By Chimezie Godfrey
A new global survey spanning 101 countries has revealed growing public support for the creation of a citizen-elected world parliament, with Nigeria and other Sub-Saharan African countries recording some of the strongest backing, amid rising distrust in the international system and global governance structures.
The survey, commissioned by Democracy Without Borders and conducted by Nira Data across countries representing 90 per cent of the world’s population, found that 40 per cent of respondents support the idea of a world parliament to address global challenges, compared to 27 per cent who oppose it. About 33 per cent expressed neutrality, making it the largest poll ever conducted on the subject.
Executive Director of Democracy Without Borders, Mr Andreas Bummel, said the findings show that citizens around the world are increasingly ready to extend democratic representation beyond national borders. “The message is clear: people around the world are ready to expand democratic representation to the global scale,” Bummel said. “This survey shows there is a growing global constituency that wants a voice in decisions affecting humanity as a whole.”
According to the results, support is strongest in the Global South, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, where all surveyed countries recorded net positive support. In countries such as Mozambique, Ivory Coast, Senegal and Nigeria, support hovered around or exceeded 50 per cent, reflecting deep concern over an international order widely perceived as outdated and unresponsive.
The survey comes against the backdrop of mounting global pressures, including climate change, armed conflicts, authoritarian resurgence and stalled international cooperation. Democracy Without Borders said the findings suggest that many citizens, especially in less powerful countries, see a world parliament as a pathway to fairer and more effective global governance.
Support was also notably high among groups often underrepresented in national political systems, including young people, ethnic minorities, women, urban residents and those with lower income or education levels. Respondents aged 18 to 35 recorded the strongest support, while opposition was most pronounced among older, wealthier and more highly educated groups.
In countries with limited political freedoms, backing for a world parliament was particularly strong, pointing to a belief that global democratic institutions could help advance democracy at the domestic level. “Many UN member states do not represent their people. They represent oppressive authoritarian elites who have seized power,” said Ms Oleksandra Matviichuk, Head of Ukraine’s Centre for Civil Liberties and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate. “A citizen-elected world parliament could be a vital step toward building a more democratic global order.”
The survey also found that net opposition was concentrated mainly in high-income democracies, especially in parts of Europe. Commenting on this trend, former Greek Prime Minister and current Member of Parliament, Mr George Papandreou, said, “This is not a rejection of democracy. It is a reminder that privilege may breed complacency, and that those who benefit from existing arrangements may underestimate how urgently they need renewal.”
Democracy Without Borders, an international civil society organisation, advocates the establishment of a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly as a first practical step toward a democratic world parliament.
According to the organisation, such an assembly could be created by a vote of the UN General Assembly and vested with consultative and oversight functions.
Bummel said the survey reinforces the urgency for democratic governments to revisit the long-standing proposal. “There is a wide open space for public engagement,” he noted, adding that greater awareness of the idea could significantly increase public support worldwide.
The organisation stressed that, as global challenges continue to transcend national borders, strengthening democratic legitimacy at the international level has become not just desirable, but necessary.