 Authoritarianism has defined the Middle East and North Africa region for decades, and it still features as the most authoritarian region in the world. According to the latest Global State of Democracy report of the region's 11 authoritarian regimes, only four have experienced any kind of tentative improvement towards basic democratic principles. The remainder have languished as repressive regimes. Many regimes use the pandemic as an excuse to further curtail civil liberties, especially freedom of association and assembly and personal integrity and security. Despite government restrictions, people have taken to the streets to demand change, including improved governance, accountability and standards of living. Civil society has proven its strength. In Lebanon, grassroots activism has sometimes supplemented the government's actions to, for example, cope with the influx of refugees. We call on governments of the region to establish or strengthen democratic institutions to enable transparency, delivery and good governance, to earn and build their populations trust and to prevent further clampdowns on civil liberties. Visit www.idea.int to read the Global State of Democracy 2021 report.