Global Network Webinar "Democracy Dies in Darkness without Official Statistics" - 26 June 2024

In this insightful Global Network Webinar on the vital nexus between official statistics and democracy, Luca Di Gennaro Splendore from the University of Malta shared his research, showcasing a quantitative relationship between a country's level of democracy and the performance of its national statistical system.
Key points of the presentation included:
Official statistics are the lifeblood of democracy, influencing policymaking, media narratives, and electoral choices.
There is a striking correlation between the Democracy Index and Statistical Performance Indicators across countries, regions, and continents.
The most democratic countries tend to have the best-performing national statistical offices.
The independence of national statistical offices is crucial, akin to the freedom of speech and justice system.
Statisticians and data users have a vital role to play in defending the independence and integrity of national statistical systems, especially in the face of democratic backsliding.
The discussions during the Q&A session covered issues like data quality, causality, and the role of statistical systems in both thriving and deteriorating democracies. This event underscored the importance of official statistics as constitutional guardians of democracy.