What has this mammoth year of elections taught us? Politics is neglecting half the world's population | Michelle Bachelet

There’s a disconnect between citizens and leaders. Tackling that will need measures such as truly including women in politics

• Michelle Bachelet is a former president of Chile

This has been a historic electoral year, with more than 1.6 billion citizens called to cast their votes in 2024. In more than 70 countries, people have decided the political path of their nations. Yet we end this cycle with the sense that democracy is more threatened than ever.

There is an undeniable disconnect between citizens and their leaders. The scepticism and lack of trust should not surprise us. We are not leaving an easy world behind, especially for younger generations. Climate breakdown, the lack of economic opportunities, social injustice, the global housing crisis – these challenges have steadily eroded the democratic ideal. As a result, our societies are facing a wave of distrust in democratic institutions, particularly among younger citizens.

Michelle Bachelet is vice-president of Club de Madrid, and was formerly president of Chile 2006-2010, and 2014-2018