The politics of abortion rights in the 2022 United States midterm election: Lessons for fledgling democracies around the world

The United States government, under President Donald Trump, retreated from its traditional role as an exemplar of democracy, defender of press freedom and the rule of law but embraced conspiracy theories, virulent anti-Semites, and authoritarian regimes worldwide. Today, democracy is in crisis and is under assault and in retreat globally. The 2022 United States midterm election has come and is now history with many unexpected outcomes. The three impactful issues during the campaign that produced many upsets were abortion rights, election denialism, and threats to democracy. This editorial examines the history of abortion rights in the United States, the impacts of the Dobbs vs. Jackson ruling on the 2022 midterm election, the threats of election deniers to global democracy, the global status of reproductive health rights, and the lessons of abortion ban for burgeoning democracies worldwide.