Today, Europe is joining the trend. “For the first time since the start of the Biden administration, many Western European countries have returned to markedly negative perceptions of the United States. This rise and fall, from negative to positive attitudes (and) to negative attitudes, is particularly striking in Germany and Austria, Ireland, Belgium and Switzerland,” said Frederick DeVeaux, senior researcher for the survey company Latana which compiled the index.
Meanwhile, positive perceptions of China in Asia, North Africa, the Middle East and Latin America continue to grow, bringing the global perception of Beijing to a significantly positive level, despite continued skepticism from Europe .
Russia, which is battling overwhelmingly negative perceptions around the world in the wake of President Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, also appears to be on the path to restoring its image in most countries. regions studied, with the exception of Europe.
America’s declining popularity, combined with the improving position of Russia and China, means that the latter is now seen as positively as the United States in most Middle Eastern countries, North Africa and Asia studied.
More than just a global popularity contest, the attitudes expressed in the index can affect the ability of governments to deter or respond to aggression from global powers. In Germany, for example, domestic discontent over rising energy prices fueled protests and opposition to capping Russian oil exports after Moscow’s attack on Ukraine in February 2022.
A divide between the world’s north and south emerged when respondents were asked whether they thought their country should cut economic ties with Russia following its invasion of Ukraine, and whether they should make any even if China invaded Taiwan.
Politico
