International Day of Democracy: Is the UK’s democracy still working?

September 15, 2025

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International Day of Democracy: Is the UK’s democracy still working?

Over the past few hundred years, our society and democracy have developed and changed beyond recognition. However, our voting system has failed to keep pace. We believe that First Past the Post has no place in a modern democracy, and should be replaced by a system of Proportional Representation. If you agree, sign the petition. If you want to know why, read on:

Minority rule

The idea of a minority ruling over the majority goes against our most basic ideas about democracy. But with First Past the Post, it's the norm. For about 90% of the time since 1935 we've had single-party 'majority' governments, but not one of them had the support of a majority of voters. The Conservatives currently hold a majority of seats with just 43.6% of the votes. In the 2019 election they gained an extra 48 seats despite an increase of only 1.2% of the vote share. Almost since the first general election, politicians who most of us didn't vote for and don't agree with have had the power to govern the UK however they like.

Proportional Representation means majority rule, not minority rule. With PR, any government must have a majority of votes behind it - so in order to govern, a party needs to either work collaboratively with other parties, or persuade most of us to vote for it.

Demand Real Democracy

The idea of a minority ruling over the majority goes against our most basic ideas about democracy. But with First Past the Post, it’s the norm. For about 90% of the time since 1935 we’ve had single-party ‘majority’ governments, but not one of them had the support of a majority of voters. The Conservatives currently hold a majority of seats with just 43.6% of the votes. In the 2019 election they gained an extra 48 seats despite an increase of only 1.2% of the vote share. Almost since the first general election, politicians who most of us didn’t vote for and don’t agree with have had the power to govern the UK however they like.The idea of a minority ruling over the majority goes against our most basic ideas about democracy. But with First Past the Post, it’s the norm. For about 90% of the time since 1935 we’ve had single-party ‘majority’ governments, but not one of them had the support of a majority of voters. The Conservatives currently hold a majority of seats with just 43.6% of the votes. In the 2019 election they gained an extra 48 seats despite an increase of only 1.2% of the vote share. Almost since the first general election, politicians who most of us didn’t vote for and don’t agree with have had the power to govern the UK however they like.The idea of a minority ruling over the majority goes against our most basic ideas about democracy. But with First Past the Post, it’s the norm. For about 90% of the time since 1935 we’ve had single-party ‘majority’ governments, but not one of them had the support of a majority of voters. The Conservatives currently hold a majority of seats with just 43.6% of the votes. In the 2019 election they gained an extra 48 seats despite an increase of only 1.2% of the vote share. Almost since the first general election, politicians who most of us didn’t vote for and don’t agree with have had the power to govern the UK however they like.The idea of a minority ruling over the majority goes against our most basic ideas about democracy. But with First Past the Post, it’s the norm. For about 90% of the time since 1935 we’ve had single-party ‘majority’ governments, but not one of them had the support of a majority of voters. The Conservatives currently hold a majority of seats with just 43.6% of the votes. In the 2019 election they gained an extra 48 seats despite an increase of only 1.2% of the vote share. Almost since the first general election, politicians who most of us didn’t vote for and don’t agree with have had the power to govern the UK however they like.The idea of a minority ruling over the majority goes against our most basic ideas about democracy. But with First Past the Post, it’s the norm. For about 90% of the time since 1935 we’ve had single-party ‘majority’ governments, but not one of them had the support of a majority of voters. The Conservatives currently hold a majority of seats with just 43.6% of the votes. In the 2019 election they gained an extra 48 seats despite an increase of only 1.2% of the vote share. Almost since the first general election, politicians who most of us didn’t vote for and don’t agree with have had the power to govern the UK however they like.The idea of a minority ruling over the majority goes against our most basic ideas about democracy. But with First Past the Post, it’s the norm. For about 90% of the time since 1935 we’ve had single-party ‘majority’ governments, but not one of them had the support of a majority of voters. The Conservatives currently hold a majority of seats with just 43.6% of the votes. In the 2019 election they gained an extra 48 seats despite an increase of only 1.2% of the vote share. Almost since the first general election, politicians who most of us didn’t vote for and don’t agree with have had the power to govern the UK however they like.

Democracy doesn’t collapse overnight. It frays, thread by thread, until one day you notice it’s no longer holding us together. This International Day of Democracy —15 September—is a chance to pause and ask an uncomfortable question: how strong is the UK’s democracy right now?

Twenty years ago, few would have described the UK as a fragile democracy. Back then, talk of democratic backsliding was something that happened elsewhere: in Turkey, Russia or Venezuela. But today, things look different. Fourteen months after one of the most disproportionate elections in European history, millions have signed petitions demanding an immediate election. Reform UK is riding high in the polls, Zack Polanski’s Green Party is raring to go and Your Party’s supporter base is growing. Political anger is palpable. Worryingly, attacks on MPs and their constituency offices are rising, with Labour MP Sharon Hodgson the latest to be targeted.

The root of the problem lies partly in the UK’s creaky, old-fashioned “First Past the Post” (FPTP) voting system. Designed for a two-party world, FPTP can’t cope with a multi-party reality. In 2024, one party won a huge parliamentary majority with less than 35% of the vote, leaving millions feeling unrepresented. Entire regions have effectively become one-party states. For many voters, it feels like their votes simply don’t count. 60% of the public want to change the voting system but the Government claims it doesn’t have support to make the change, and that breeds resentment.

When people feel unheard, populism finds fertile ground. Populism isn’t inherently bad—sometimes it’s a wake-up call that something is wrong—but when democratic systems fail to channel people’s voices fairly, anger festers. It spills over into online abuse, conspiracy theories, and in some tragic cases, physical violence.

International Day of Democracy was created by the UN to remind us that democracy isn’t a permanent achievement; it’s something we have to maintain. In the UK, that maintenance might mean serious electoral reform. Proportional representation (PR) would ensure that parties win seats in proportion to their share of the vote. It would make coalition governments more common, but also more representative. Countries with PR often have higher voter satisfaction, less regional polarisation, and more constructive cross-party cooperation.

Democratic renewal isn’t just about voting systems. We also need to rebuild trust between politicians and the public, which is why we’re calling for a National Commission on Electoral Reform. This commission would bring together experts, politicians, and everyday citizens to have a public conversation about democracy. They would explore key questions:

1. What are the criteria for a suitable voting system for general elections in modern Britain? 2. Does the current First Past the Post voting system meet these criteria?
3. Are there other voting systems which might better meet these criteria?
4. Based on these criteria, on balance, which voting system would best serve modern Britain?

Of course, there are many other things that need scrutinising, transparency in government and how we can make political decision-making more open and accountable. Political education – particularly in light of the move for votes at sixteen – we need to teach the next generation about how our system works and how they can engage with it. And crucially, how do we ensure a fair and balanced media landscape that informs rather than divides?

Democracy isn’t a spectator sport, the decline in public trust and participation isn’t limited to voting. We’ve seen a decrease in engagement with traditional political parties and a rise in single-issue campaigns. While a focus on specific issues can be a good thing, it can also lead to a fragmented political landscape where people feel their only power is through protest, not participation in the system itself. This disconnect is a significant threat to a healthy democracy.

Furthermore, the rise of misinformation and disinformation, often spread through social media, erodes the shared reality necessary for a productive public discourse. When people can’t agree on basic facts, it becomes nearly impossible to have a meaningful debate about the country’s direction.

International Day of Democracy isn’t about waving flags or patting ourselves on the back. It’s about asking hard questions. Is our system still working? If not, what are we going to do about it? The good news is that we still have a choice—but democracy only survives when enough of us care to protect and improve it. The future of UK democracy depends on whether we are willing to have this difficult conversation and act on what we find.

By Emma Harrison, Make Votes Matter CEO.

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