A year of elections in democracies around the world is revealing deep dissatisfaction among voters

In a community center in East London, about 20 men gathered for their regular lunch meeting, sipping coffee and tea from mismatched mugs and engaging in an increasingly popular pastime in the world’s democracies: Complaining about their government.

They feel estranged from the country’s leadership — its wealthy prime minister and their members of parliament.

Over 50 countries go to the polls in 2024

• The year will test even the most robust democracies. Read more on what’s to come here.
• Take a look at the 25 places where a change in leadership could resonate around the world.
• Keep track of the latest AP elections coverage from around the world here.

“It feels like you are second-class people. Our MPs don’t represent us people. Political leaders don’t understand what we go through,” said Barrie Stradling, 65. “Do they listen to people? I don’t think they do.’’

In a coffee shop in Jakarta, Ni Wayan Suryatini, 46, bemoaned the results of the recent election, in which the son of Indonesia’s former president ascended to the country’s vice presidency and the opposition parties seemed to do little to stop him.

“It is difficult to trust them since they only want to reach their goals. As long as they achieve their goals, they will forget everything else,” Suryatini said of politicians.

And inside her cheerfully cluttered craft shop in Greeley, Colorado, Sally Otto, 58, contemplated with dread the upcoming U.S. presidential election between President Joe Biden and the man he defeated in 2020, former President Donald Trump: “I feel like we’re back where we were, with the same two poor choices,” Otto said.

As half the world’s population votes in elections this year, voters are in a foul mood. From South Korea to Poland to Argentina,