Pollster: Major powers losing world's public support
The US, but also China and Russia, have seen favorable ratings decline, says Pew's Andrew Kohut.
By David Cookposted June 28, 2007 at NaN:NaN p.m. EST
Page 1 of 2
Citizens of the world are increasingly wary of the world's dominant nations and disapproving of their leaders.
That is a key finding from a deep and wide snapshot of worldwide public opinion released June 27 by the Pew Global Attitudes Project. The nonpartisan polling organization surveyed 45,000 people living in 47 countries during April and May 2007.
Andrew Kohut, director of the project, briefed reporters on the contents of the 129-page report – available at www.pewglobal.org – at a Monitor-sponsored breakfast for reporters held Wednesday.
In explaining what he called "global unease with the major powers of the world," Mr. Kohut listed three key findings.
"First, anti-Americanism is extensive, as it has been over the course of the past five years," the veteran pollster said. "Secondly, the image of China has slipped significantly among the publics of other major nations. Thirdly, there is a mixed attitude toward Russia. Certainly [Russian President] Putin's ... ratings have declined sharply over the past five years ... and they now more or less mirror worldwide lack of confidence in President Bush."
The Pew report says pollsters found "little evidence that discontent with the major nations of the world and their leaders is resulting in greater confidence in those who have challenged the global status quo." For example, Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez "inspires little public confidence, even in Latin America," the document says.
There is also widespread wariness about Iran. "Huge majorities in most countries say they have little or no confidence in Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to do the right thing regarding world affairs," the report said.
There are practical reasons why world public opinion matters, Kohut noted.
RSS feed
