Poll finds growing trust in global institutions, unease over US, China

A global poll of over 35,000 individuals from 34 countries reveals an unexpected trend: despite widespread pessimism, there is growing trust in international institutions and a decreasing comfort with US and Chinese leadership. The survey, conducted from July 21 to August 5, came amid seven months of Middle East conflict that has disrupted energy markets, weakened economic growth, and fueled inflation. Nearly 70% of respondents believed the world had worsened over the past year.

Optimism regarding economic growth dipped significantly, with only 38% of respondents believing their national economies would improve in the next five years. This decline was particularly pronounced in India (down 26 percentage points to 50%) and China (down 16 percentage points to 56%). However, despite this gloom, the poll found that 57% of respondents still believed countries should cooperate on global challenges like security, even if it meant compromising on some national interests—an increase from the previous year's 55%.

When asked about potential global leaders, 61% of respondents preferred cooperation between countries without the participation of either the US or China. Among the countries surveyed, Canada, Japan, and Australia had the highest comfort levels for taking a leading role, with 60%, 58%, and 55% respectively. The European Union and Britain followed closely with 55% and 54%.

In contrast, just 39% were comfortable with the US taking a leading role, while 37% felt the same about China. Russia's comfort level was notably low, with only 26% of respondents expressing confidence in its leadership.

The survey also highlighted a significant difference in comfort levels between developing and advanced economies. While 53% of respondents from developing countries were comfortable with China, only 23% of those from wealthier nations felt the same. Russia stood out as the most widely viewed as a threat, with 42% of respondents across 14 countries considering it a major threat.

Conversely, the US was seen as the greatest threat in 15 countries, with the highest percentages recorded in Indonesia (73%), Brazil (59%), Mexico (58%), and Turkey (57%).