The State of Democracy in 2026, Seen Through 19 Cartoonists
What does democracy look like in different parts of the world today? Nineteen cartoonists offer their answers in a collection of political cartoons examining the state of democracy in 2026.
The State of Democracy 2026, in Cartoons, published by the Kettering Foundation, brings together work by cartoonists from different parts of the world, each approaching democracy and contemporary political challenges from their own perspective.
The collection was originally published on July 28 and returned to attention this week after Cartoon Movement featured the project on August 13.
The selection was curated by Tjeerd Royaards, cartoonist and editor-in-chief of Cartoon Movement; Terry Anderson, executive director of Cartoonists Rights; and Kenyan journalist, writer and cartoonist Patrick Gathara, a 2026 CFK Global Fellow.
Rather than focusing on a single country or political event, the collection brings together 19 different perspectives on the condition of democracy around the world.
Alongside the cartoons, the project also raises a broader question about the place of political satire in democratic life.
In an essay titled “Stop Them Damn Pictures”: Why Satire Is Crucial to Democracy, Gathara argues that satire can turn complex political realities into stories, images and humor that people can more easily engage with. He suggests that this can lower some of the barriers to political participation while creating space for criticism that conventional political debate does not always provide.
The State of Democracy 2026, in Cartoons puts the same question to cartoonists working across different political and cultural contexts: What does democracy look like in 2026?
The complete collection of 19 cartoons can be explored below.
Sources
Kettering Foundation — The State of Democracy 2026, in Cartoons, July 28, 2026.
https://kettering.org/the-state-of-democracy-2026-in-cartoons/
Cartoon Movement — The state of democracy, in cartoons, August 13, 2026.
https://cartoonmovement.substack.com/p/the-state-of-democracy-in-cartoons
Kettering Foundation — Patrick Gathara, “Stop Them Damn Pictures”: Why Satire Is Crucial to Democracy.
https://kettering.org/stop-them-damn-pictures-why-satire-is-crucial-to-democracy/
