FILE: Former US President Barack Obama

Former President of the United States, Barack Obama, in commemoration of the 6th of January 2021 Capitol attack, has warned that the country’s democracy is at great risk.

In a statement released via his social media pages on Thursday, Obama reminisced on the events of 6th of January 2021, where supporters of the immediate past President, Donald Trump, stormed the United States Capitol complex in protest of the 2020 election results.

The riot, which led to several deaths and left many injured, disrupted the joint session of US Congress to count electoral votes that would formalise the victory of the current President, Joe Biden.

In his statement, Obama said last year’s attack on the Capitol has exposed the fragility of “the American experiment in democracy”.

“And while the broken windows have been repaired and many of the rioters have been brought to justice, the truth is that our democracy is at greater risk today than it was back then.

“Although initially rejected by many Republicans, the claims that fanned the flames of violence on January 6th have since been embraced by a sizeable portion of voters and elected officials – many of whom know better.

“State legislatures across the country have not only made it harder to vote, but some have tried to assert power over core election processes including the ability to certify election results.

“And those remaining Republican officials and thought leaders who have courageously stood their ground and rejected such anti-democratic efforts have been ostracized, primaried, and driven from the party,” he said.

Describing Americans as defenders of democracy, the former President opined that it was impossible for the country to continue to serve that role when the Republican party is actively undermining America’s democracy itself.

“We can’t set an example when our own leaders are willing to fabricate lies and cast doubt on the results of free and fair elections. Our system of government has never been automatic.

“If we want our children to grow up in a true democracy – not just one with elections, but one where every voice matters and every vote counts – we need to nurture and protect it.

“Today, that responsibility falls to all of us. And on this anniversary, nothing is more important,” he wrote.