Two years ago, just before he left office almost three in five (59%) of those polled throughout 65 countries around the world held a favourable view of US President Barack Obama. This year and having been in office for just over a year, President Trump does not poll so favourably – 30% holding a favourable view of him, 56% an unfavourable view. Meanwhile President Putin has gone from one in three (33%) viewing him favourably to 42%, a significant increase over two years.
However it is Pope Francis who records the highest level of favourability: 53%, rising to 75% of those surveyed in Latin America and 66% of those living in EU-Europe. Despite a domestic political set-back, German Chancellor Angela Merkel ranks as the most popular leader polled; 48% hold a favourable view of her, up from 42% two years ago.
Commenting on the results, Vilma Scarpino, President of WIN, said:
“Chancellor Angela Merkel collected the majority of favourability reconfirming a strong leadership recognised at a global level, despite the domestic situation she has to face. At the same time, the newcomer Emmanuel Macron emerged positively, in spite of his very recent entrance on the global political scene. Very remarkable. Contemporarily, it is interesting noting that for the first time a US President collected the least favour among the global population and a Russian President is ahead. Both of them still divide people’s opinion and the world keeps looking at them. In this scenario, the image of Pope Francis continues to be very popular and positive, independently from the religious beliefs of the respondents.”
Read the full press release on Global Leaders at this link.