#NiUnaMenos demonstration in Rio de Janeiro. Some rights reserved.

This piece is an excerpt from an original article published as part of the eBook El ecosistema de la Democracia Abierta series, which can be found here.

We are currently witnesses to an infinite number of political and social changes, that are in part motivated by technological advances and access to the internet.

We find ourselves in an age in which political parties, traditional leaders and public institutions lack social legitimacy. In accordance with this context, we see how in Latin America and the rest of the world different expressions of citizen discontent with politics are becoming public. 

To provide a vision grounded in this reality, this article provides the results of a study carried out with the objective of taking an in-depth look at the vital aspects of democracy in the 26 countries that make up the Americas.

It does this through the opinions of social and political leaders between 18 and 40 years old, taking into account their observations in relation to politics, parties, mobilisation, and the role of technology among other things.

This study compiled data about variables such as the democratic recession, political experimentation, political agendas and changes in political and participatory paradigms. 

Among the most important results, we found that 43% of young people surveyed in the Southern Cone, 60% in Central America, the Carribean and the Andes, and 90% in North America believe that their country is very slightly or not at all democratic. This evidences the fact that during the past two decades, upset with political institutions has been consolidated in these regions.

Finally, it can be concluded that given the abysmal disconnect between democratic political systems and society, it is possible that we are facing a surge in change of political paradigms which goes beyond mere political participation.

Something which brings alongside it the galvanization of different processes and diverse and profound structural changes that get our nations going again.