Pew survey of global attitudes
Pew Research has released its 22 country survey of global opinion. I've only just started probing their new database but here are a few highlights so far:
* 60% of Russians feel they're better off with a free market economy, up from 51% in 2009
* Turkey ranks at or near the bottom with respect to views of the United States and President Obama
* Pakistan is the only country surveyed with a majority of citizens who support Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon.
The full report can be found here.
Looking through it, it appears the rest of the world didn't get the memo that President Obama is interested in selling them out to America's enemies:
Ratings of America are overwhelmingly favorable in Western Europe. For example, 73% in France and 63% in Germany say they have a favorable view of the U.S. Moreover, ratings of America have improved sharply in Russia (57%), up 13 percentage points since 2009, in China (58%), up 11 points, and in Japan (66%), up 7 points. Opinions are also highly positive in other nations around the world including South Korea (79%), Poland (74%), and Brazil (62%).The U.S. continues to receive positive marks in India, where 66% express a favorable opinion, although this is down from last year when 76% held this view. Americaâ??s overall image has also slipped slightly in Indonesia, although 59% still give the U.S. a positive rating in the worldâ??s largest predominantly Muslim nation.
Publics of other largely Muslim countries continue to hold overwhelmingly negative views of the U.S. In both Turkey and Pakistan â?? where ratings for the U.S. have been consistently low in recent years â?? only 17% hold a positive opinion. Indeed, the new poll finds opinion of the U.S. slipping in some Muslim countries where opinion had edged up in 2009. In Egypt, Americaâ??s favorability rating dropped from 27% to 17% â?? the lowest percentage observed in any of the Pew Global Attitudes surveys conducted in that country since 2006.
