolve, with some countries experiencing shifts towards more authoritarian governance while others maintain or strengthen their democratic institutions. The role of liberal democratic – internationalist leaders in addressing global challenges and promoting democratic values remains crucial in this complex and dynamic environment.
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