Six in 10 Americans believe that history will regard President Donald Trump negatively, including 47% who say he will be remembered for doing a "poor" job. In contrast, fewer than three in 10 think he will be remembered as an "outstanding" (9%) or "above average" (20%) president. Relatively few, 10%, believe he will go down in history as an "average" president.

Views of Trump's legacy are highly partisan, with most Republicans (72%) thinking he will be remembered as above average or better and an even larger majority of Democrats (95%) predicting he will be regarded as below average or worse. Independents' views tip the balance of public predictions further against Trump, with 63% thinking he will be remembered negatively versus 24% positively.

Americans Believe President Trump Will Not Be Rated Positively in History

How do you think each of the following presidents will go down in history -- as an outstanding president, above average, average, below average or poor? [Donald Trump]

	Outstanding	Above average	Average	Below average	Poor
	%	%	%	%	%
U.S. adults	9	20	10	14	47
Republicans	23	49	14	6	8
Independents	6	18	12	20	43
Democrats	<1	2	3	13	82
GALLUP, JAN. 4-15, 2021

Republicans' positive ratings are muted, with many more Republicans saying Trump will be viewed as an above average president (49%) rather than an outstanding one (23%). Meanwhile, Democrats' negative opinions are overwhelmingly harsh -- 82% say history will judge Trump as a poor president, while 13% say below average. Independents are more than twice as likely to believe Trump will be judged as a poor rather than a below average president.

The Jan. 4-15 Gallup poll asked Americans to predict how Trump and eight other recent U.S. presidents will go down in history. These include the last seven presidents as well as Richard Nixon, typically the poorest rated, and John Kennedy, typically the highest rated.

Kennedy continues to be rated highest overall, with seven in 10 regarding him as an outstanding or above average president. Majorities say the same about Barack Obama (56%) and Ronald Reagan (52%).

Trump has the most polarized image of all presidents, with most Americans either predicting he will be remembered well or poorly, rather than average. This contrasts with George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush and Jimmy Carter, whose positive ratings are similar to those of Trump but who have much lower negative ratings than Trump. For the most part, Americans regard those three former presidents as being average.

Trump and Nixon are the only presidents garnering majority negative ratings. But Trump gets far more "poor" than "below average" ratings, while Nixon's negative ratings are evenly split between below average (29%) and poor (30%). Nixon receives relatively few positive ratings --11% -- so his "net positive score" is worse than Trump's.

Americans' Ratings of How Presidents Will Go Down in History

Ranked by net positive score

	Outstanding	Above average	Average	Below average	Poor	Net positive
	%	%	%	%	%	pct. pts.
Kennedy	23	47	25	2	1	+67
Reagan	17	35	30	10	6	+36
Obama	21	35	22	11	12	+33
G.H.W. Bush	7	21	53	11	6	+11
Clinton	10	26	37	16	11	+9
Carter	6	21	43	14	10	+3
G.W. Bush	6	18	49	16	10	-2
Trump	9	20	10	14	47	-32
Nixon	4	7	26	29	30	-48
Net positive is the percentage "outstanding/above average" minus the percentage "below average/poor"
GALLUP, JAN. 4-15, 2021

As would be expected, Republicans rate the former GOP presidents -- Nixon, Reagan, both Bushes and Trump -- more positively than Democrats do, while Democrats evaluate the former Democratic presidents -- Obama, Bill Clinton, Carter and Kennedy -- more charitably. Ratings of each president by party are available in the linked PDF file near the bottom of the article.

Obama, George W. Bush Ratings Improved

Gallup last asked Americans to put presidents in historical perspective at the time of the Obama-Trump presidential transition in 2017. Since then, Americans' opinions of how Obama will be remembered have improved significantly, with a nine-percentage-point increase in positive evaluations and a 12-point decrease in negative evaluations. Both recent measures were much better than those taken during Obama's presidency, in 2012 and 2013.

Line graph. Americans' ratings of how Barack Obama will go down in history have improved. In 2012, Americans were about as likely to say he would be judged an outstanding or above average president as a below average or poor one. In 2013, 40% thought he would be judged negatively and 28% positively. When he left office, that shifted to a net positive evaluation, 47% to 35%, and has improved to 56% positive and 23% negative this year.

George W. Bush is also rated better now than he was in the past. His current ratings are about equally positive (24%) and negative (26%) -- but previously, Americans were decidedly more critical in their assessments. In fact, a majority of 59% thought Bush would be remembered as a below average or poor president when he departed the White House in 2009, with only 17% thinking history would look favorably on him. The changes in Americans' ratings of Bush in recent years are primarily due to a reduction in negative ratings (shifting to "average") rather than an increase in positive ratings.

Line graph. Americans' ratings of how George W. Bush will go down in history have improved, moving from 59% negative and 17% positive when he left office in 2009, to 41% negative and 22% positive four years ago, to 26% negative and 24% positive this year.

While Obama and Bush are rated better than they were four years ago, Clinton is rated less positively. Thirty-six percent regard Clinton as an outstanding or above average president, down seven points from 2017, while the 27% rating him as below average or poor is up four points.

Line graph. Americans' ratings of how Bill Clinton will go down in history have gotten worse this year, with 36% believing he will be remembered as an outstanding or above average president and 27% as a below average or poor one. That compares with a 43% positive and 20% negative score in 2017, and a 50% positive and 20% negative score in 2009.

Since 2017, positive ratings of Kennedy and Reagan have dipped (by nine points and 11 points, respectively), with most of these shifts accompanied by an increase in the percentage of Americans rating each as average. Evaluations of George H.W. Bush, Carter and Nixon have not changed to a meaningful degree in the past four years.

Though Carter's ratings have been stable since 2017, he -- like George W. Bush -- is rated much better now than at the end of his presidency. A December 1980 Gallup poll found 14% of Americans thinking Carter would go down as an outstanding or above average president and 46% saying he would be remembered as a below average or poor one. Those negative evaluations persisted in the 1981 and 1993 updates. Now, Carter gets roughly equal positive and negative ratings.

Bottom Line

Americans think history will judge Trump harshly for his time in office, though Republicans tend to think he will be remembered as at least an "above average" if not an outstanding president. Trump and his supporters can take comfort in the historical pattern by which some former presidents' initial post-presidency ratings are not indicative of how the public thinks of them as time goes by. George W. Bush and Carter were rated much more negatively than positively when they left office, but 12 years and four decades after they, respectively, left office, Americans tend to think of both as average presidents if not good ones.

Neither Bush nor Carter, though, received the same degree of "poor" ratings as Trump gets, though neither got as many positive ratings as he did at the time.

Gallup did not measure perceptions of Nixon until 1999, and opinions of him have gotten worse since then (22% positive, 41% negative). Thus, it is also possible that Trump's perceived historical positioning will worsen as his presidency retreats into the past.

(Gallup USA)

January 19, 2021

Source: https://news.gallup.com/poll/328670/americans-expect-history-judge-trump-harshly.aspx

674-43-24/Country Profile: United States of America

USA3

SUMMARY OF POLLS

ASIA

(Japan)

Olympians fear Tokyo Games could spread virus

Japanese athletes expecting to participate in the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games fear the sports extravaganza could end up exacerbating the novel coronavirus pandemic, posing an added risk to themselves as well as fans, an Asahi Shimbun poll shows. They also expressed concern about a lack of support from fans at a time when the public is more preoccupied with staying safe than attending a massive event. (The Asahi Shimbun)

January 24, 2021

MENA

(UAE)

FIFA World Cup tops YouGov Sport’s Global Buzz 2021 Rankings in UAE

FIFA World Cup takes the top spot in YouGov Sport’s Global Buzz 2021 Rankings in the UAE, becoming the sports property with the most positive Buzz among residents in the country (32.2). FIFA Club World Cup follows in the second place, with a Buzz score of 27.7. Although the event was postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it managed to create buzz among sports enthusiasts and landed a spot in the rankings. (YouGov MENA)

January 27, 2021

AFRICA

(Liberia)

Liberians laud government’s COVID-19 response but claim unfair distribution of relief assistance, new Afrobarometer study shows

A majority of Liberians approve of the government’s performance in managing the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including necessary lockdowns, a new Afrobarometer survey shows. But most believe that COVID-19 relief was not distributed fairly. Better-off citizens and urban residents were about twice as likely as the poor and rural residents to benefit from this assistance, and older citizens appear to have been largely overlooked. (Afrobarometer)

January 20, 2021

(Ethiopia)

Ethiopians support rule of law, concerned about impunity for officials who break the law, Afrobarometer survey shows

Ethiopians overwhelmingly favour a government that always follows the law, even when doing so runs counter to popular demand, according to the most recent Afrobarometer survey. Similarly, a majority say the prime minister must always obey the laws and courts, even if he or she thinks they are wrong. But popular faith in the rule of law confronts the widespread perception that officials who commit crimes often go unpunished and that people are often treated unequally under the law. (Afrobarometer)

January 22, 2021

(Nigeria)

New Year Poll Result Release

A new public opinion poll released by NOIPolls has revealed that the top three areas Nigerians want the government to focus its effort in 2021 include Economy (51 percent), Education (50 Percent) and Security (45 Percent). The other areas Nigerians expect the government to focus its attention include Infrastructure development (Road) (42 Percent), Electricity (36 Percent), Health (29 percent), Agriculture (19 Percent), Job Creation (10 Percent), Reduction in prices of goods and services (5 percent) and lastly water (2 percent). (NOI-Polls)

January 07, 2021

EUROPE

(Netherlands)

Curfew ticking bomb for young people

To contain the corona virus, the outgoing cabinet is considering introducing a curfew. Only the advice of the Outbreak Management Team stands in the way of a decision on this. For many elderly people, the image of the curfew brings back memories of the horrors of World War II. Perhaps not directly, but still in the stories of their parents. Young people have much less of this connotation, of course, but for them too, introducing it is equivalent to exercising a 'nuclear option'. (Motivaction)

January 21, 2021

(Netherlands)

What financial good intentions does the Netherlands have for 2021?

January 22, 2021

(Russia)

Kommersant - Found a needle on a stone

The Russians turned out to be one of the most skeptical inhabitants of the planet about their readiness to be vaccinated against COVID-19. This is evidenced by a study by the Association of Independent Research Agencies Gallup International, provided by Kommersant. In general, more than 50% of respondents in the world talk about potential consent to be vaccinated, in the Russian Federation - less than a third. Experts believe that there are a number of reasons for this reaction of Russians: mistrust of official information, lack of positive examples, and even a well-functioning healthcare system. At the same time, the director of VTsIOM, Konstantin Abramov, is confident that in February the number of people wishing to be vaccinated will grow to 50%.(Romir)

January 22, 2021

(Italy)

More than 7 out of 10 Italians regret the lost routine: the BVA Doxa survey for UNHCR that launches the "Fantastica Routine" campaign

Over 7 out of 10 Italians (75%) would definitely want to go back to life as before and more than 8 out of 10 (85%) found it difficult to adapt to the limitations imposed by the pandemic. A fact that does not leave us completely surprised, given the particular historical moment we are experiencing, but which takes on a different meaning when compared with the vision that the Italians had of the routine a few years ago: in 2013, 35% of our compatriots(almost 18 million Italians) declared that he would immediately change his life if only he could. (BVA Doxa)

January, 2021

(UK)

Britons’ attitudes toward national lockdown

Two thirds of Britons people (69%) say they are taking this latest lockdown just as seriously as the first, but the vast majority (76%) think that other people are not. The numbers of people saying they are taking this lockdown as seriously as the first is fairly consistent across all social groups. However, among those who are not, there is a generational difference. (YouGov)

January 21, 2021

(UK)

Could you spot dyslexia in a child? Most teachers and parents think they could

New research by YouGov looks into perceptions of support for dyslexic students and adults. Dyslexia is a common learning difficulty causing problems with reading, writing, and spelling. However, the condition can affect different people in different ways, making it hard to spot, with diagnoses of the condition normally made by specially trained dyslexia assessors. (YouGov)

January 21, 2021

(UK)

What white lies were Brits told as children? And which have they used themselves?

White lies can be a valuable tool to weary parents in controlling their children, from getting them to eat their vegetables to cutting back on screen time. But which white lies do adults remember from their childhood, and which have been passed on by parents to their children in turn? (YouGov)

January 22, 2021

(UK)

Proportion of Britons who want to see immigration reduced falls to lowest level since 2015

The proportion of those who want to see immigration in Britain reduced has fallen to its lowest level for the first time since our series of longitudinal surveys with IMIX began in February 2015. The proportion of those wanting to see immigration reduced is now 49%, which is the lowest we have recorded since our study that began in 2015. Between 2015 and 2018 the figure stood at six in ten or higher, but has fallen since, to 54% in 2019 and 52% in March 2020. Three in ten (31%) would like it to remain the same as it is (12% want to see it increased). (Ipsos MORI)

January 22, 2021

(UK)

Two-thirds of Britons believe there is a link between obesity and severe symptoms of COVID-19, but few see it as a motivation to lose weight

Britons are among those most likely globally to say there is a link between obesity and more severe Covid-19 symptoms however, few say it is their key motivation to lose weight. In a new global Ipsos survey, across 30 countries, apart from those in Peru, Britons are most likely to recognise a link between obesity and more severe symptoms of COVID-19. Almost two-thirds (64%) think there is a link, compared to 15% who believe there is no tie. (Ipsos MORI)

January 20, 2021

(UK)

More than 4 in 10 Britons are trying to lose weight, focusing on dieting and exercise

In a new global Ipsos survey, more than 4 in 10 (43%) Britons say they are trying to lose weight. Women are significantly more likely to be trying to shed the pounds; half are currently working towards this while 37% of men are trying to do the same. When looking at methods of weight loss, dieting/reducing food intake and exercising more are most likely to be used (53% and 52% respectively). Half of British adults are eating healthier but not dieting while around a quarter are drinking fewer sugary drinks (27%) and alcohol (25%). (Ipsos MORI)

January 18, 2021

NORTH AMERICA

Black Americans have made gains in U.S. political leadership, but gaps remain

Twelve years after Barack Obama made history as the first Black U.S. president, a Black woman was sworn in as vice president of the United States following the election of Joe Biden. Kamala Harris, who is of mixed Jamaican and Indian heritage, is the first Black American, first person of Asian descent and first woman to hold the second-highest office in the country. Harris’ election represented another advance in the slow but steady progress Black Americans have made in recent decades in gaining a greater foothold in political leadership, particularly in the U.S. House of Representatives and in the Cabinets of recent presidents. But they have lagged in the Senate and in governorships. (PEW)

January 22, 2021

Some Americans who have been targeted by troubling behaviors online wouldn’t call it ‘harassment’

A notable share of Americans who have personally been targets of troubling online behaviors would not label their experience as “online harassment,” according to a new Pew Research Center report. The Center’s survey conducted last September measured online harassment by asking respondents if they had personally experienced any of the following: offensive name-calling, purposeful embarrassment, stalking, physical threats, sexual harassment and sustained harassment. But in order to get a better understanding of how subjective this concept is, targets of these behaviors were asked if they considered their most recent incident to be “online harassment.” (PEW)

January 22, 2021

Americans Expect History to Judge Trump Harshly

January 19, 2021

Biden Transition Approval Remains High at 68%

As Joe Biden prepares to be sworn in as the 46th president of the United States, 68% of Americans approve of his handling of his presidential transition and about four in 10 rate his Cabinet appointments as "outstanding" or "above average." Majorities view Biden (57%) and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris (53%) favorably. (Gallup USA)

January 19, 2021

AUSTRALIA

59% of Australians want January 26 known as Australia Day but a sizeable minority of 41% wants it known as Invasion Day

A majority of Australians (59%) want January 26 known as ‘Australia Day’ however a large 41% say it should be called ‘Invasion Day’ according to special Roy Morgan Snap SMS survey conducted with an Australia-wide cross-section of 1,236 Australians aged 18+ on Monday January 25, 2021. (Roy Morgan)

January 26, 2021

MULTICOUNTRY STUDIES

Has COVID-19 affected Brits’ and Americans’ love of travel?

January 19, 2021

Europe is becoming more pro-vaccine

With coronavirus vaccination programmes continuing apace across the world, data from YouGov’s COVID-19 trackers shows that Europeans are increasingly willing to take the vaccine.

The biggest increase has been in Sweden. In our first survey there in mid-November only 45% of Swedes said they would be willing to take the vaccine. That figure has since increased to 66% who would take the vaccine (or have already done so). Britain has seen a similarly large increase, going from 61% to 81%. (YouGov)

January 22, 2021

ASIA

674-43-01/Poll

Olympians fear Tokyo Games could spread virus

They also expressed concern about a lack of support from fans at a time when the public is more preoccupied with staying safe than attending a massive event.

The survey was carried out as the nation grapples with a sharp surge in infections that has pushed the nationwide death toll from COVID-19 to over 5,000 this week.

The primary concern, voiced by 25 respondents, was that the summer Games could result in spreading the virus further.

This was followed by 18 worried about the risk of contracting the virus themselves. A lack of strong support from the public after the pandemic struck accounted for 15 replies.

Fourteen Olympians cited a lack of competitions and inadequate training opportunities to prepare for the Games. The same number worried that the Games, if they go ahead, would fall short of becoming an event where athletes are able to compete to become the world’s No. 1 due to an absence of numerous competitors.

Six respondents said they are not particularly concerned about the Games, according to the survey.

Respondents were allowed to choose more than one answer with regard to the question that concerns them most about the Games.

The online survey was conducted between November and January, covering 126 Olympians of 15 events, and on condition their names would be withheld when The Asahi Shimbun reported the findings.

Forty-one athletes expecting to participate in 11 events provided replies before Jan. 7, when the government declared a second state of emergency for the greater Tokyo area due to the spiraling pandemic.

The government maintains that the Olympics and Paralympics can go ahead this summer as rescheduled as long as due precautions are taken against infections.

In contrast, an overwhelming majority of the public are concerned about the wisdom of holding the event in light of a steep rise in cases and deaths in recent months, opinion polls by news media show.

The Asahi Shimbun survey found that many Olympians felt the government had failed to provide a sufficient explanation about its preparations toward hosting the Games.

This was the most common answer chosen by 19, when respondents were asked about what they felt was lacking most.

Asked to choose multiple answers about what they felt is indispensable for the Games to be held a year behind schedule, 22 cited spectators. The same number cited attendance of athletes from all member countries and territories of the International Olympic Committee. Both figures constituted the most common answer.

Sixteen Olympians referred to the Opening and Closing ceremonies of the Games. Six chose the Olympic Village for athletes while three, the least, mentioned the Olympic torch relay leading up to the Games.

The IOC said in March 2020, when it announced the postponement of the Tokyo Games, that only 57 percent of all events were filled, noting that the rest remained up in the air due to the global pandemic.

As for a cap on the number of spectators, 13 respondents picked the answer that half the capacity or only those who are relatives of or associated with Olympians should be allowed to attend. Eleven chose the option of not imposing a ceiling on spectator numbers.

Asked to write freely about their situation while the public health crisis rages, one respondent said restrictions on training made it an exacting task to get a sense of getting in better physical shape and maintaining motivation.

Another athlete cited the difficulty of securing funds for training as sponsor companies found their bottom lines heavily impacted by the pandemic.

But some Olympians tried to find a positive side to the rescheduled Games.

One said the year-long delay provided valuable time to address a weak point during the extended training period.

Another said the rescheduling provided renewed inspiration to do one's utmost under such a tough environment.

(The Asahi Shimbun)

January 24, 2021

Source: http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14132525

MENA

674-43-02/Poll

FIFA World Cup tops YouGov Sport’s Global Buzz 2021 Rankings in UAE

FIFA World Cup takes the top spot in YouGov Sport’s Global Buzz 2021 Rankings in the UAE, becoming the sports property with the most positive Buzz among residents in the country (32.2).

FIFA Club World Cup follows in the second place, with a Buzz score of 27.7. Although the event was postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it managed to create buzz among sports enthusiasts and landed a spot in the rankings.

YouGov SportsIndex measures the public’s perception of brands on a daily basis across a range of metrics. The rankings are based on the Buzz score from YouGov’s SportsIndex, which measures whether respondents have heard something positive or negative about a brand recently.

The past year has led to monumental disruption within the global sports and events sector. Nevertheless, even during these unprecedented times, the UAE served as an unparalleled sporting destination.

One of the most popular T20 cricket leagues, The Indian Premier League, took place in the UAE last year. The event created a lot of positive buzz among sports-starved residents, making it the third most popular event of 2020.

Two other cricket events- ICC World Twenty20 and the ICC Cricket World Cup also make an appearance in the list, taking the ninth and tenth position (17.4 each), respectively.

The 2020 Formula 1 Championship that ended in Abu Dhabi secured the fourth position in the top ten rankings (21.9).

The past year looked favorable for sports properties related to football. Major football championships like The English Premier League, UEFA Champions League and LA Liga appeared in the top ten list, at fifth (with a score of 21.7), sixth (19.8) and seventh (19.5), respectively.

Dubai’s obsession with health and fitness led the Dubai Marathon to land a place in the top ten rankings- at eighth (18.1).

Domestic ranking

Of those properties which were held in the UAE, it’s the Indian Premier League which comes out on top with a score of 22.0 points. As we mention earlier, the event moved temporarily to the UAE in 2020 to avoid COVID restrictions and it looks like even if the move disappointed many Indians, it created plenty of noise in the UAE.

Dubai-based events then make up the next three highest properties. The Dubai Marathon, Dubai World Cup (equestrianism) and the Dubai Tennis Championships all make a splash with their annual events.

There is little to separate them from the Arabian Gulf League, the UAE’s premier domestic football competition. The League, which along with the Arabian Gulf Cup, represents the highlight of the country’s soccer scene sees off competition from the highly-regarded AFC Champions League.

Talking about the YouGov Sport’s Global Buzz 2021 Rankings, Scott Fritz of YouGov Sports said, “Across the globe, the world of sports had been hit hard by the pandemic, leading to the cancellation or postponement of major sporting events worldwide.

“However, the UAE witnessed a good year in terms of sports with the successful hosting of IPL 2020. Domestic events like the Dubai marathon also kept the buzz alive. However, football dominated the 2021 rankings, with five major tournaments featuring in the top ten list."

“With major global sporting events choosing the UAE as a venue as well as the return of live spectators, this could be a great opportunity for the UAE to reinforce its credentials as a global sports destination.”

About YouGov SportsIndex

SportsIndex is one of YouGov Sport’s signature capabilities. It operates in 33 markets across the world, tracking 200 key domestic and international properties across 30 sports.

In every market, it takes a list of the leading sports properties – a mix of domestic and international events, competitions and leagues – and, from 1.8m surveys annually, it measures the public’s perceptions of them.

Every day, and for every property on our list, we track 16 separate metrics, providing a treasure chest of data for sports marketers and administrators.

SportsIndex gives our clients the capability to do everything from measuring the effect of yesterday’s news headlines to establishing a season-on-season trend stretching back years. And because it operates internationally, users can track and compare properties across the world.

When combined with BrandIndex, which measures perceptions of more than 13,000 brands globally across 38 markets, you have one of the most powerful solutions in the sports world for informing strategy, finding partners and reacting to events.

Methodology

The 2021 Buzz Report provides insight about all the sports events we monitor against just one of the 16 metrics we measure – ‘Buzz’.

Every month, we ask 275-300 people in UAE this question...

“Over the PAST TWO WEEKS, which of the following sporting events have you heard something positive/negative about?”

From the answers we collect, we derive a Buzz score for each event.

What’s a Buzz score?

Our Buzz score is the difference between the percentage of respondents hearing positive news and the percentage hearing negative news about an event in the previous two weeks. So, depending on what is going on, an event’s Buzz score can reveal whether conversations around a property are positive or negative at a point in time. Here is a graph charting the Buzz score for the FIFA Men’s World Cup over 2018 which shows how this metric can change over time.

Buzz scores can range from +100 (where everyone we asked has heard something positive) to -100 (where everyone we asked has heard something negative). A completely neutral score, therefore, would be zero. A score of 45 would show positive sentiment towards a property, by a margin of 45 percentage-points.

For our Buzz rankings here, we look at the peak, average highest Buzz score each property has scored each calendar month. Then we take the highest of those twelve scores and compare them with highest monthly scores of every other property we track in that market. We track up to 80 properties in each market but for the sake of this report, we display only the top ten for 2020.

(YouGov MENA)

January 27, 2021

Source: https://mena.yougov.com/en/news/2021/01/27/fifa-world-cup-tops-yougov-sports-global-buzz-2021/

AFRICA

674-43-03/Poll

Liberians laud government’s COVID-19 response but claim unfair distribution of relief assistance, new Afrobarometer study shows

A majority of Liberians approve of the government’s performance in managing the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including necessary lockdowns, a new Afrobarometer survey shows.

But most believe that COVID-19 relief was not distributed fairly. Better-off citizens and urban residents were about twice as likely as the poor and rural residents to benefit from this assistance, and older citizens appear to have been largely overlooked.

A quarter of citizens say their households lost income because of the pandemic. While most citizens support the lockdown as necessary, most also found it difficult to comply with the restrictions.

The study also shows a less-than-encouraging attitude toward vaccines: Few Liberians trust their government to ensure that COVID-19 vaccines are safe, and only one-third say they are likely to try to get vaccinated. Most say prayer is more effective than a vaccine in preventing the spread of COVID-19.

Key findings

▪ Three in 100 citizens (3%) say they or a member of their household became ill with

COVID-19, and a quarter (25%) say they lost income because of the pandemic (Figure 1).

▪ About eight in 10 Liberians (81%) say they found it “difficult” or “very difficult” to comply with COVID-19 lockdown restrictions.

▪ But a similar majority (83%) “agree” or “strongly agree” that the lockdown was necessary, in spite of the toll it took on the economy and people’s livelihoods.

▪ Seven in 10 (71%) also “somewhat support” or “strongly support” the closure of schools to limit the spread of the coronavirus.

▪ But most think the period during which schools were closed was “somewhat too long” (23%) or “much too long” (59%).

▪ Fewer than one in 10 Liberians (9%) say they or their households received government assistance during the pandemic (Figure 2).

▪ Economically well-off citizens (those experiencing no lived poverty) (16%) are twice as likely as relatively poorer citizens (those experiencing low, moderate, or high lived poverty) (7%-9%) to report receiving assistance. Urban residents were twice as likely as rural dwellers to receive relief (12% vs. 6%). And only 1% of those aged over 55 say they received assistance.

▪ About eight in 10 (78%) citizens say the benefits of government programs to support people during the COVID-19 pandemic were not distributed fairly (Figure 3).

▪ Majorities say the government is doing “fairly well” or “very well" in managing the response to the pandemic (64%) and keeping the public informed (80%) (Figure 4).

▪ However, only three in 10 (30%) say they trust government statistics on COVID-19.

And eight in 10 (81%) think that “some” or “a lot” of the resources that were available for combatting the COVID-19 pandemic were lost or stolen due to corruption among government officials.

▪ Only two in 10 Liberians (20%) say they trust the government “somewhat” or “a lot” to ensure that any COVID-19 vaccine is safe before it is used in the country (Figure 5).

▪ Only one-third (34%) say they are likely to try to get vaccinated if a vaccine becomes available.

▪ Almost nine in 10 citizens (86%) say prayer is more effective than a vaccine would be in preventing COVID-19 infection, including 61% who think prayer is “much more effective.”

▪ Two-thirds (66%) of Liberians say the government needs to invest more in preparing to respond to health emergencies like COVID-19, even if it means fewer resources are available for other health services.

(Afrobarometer)

January 20, 2021

Source: https://www.afrobarometer.org/press/liberians-laud-governments-covid-19-response-claim-unfair-distribution-relief-assistance-new

674-43-04/Poll

Ethiopians support rule of law, concerned about impunity for officials who break the law, Afrobarometer survey shows

Ethiopians overwhelmingly favour a government that always follows the law, even when doing so runs counter to popular demand, according to the most recent Afrobarometer survey.

Similarly, a majority say the prime minister must always obey the laws and courts, even if he or she thinks they are wrong.

But popular faith in the rule of law confronts the widespread perception that officials who commit crimes often go unpunished and that people are often treated unequally under the law.

Key findings

▪ An overwhelming majority (86%) of Ethiopians say government actions must always follow the law; only 14% think that popular support should allow a government to do “whatever the people want” (Figure 1).

▪ More than two-thirds (68%) of citizens say the prime minister must always obey the laws and the courts, while three in 10 (31%) hold that he should not be bound by laws or court decisions that he thinks are wrong (Figure 2).

▪ More than half (53%) of Ethiopians think that officials who commit crimes “often” or “always” go unpunished. By contrast, only three in 10 (29%) say the same is true for ordinary citizens (Figure 3).

▪ The perception that officials who break the law often go unpunished is more common among citizens with post-secondary education (65%) and urban residents (62%) than among those with less education (51%-53%) and rural dwellers (51%) (Figure 4).

▪ Almost half (45%) of Ethiopians say people are “often” or “always” treated unequally under the law, though a slim majority (53%) believe this “rarely” or “never” happens (Figure 5).

(Afrobarometer)

January 22, 2021

Source: https://afrobarometer.org/sites/default/files/press-release/Ethiopia/news_release-ethiopians_affirm_rule_of_law-afrobarometer-21jan21.pdf

674-43-05/Poll

New Year Poll Result Release

With regards to the economy, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) stated that the Nigerian economy slipped into recession at the end of the third quarter which ended in September 2020 after it shrinked by 6.1 percent in Q2 2020. According to the NBS, this recession is the worst since 1987 as the Gross Domestic Product in real terms declined by -3.62% (year-on-year) in the third quarter of 2020 and is driven by the long closure of the Nigerian borders which restricted economic movements across the borders.[1] Interestingly, respondents lamented over the high cost of goods and services in the country during the course of the survey, hence the demand for the government and decision makers to focus their attention on the economy in 2021.

On the Education, 50 percent of Nigerians nationwide want the government to significantly focus its attention on the sector, given the low budget allocated to the sector as well as the reoccurring strike by Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) which has crippled academic activities in our citadel of learnings. Also, opinion on security revealed that 49 Percent of Nigerians nationwide request that the government should improve on the security situation in the country. Nigeria is faced with various security challenges ranging from terrorism, banditry and kidnapping in the North, increasing violence between herders and farming communities spreading from the central belt south-ward, separatist Biafra agitation in the South-East and long-running discontent and militancy in the Niger Delta etc.[2]

Given the above challenges, the federal government, state government and concerned stakeholders need to place high priority on ensuring that challenges surrounding these sectors that Nigerians have pointed-out are drastically improved so as to improve the economy and foster national development in the country at large. These are the key highlights from the New Year Poll conducted in the week commencing December, 14^th 2020.

Survey Background

The New Year celebration is one of the most celebrated events in Nigeria and often characterized by various activities to usher in the New Year with great excitement and optimism as well as resolutions to be better individuals. It is expected and believed that 2021 will come along with some economic relief. Aside the economy, Nigerians have high expectation that New Year will bring a lot of positivities considering that 2020 was a unique year especially with the emergence of Coronavirus. It is also expected that the government will focus its attention on key areas to create desired socio-economic changes that would stimulate development of the nation as well as improve the lives of the citizens. Against this backdrop, NOIPolls conducted a survey to gauge the perceptions and opinions of Nigerians regarding their expectation in 2021.

Survey Findings

Thesurvey result revealed that Nigerians (51 percent) expect the government of Nigeria to focus its attention on the Economy of the country. It is on record that Nigeria’s economy experienced consecutive decline in Q2 and Q3 of 2020 thereby plunging the country into recession. As a result, inflation in Nigeria grew from 13.71 percent in September 2020 to 14.89 in November, 2020 for all items while food items experienced an increase in inflation from 16.66 percent to 18.30 percent in November 2020 according to the central bank[1]. From the foregoing, it shows that a lot of Nigerians wriggled under the enormous economic hardship, hence the clamor for the government to address the sector in the New Year.

Similarly, 50 percent of Nigerians expect the government to focus its attention in the area of Education. The low budget alloacation and steady trike actions by the Academic staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have contributed to the challenges facing the sector, hence the need for government to pay more attention to the sector. In addition, 45 percent singled out Security situation which is another area that is yearning for attention from the government in 2021. The issue of terrorism in the North East, banditry activities in the North-West and Kidnappings which occur everywhere in the country are some of the security challenges experienced by Nigerians amongst others.

Other areas include Infrastructure (Road) (42 Percent), Electricity (36 Percent), Health (29 Percent), Agriculture (19 Percent), Job creation (10 percent), Reduction in prices of goods and services (5 percent), and Water (2 percent).

Conclusion

In conclusion, the poll has revealed that Nigerians want the government to focus its attention mostly in the areas of Economy, Education and Security in 2021. Therefore, it is advised for the government to listen to the yearnings of the citizens and focus on these critical areas in 2021. This is an agenda-setting target by the citizens which climax in having the job of the government set out for it in the New year. Whether the government will heed to these genuine yearnings of Nigerians is left to be seen as Nigerians are expentant that the government will listen and channel its energy and machineries in these directions.

Survey Method

The poll was conducted in the week commencing December 14^th, 2020. It involved telephone interviews of a random nationwide sample. 1,000 randomly selected phone-owning Nigerians aged 18 years and above, representing the six geopolitical zones in the country, were interviewed. With a sample of this size, we can say with 95% confidence that the results obtained are statistically precise – within a range of plus or minus 4.65%.

NOIPolls Limited, is the No1 for country specific polling services in West Africa. We conduct periodic opinion polls and studies on various socio-economic and political issues in Nigeria.

(NOI-Polls)

January 07, 2021

Source: https://noi-polls.com/new-year-poll-result-release-2/

EUROPE

674-43-06/Poll

Curfew ticking bomb for young people

If we want to introduce curfew, it is very important that this is done with full knowledge and understanding of the position of young people. There is still support for this, but its preservation is of great importance. Results from the Corona Impact Monitor that Motivaction carried out for the fifth time since March, show that it is mainly young people who are currently suffering badly from the effects of the lockdown. Feelings of fear, panic, anger and boredom are significantly more common among young people up to 25 years of age than among other age groups (see table 1).

Table 1

Emotions experienced	Young people <25 years	26 to 35 years old	> 36 years
Fear	28%	17%	16%
Panic	23%	14%	5%
To worry	43%	44%	34%
Anger	39%	26%	23%
Rebellion	21%	20%	16%
Gloom	45%	33%	15%
Frustration	57%	46%	35%
Fatigue	46%	45%	23%
Boredom	51%	33%	19%

I don't like it

In addition, more than two-thirds (70%) of the young people indicate that life has become less enjoyable due to corona, against 'only' 49% of the elderly . The fact that young people have more difficulty with this time is also apparent from the fact that more than half of them indicate that it is more difficult to get through this second lockdown than the lockdown in the spring. This also means that it is mainly young people who do not like the curfew (see table 2).

Table 2

Support for curfew	young people <25 years	26 to 35 years old	> 36 years
Strongly disagree / disagree	47%	42%	33%
Neither agree nor disagree	13%	15%	28%
Agree / strongly agree	37%	40%	38%
Do not know / no opinion	4%	3%	1%

Young people: less support

The above feeling is also expressed in the behavior of young people. The vast majority of young people are still willing to follow the advice of the government in the fight against the corona virus, but this number is significantly lower than among the older groups. Especially when it comes to limiting social activities, there is much less support among young people than among older citizens (see Table 3).

Table 3

Aid for measures	young people <25 years	26 to 35 years old	> 36 years
Limit social contacts	67%	70%	83%
If I have minor complaints, stay at home	58%	68%	68%
Behavior to prevent corona
I keep 1.5m distance as much as possible	50%	71%	88%
Even when it's busy, I go shopping	21%	15%	7%

Adolescent brain

A study conducted in the past year led by professor of neurocognitive developmental psychology, Eveline Crone of Erasmus University, pointed to the role of the development of the adolescent brain in dealing with corona. And here lies a task for the communication industry. Almost a quarter of young people still think that the consequences of the corona virus are exaggerated and more than a third think they run little risk of infection. Approximately 1 in 6 young people also indicate that they do not or do not really know what to do to contain the corona virus (among the elderly, this is 1 in approximately 9).

You don't have to be a psychic to realize that when it comes to the introduction of a curfew, it is the above sentiments in particular that will feed the resistance among young people against it. Enforcing the curfew can thus become an assignment that threatens to devastate us as a society en masse.

Offer a perspective for action

It is worthwhile to develop a communication approach that is specifically tailored to young people and that is not only able to reach but also touch them. An approach that provides young people with information about the dangers of corona and what they can do about it, as well as an approach that helps them to keep a positive outlook. An approach that not only informs but also offers a concrete action perspective. There is support to conquer corona together, but it cannot be changed and must be nourished continuously. And that requires more than a press conference of the Prime Minister and a commercial on TV (which young people don't watch anyway). The Netherlands has enough communication and behavioral experts who, together with experts by experience (ie the young people themselves), can come up with a creative approach to further develop that support. If we want young people to continue to support the corona approach, we must look for ways that young people can draw hope from. The future of our youth is too valuable not to take up this challenge with both hands.

(Motivaction)

January 21, 2021

Source: https://www.motivaction.nl/kennisplatform/nieuws-en-persberichten/avondklok-tikkende-bom-voor-jonger

674-43-07/Poll

What financial good intentions does the Netherlands have for 2021?

The new year has been on its way for a few weeks now and fortunately it looks like we can look forward to better times. The past year has brought about many changes, also in the financial field. At the same time, we have also learned a tremendous amount from these changes about how to deal with unexpected changing circumstances in the new year.

Despite the fact that many Dutch people generally prefer not to worry about their finances, we cannot escape thinking about certain financial decisions in 2021. Especially after an eventful year in which income and expenditure patterns may have changed drastically, January is the perfect time to take a closer look at good intentions in the field of finance. Major differences can be seen among the Dutch in how they implement these financial intentions. These differences arise not only through age, gender, place of residence or education level, but also beliefs, emotions and underlying values play a very important role in this.

Based on attitudes and behavior of finances (such as spending, saving, investing), we have narrowed our Mentality environments to five distinct consumer groups: Financial Intelligent, Controlled Enjoyment, Voluntary Austerity, Slightly Impulsive, and Ambitious Actors.

Chantal Fintality Article

What about our financial intentions?

Each of this group of consumers differs in their way of approaching financial choices, so they also differ in what their financial New Year's resolutions are. One of these groups is the Financial Intelligent, they handle their money in a well-considered and responsible manner and strive to be financially independent. A popular intention among financially intelligent people is to save more for a buffer in the coming year, 42% indicate that they intend to do so. This is less common among the other Fintality groups, among them only 32% of consumers intend to build up a buffer. Financial intelligents are also planning to study their retirement more closely than the other Fintality environments. For example, the intention is to put more money aside for their pension, and keep a better eye on their pension overview, both in the top 5 of good financial intentions for the coming year. These two intentions do not appear in the top 5 among all consumers.

See the top 5 of these financially intelligent people below

Chantal Fintality Article image 2

(Motivaction)

January 22, 2021

Source: https://www.motivaction.nl/kennisplatform/nieuws-en-persberichten/welke-financiele-goede-voornemens-heeft-nederland-voor-2021

674-43-08/Poll

Kommersant - Found a needle on a stone

In January 2021, Gallup International (the largest and most famous association of independent research agencies, uniting 55 companies and conducting surveys in almost 100 countries of the world) studied the level of support for vaccination by the population of 47 countries of the world: Russia, USA, Japan, Mexico, Spain, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Vietnam, India, Thailand, Kenya, Palestine, Kyrgyzstan, Great Britain, Ukraine and others. A total of 42,598 people over 18 years old were interviewed, of which 1,500 were in Russia. In the Romir holding (the exclusive representative of Gallup in the CIS), Kommersant says that in Russia, “a personal survey covered identified respondents representing a full-fledged section of society.”

The study participants were asked: what do they think the majority of the population of their country will do if a new coronavirus vaccine becomes publicly available and is considered safe and effective, will they agree to vaccination or not?

The most confident were respondents in Vietnam (92%), Thailand (80%), India and South Korea (78% each), Argentina (77%), Indonesia (75%) and Malaysia (68%). 46% of US residents, 52% of Ukraine and 62% of Turkey answered the question in the affirmative. In general, 53% of the world's population expressed their consent. Moreover, in Russia - only 30%. Only North Macedonia (28%), Bosnia and Herzegovina (27%), Bulgaria (27%) turned out to be more pessimistic than our fellow citizens.

“Given your overall vaccination readiness, can you say that the global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has increased the likelihood that you will receive vaccinations, lower them, or no change?” - this was the second question. 41% of Russians (50% in the world) said that the pandemic has increased the willingness to vaccinate, while 21% of our compatriots believe that, on the contrary, it has decreased (in the world - 18%). 26% of Russian residents did not change their opinion on this score (in the world - 28%).

Respondents in different countries were also asked whether, in their opinion, the global coronavirus pandemic increased the likelihood of their fellow citizens getting vaccinated, reduced it or left it unchanged. As a result, 42% of Russians believe that compatriots are more likely to get vaccinated (in the world 55% of respondents are confident in their fellow citizens), 23% of Russians (20% in the world) said that this probability has decreased, 23% of Russians will not change their attitude to vaccinations (in the world - 20%). It should be noted that most of the residents of Vietnam (84%), Ecuador (70%), Iraq (67%) and Thailand (76%) are confident in the growth of such a probability.

According to Andrei Milekhin, vice-president of Gallup International, president of "Romir", "not everyone is ready to get vaccinated, although the majority of earthlings plan to do so."

Mr. Milekhin notes the greatest activity in this matter among residents of Asian countries, "from where the virus began to spread": "And our compatriots are relatively more cautious." Andrei Milekhin did not comment on the possible reasons for this trend.

The relatively low level of readiness to get vaccinated in Europe, in particular in Russia, is due to the fact that we “have not yet developed a fear of infections,” believes Ekaterina Kurbangaleeva, a member of the RF OP, director of the National Research Center “Minority Opinion”. “For a very long time, within the borders of several generations, we have not encountered such a serious virus, which cannot be said about the inhabitants of Asian countries,” she says. “In China and Vietnam, where the population is concentrated in a small space, people often even just walk the streets. masks ". Nadezhda Lebeda, professor at the Faculty of Social Sciences at the Higher School of Economics, added that for the countries of Southeast Asia, “listening to their leaders and going where they were directed” is a pattern of behavior. At the same time, the situation in European countries is approximately uniform, and “it is incorrect to consider that our compatriots somehow differently assess the possibility of their own vaccination and vaccination of fellow citizens, ”Ms. Lebedeva is sure. “On the other hand, in Russia, firstly, they traditionally do not trust domestic drugs, giving preference to those produced in the West,” she clarified. “Secondly, our fellow citizens are used to not trusting active campaigning. In addition, the campaign in support of vaccination has not demonstrated that top officials of the state, medical leaders and other role models have been vaccinated. " Aleksey Firsov, founder of the Platform for Social Forecasting Center, also drew attention to the problem of the lack of positive examples: “The presidential press secretary previously explained that Vladimir Putin was not vaccinated because his age does not allow, but people see that Trump, Biden were vaccinated, and they older. "

The press regularly publishes materials that say that the vaccine has not passed a sufficient test, and this fuels mistrust and anxiety about possible side effects, ”Natalia Kiselnikova, deputy director of the Psychological Institute of the Russian Academy of Education, points out a possible reason.

Note that yesterday the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund Kirill Dmitriev promised that the results of the third phase of clinical trials of the Sputnik V vaccine (the lack of this information was criticized) would be published in “one of the respected medical journals” next week. “A large number of people who are trying to portray Sputnik V negatively, in fact, already cannot find arguments,” said Mr. Dmitriev (quoted by Interfax). “And the last argument, believe me, will be when the publication appears in magazine ".

The epidemic process is stabilizing, but more and more infected people are detected in rural areas

Despite the forthcoming vaccination campaign announced back in November 2020, it is still quite modest at the federal level (at least outside Moscow). From the speech of the Minister of Health Mikhail Murashko at the Federation Council the day before, one can assume why this is so. "Commercial" volumes of the Sputnik V vaccine came to the regions only in January 2021, obviously, the risks of popularizing vaccination in Russia now are the risks of local interruptions with the availability of the vaccine at certain points. They can discredit the entire campaign. Medical institutions are clearly guided by the fact that practically everyone who comes to receive the vaccine - for this, there should not be too many applicants at the initial stage. According to the minister's presentation, as of January 20, six production sites producing Sputnik V produced 6, 5 million doses (obviously both components) of the vaccine. Most of this vaccine has already been used in 2020 (mainly for vaccination of medical personnel) or exported.

In January 2021, 2.1 million doses of the drug are ready to be shipped to the regions of the Russian Federation, in February this figure will increase to 5.17 million doses.

Vaccination figures in Moscow were published yesterday: a total of 220 thousand people were vaccinated, of which 50 thousand in 2020. If the volume of vaccination in Russia in February is indeed twice as high as in January, the peak of the "advertising campaign" of vaccination will probably be in the country at the end of February — beginning of March. It should also be noted that in the fall-winter of 2020, the authorities in the Russian Federation made efforts to advertise influenza vaccination comparable to the "coronavirus" efforts: huge funds were allocated for this vaccination (almost 15 billion rubles), since the "overlap" of COVID-19 and influenza epidemics threatened the health care system is a huge problem. For the Russian Federation, the March-April indicators of trust or mistrust in vaccination against coronavirus will be important - only they will show to what extent the state is able to produce a sufficient amount of its own vaccine.

(Romir)

January 22, 2021

Source: https://romir.ru/press/kommersant--nashla-igla-na-kamen

674-43-09/Poll

More than 7 out of 10 Italians regret the lost routine: the BVA Doxa survey for UNHCR that launches the "Fantastica Routine" campaign

Because of COVID-19 we have lost many certainties and, if before the pandemic routine was often underestimated, today we realize how “fantastic” normality was instead. Even going to school is no longer taken for granted, but without education no child can have a future. In light of these considerations, the "Fantastica Routine" campaign promoted by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) for which BVA Doxa conducted the survey "The routine of Italians at the time of the pandemic" is twofold: from a on the other hand, we want to stimulate a reflection on the importance of the certainties of daily routine, just like education for children, on the other hand the campaign aims to raise funds to rebuild 4000 schools in the Sahel, an action that would help 700 thousand refugee children to return at school.

HOW MUCH DO WE MISS THE “FANTASTIC ROUTINE”? - Surely a lot, since over 7 out of 10 Italians (75%) would definitely want to go back to life as before and more than 8 out of 10 (85%) found it difficult to adapt to the limitations imposed by the pandemic. A fact that does not leave us completely surprised, given the particular historical moment we are experiencing, but which takes on a different meaning when compared with the vision that the Italians had of the routine a few years ago: in 2013, 35% of our compatriots(almost 18 million Italians) declared that he would immediately change his life if only he could. If before the pandemic routine was considered in some way boring and obvious, today it is strongly re-evaluated and desired. This is what emerges from the survey "The routine of Italians at the time of the pandemic" , carried out by BVA Doxa for the UN Refugee Agency ( UNHCR ) which today launches the "Fantastica Routine" campaign,aimed at stimulating reflection on the daily routine and raising funds for the humanitarian and educational emergency underway in the Sahel. From January 24 to February 14, by donating via text message or calling 45588, each of us will be able to help 700,000 refugee children in the Sahel return to school, rebuilding 4000 destroyed schools.

THE COMMENT OF LAURA IUCCI, DIRECTOR OF FUNDRAISING OF UNHCR ITALIA - " Already in 2012 and 2013, with the campaign 'Routine is fantastic' we tried to offer a positive interpretation of our daily life, too often underestimated, and invited all to identify with the refugees who at any moment lose everything, their home, their jobs and their loved ones. But perhaps never as today does this appeal seem coherent and appropriate to us because now perhaps we can all better understand how fundamental certainties are, especially the education of children, an indispensable routine ”.

BETWEEN HOPES AND FEARS - It is an Italy that oscillates between fear and hope that photographed by the BVA Doxa research for UNHCR: 49% of the interviewees feel worried about the future that is uncertain, while 40% are overall calm and confident of better times that will surely come; finally 11% say they are lucky to have certainties and stability. Moreover, 25% of Italians maintain that in this difficult phase of our history they have discovered new important aspects of their personality ; the 15%he also managed to easily adapt and use this moment for personal growth .

The pandemic has erased many certainties, affecting in particular some categories of people: most of the interviewees said they feel more solidarity especially towards those who have lost their jobs and economic stability. The elderly, doctors and health workers, children who have not attended school , refugees and the most vulnerable are at the center of the concerns of the majority of respondents.

Certainly the gatherings with family and friends are at the top of the list of habits that are lacking most, on a par with travel , followed immediately after by hugs . In the last few months of restrictions, surfing the internet has been the favorite activity of Italians, followed by films and TV series.

A NEW ROUTINE: MORE VALUE FOR SMALL THINGS, LESS WASTE - Almost 9 out of 10 Italians (88%) think that once the COVID-19 emergency is over, the routine will change completely. More than half of the interviewees ( 53% ) affirm that, after this experience, they will appreciate more the certainties and the little things in life, without taking anything for granted ; 21% also state that they will try to minimize waste . Finally, 20% say that they will no longer get caught up in the frenzy of work and daily commitments and that they will devote more time to loved ones and things that are really important, while 6%he says he will spend more time on even the most vulnerable people.

(BVA Doxa)

January, 2021

Source: https://www.bva-doxa.com/oltre-7-italiani-su-10-rimpiangono-la-routine-perduta-il-sondaggio-di-bva-doxa-per-lunhcr-che-lancia-la-campagna-fantastica-routine/

674-43-10/Poll

Britons’ attitudes toward national lockdown

Many Britons feel that their fellow countrymen aren’t taking this lockdown as seriously as the first one

A new YouGov survey, conducted for the Sun on Sunday, has looked at attitudes towards the national lockdown, including how seriously people are taking it, whether the rules should change, and when restrictions will finally come to an end.

How seriously are Britons taking this lockdown compared to the first one?

Two thirds of Britons people (69%) say they are taking this latest lockdown just as seriously as the first, but the vast majority (76%) think that other people are not.

The numbers of people saying they are taking this lockdown as seriously as the first is fairly consistent across all social groups. However, among those who are not, there is a generational difference.

Young people are more likely to say they are taking this latest set of restrictions less seriously (28%) than more seriously (8%), whereas the opposite is true for older Britons. Among those aged 65 and above, just 8% are taking thing less seriously, while a quarter (23%) are being more cautious this time around.

Despite this self-confessed difference, the proportions of people who think that others are not taking the restrictions as seriously is consistent across age groups, as well as most the other demographic breaks including the age brackets.

How do Britons want lockdown to change in 2021?

As our research has shown throughout the pandemic, people continue to support stricter lockdown measures, and oppose most of the measures suggested that would loosen restrictions. This continues to be the case in this survey.

Of the potential changes to lockdown we asked about, the one that gathered most support is a requirement for people to wear facemasks at all times in public, at 69%. Only 27% are opposed to such a rule.

Further to this, 57% of people would support closing garden centres, and in England and Wales 52% would also support the closure of nurseries (they are already closed in Scotland). Around a third of people (36%) would be opposed to closing childcare nurseries.

There are several changes to the rules that most Britons don’t want to see made, however.

Ending support bubbles, which allow certain individuals to mix with people from one other household, is opposed by the majority of Britons (54%). Only one in three (36%) are in favour of such a move.

People are also not so keen on more rigorous rules around exercise. For example, 55% of people in England and Wales would be opposed to a ban on two people from different households meeting for exercise, with the same proportion rejecting calls to limit how long or how often people can go outside to exercise. In both cases, 40% of English and Welsh people would support tightening the rules in this way.

When it comes to relaxing rules, opposition is typically high. Half of Britons (54%) would be opposed to allowing pubs to resume offering takeaway alcohol, 67% oppose school reopening, and 69% don’t want non-essential retail to reopen at the present time.

Do people think the lockdown rules are clear?

While ministers have consistently come in for criticism in the media for failing to provide clarity on coronavirus rules, most people think the rules of lockdown are clear.

Britons are most confident they understand the rules around face masks – 86% of Britons consider them clear, compared to 13% who say they are not.

Eight in ten people who say the rules on when people are allowed to leave home are clear (79%) as do seven in ten for restrictions on which shops and services are allowed to remain open (72%).

Britons are most confused over the rules surrounding support bubbles. While a majority do say the rules are clear on this (57%), a third say the rules here are unclear (37%) including one in ten people who think these rules are “very unclear”.

How much longer will the UK have COVID-19 restrictions?

With the vaccine rollout underway, it is reasonable to think an end to lockdown might be in sight, and for an optimistic few it is – 3% of Britons think the last restrictions will be suspended within 2 months.

Overall the majority of Britons (54%) expect that COVID-19 restrictions will end within the next 12 months. A third of Brits (35%) expect it to take longer still, however.

Britons aged 18 to 24 are the most optimistic, with a total of 29% predicting an end to restrictions in six months, compared to 20% of the over 65s.

(YouGov)

January 21, 2021

Source: https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/articles-reports/2021/01/20/britons-attitudes-toward-national-lockdown

674-43-11/Poll

Could you spot dyslexia in a child? Most teachers and parents think they could

New research by YouGov looks into perceptions of support for dyslexic students and adults

Dyslexia is a common learning difficulty causing problems with reading, writing, and spelling. However, the condition can affect different people in different ways, making it hard to spot, with diagnoses of the condition normally made by specially trained dyslexia assessors.

New YouGov research poses the question to teachers and parents; could they spot dyslexia in a child?

The symptoms, which can include things like confusing the order of letters inside a word or writing letters the wrong way around, usually start to appear when a child starts going to school.

Most teachers (83%) in the UK think they are confident that they would recognise the symptoms of dyslexia in a student, including 63% who are “somewhat” confident they could do so and 20% who are “very” confident.

Parents report a similar level of confidence that they could spot dyslexia symptoms in a child, with seven in ten Britons (70%) with a child under the age of 18 confident they would recognise the condition, compared to 26% who are not confident they could.

How many Britons might have dyslexia?

Overall 3% of Britons reported that they have had a dyslexia diagnosis in the past. The number who have the condition could be noticeably higher, however, with another 5% suspecting they have dyslexia, but have not been tested for the condition.

Another one in nine (11%) report that they have been tested, but were not diagnosed with the condition - meaning 14% of the adult population has had a test for dyslexia. The majority (75%) of Britons do not think they have dyslexia, and have never been tested.

Most teachers say their schools offer good support for dyslexic students, but the general public are unsure

As awareness of condition has increased, so too has the support on offer for students with dyslexia. Overall, 71% of teachers say their school or institution supports dyslexic students well. However one in five (20%) say their organisation does a bad job in supporting these students’ needs.

While a majority of teachers from all school types think they offer good support for these students, there is a difference between state and private schools. Nearly a quarter of staff in academy schools (funded by central government rather than local authorities) say their organisations support for dyslexic students is bad (23%), compared to 14% of staff at private schools say they same.

Three in ten private school staff (32%) also say their school supports dyslexic students “very well” compared to 18% of academy staff who say the same.

While many among the general public are unsure about support for people with dyslexia, there is a general perception that schools offer better support for dyslexic people than workplaces.

Primary schools (37%) are seen as the most like to support these students well, followed by secondary schools (33%), colleges and universities (30%), and finally workplaces and employers (16%). Around a third of each group (36-37%) think that workplaces and employers do a bad job of supporting dyslexic employees.

Academic support isn’t seen as conferring an unfair advantage on dyslexic students

Some of the support given to dyslexic students, which will be tailored to their needs, can include additional time in examinations or scribes to help them write their answers. Most Britons (61%) think that the additional support does not confer an unfair advantage on students receiving it, and instead puts them on the same level as their peers.

Only 7% of Britons think that this additional support puts dyslexic students at an advantage compared to their peers.

(YouGov)

January 21, 2021

Source: https://yougov.co.uk/topics/education/articles-reports/2021/01/21/spot-dyslexia-symptoms-teachers-parents

674-43-12/Poll

What white lies were Brits told as children? And which have they used themselves?

Santa’s naughty list is the top white lie British parents tell their children

Most Britons remember being told carrots help them see in the dark

The most popular white lie that adults recall is being told is that eating their carrots would improve their vision in the dark (88%). While there is some truth to this, vitamin A in carrots is essential for good eyesight, this myth was actually created to cover up the invention of aircraft-detecting radar in the second world war. Despite its age, this white lie remains popular, with 78% of 18 to 24-year olds saying their parents told them this lie as children.

The second most popular white lie adults remember being told (86%) is about the naughty and nice lists Father Christmas keeps thought the year.

Following this, 73% also say their parents told them that they would get square eyes from using screens too much. Despite the increasing prevalence of screens, this lie is most remembered by 24 to 49-year olds (80%, who would have been children between the mid 1970’s-90’s) compared to 64% of 18 to 24-year olds.

Another lie that is more likely to be remembered by this group is that lying can cause your nose to grow (68%), which 75% of 25 to 49-year olds recall compared to 48% of 18 to 24-year olds.

Around a third (37%) of adults say their parents said that eating the crusts of bread would put hair on their chest, a lie remembered by 40% of men and 33% of women.

A lie that younger adults do recall more, however, is that ice-cream vans only play their tune when they have run out of ice cream. One in six (15%) of 18 to 25-year olds say their parents told them this, compared to 7% of the over 65s.

What white lies do parents today tell their children? Father Christmas tops the list

By far the most commonly used white lie by British parents with children under the age of 18 is Santa Claus and the naughty list, which 75% of parents have told to their children. Nearly half of parents (48%) have re-told the myth of carrots and night vison to their kids.

As indicated by the fact that fewer younger adults were told the square eyes lie, only a third (33%) of parents are telling their children fibs about looking at screens. A similar proportion (25%) say they have told their children that reading in the dark could damage their eyes and 25% confess they’ve told their children lying would make their nose grow.

Classic white lies appear to be becoming less popular, with fewer parents telling their children than recall them from their own childhood. The biggest change is for the lie that knuckle cracking or popping leads to arthritis, which 78% of parents heard themselves as children but only 23% have passed on to their own kids.

Mum’s also tend to be the biggest fibbers, with women using white lies to their children more than men in all of the examples YouGov asked about. The biggest difference between the genders being the Santa Claus naughty list, used by 80% of mums and 68% of dads.

(YouGov)
January 22, 2021

Source: https://yougov.co.uk/topics/lifestyle/articles-reports/2021/01/22/what-white-lies-were-brits-told-children-and-which

674-43-13/Poll

Proportion of Britons who want to see immigration reduced falls to lowest level since 2015

The proportion of those who want to see immigration in Britain reduced has fallen to its lowest level for the first time since our series of longitudinal surveys with IMIX began in February 2015.

A new Ipsos MORI study on behalf of IMIX, shows:

The proportion of those wanting to see immigration reduced is now 49%, which is the lowest we have recorded since our study that began in 2015. Between 2015 and 2018 the figure stood at six in ten or higher, but has fallen since, to 54% in 2019 and 52% in March 2020. Three in ten (31%) would like it to remain the same as it is (12% want to see it increased).
The poll also shows that on balance, Britons are more positive than negative about the impact of immigration on the country with 45% seeing it as positive, 31% seeing it as negative while a quarter (24%) are either indecisive or say they don’t know.
Despite all this, there has been a significant increase from when the poll was last taken in March 2020 in the proportion of Britons who think that immigration has been discussed too little (42% compared with 30% in March 2020). A quarter (26%) say that it’s been discussed about the right amount (compared with 35% in March 2020). One in five (18%) say it has been discussed too much (which is similar to March 2020 (20%).
There is a significant difference depending on how individuals voted on EU membership, with a majority (56%) of Leave voters saying that is has been discussed too little, compared with a third (32%) of Remain voters. Three in ten (29%) Remain voters say that immigration has been discussed too much compared with just one in ten (10%) Brexit voters.

The poll also revealed:

Dissatisfaction with the way the current government is dealing with immigration has also increased from 41% in March to 56% now while those satisfied have decreased from 21% to 12% - although this is only back to the average levels seen previously (March was significantly better than previous waves).
Just under half say they would like to see more doctors and nurses come to the UK from the EU, more than a range of other professions. But fewer people now say that the numbers of doctors and nurses coming to the UK from the EU should be increased than they did in March. Those saying that the number of doctors should be increased is now at 46% (down from 54% in March) while 10% say decreased (up from 9%). The fieldwork for this study was conducted before the current lockdown.
Close to half (47%) think the number of nurses coming to the UK from the EU should be increased (which is slightly down from 53%) while 11% say it should be decreased (no change). There was little change from March when it comes to the other various occupations listed.
A majority still support the idea of giving EU citizens in the UK a physical identity card although slightly fewer support this than they did in March (52% compared with 57%) although just 14% oppose this (which is similar to the 12% recorded back in March last year).

The poll also asked questions about asylum seekers:

A majority (56%) say they have sympathy with the migrants attempting to cross the English Channel (was 53% in March) while 39% say they don’t have sympathy (down from 43%).
The public are split when it comes to having an asylum system that is either made to be fair or to deter people from seeking asylum in the UK. Overall, 42% say it’s more important to have an asylum system that is fair, even if that means allowing more asylum seekers to stay and live in the UK than we do now, while 37% say it is important to have an asylum system that deters people from seeking asylum in the UK.
When it comes to potential measures relating to the asylum system people are split on whether to continue the UK’s commitment in the United Nations’ refugee resettlement programme (40% support it while 39% oppose it).

Kully Kaur-Ballagan, Research Director, Ipsos MORI said:

The findings of the study fit in with other general trends that we have seen on immigration where the public remain more positive than negative about immigration over time as well as becoming more positive about the impacts it has had on Britain. At the same time, the public does still favour controls over those coming in – with support for more doctors and nurses levelling off and a split over allowing in more asylum seekers.

(Ipsos MORI)

January 22, 2021

Source: https://www.ipsos.com/ipsos-mori/en-uk/proportion-britons-who-want-see-immigration-reduced-falls-lowest-level-2015

674-43-14/Poll

Two-thirds of Britons believe there is a link between obesity and severe symptoms of COVID-19, but few see it as a motivation to lose weight

Britons are among those most likely globally to say there is a link between obesity and more severe Covid-19 symptoms however, few say it is their key motivation to lose weight.

In a new global Ipsos survey, across 30 countries, apart from those in Peru, Britons are most likely to recognise a link between obesity and more severe symptoms of COVID-19. Almost two-thirds (64%) think there is a link, compared to 15% who believe there is no tie.

Nearly half (45%) of the British public believe losing weight would be an effective way to reduce the risk of more severe COVID-19 symptoms, globally the most likely to believe this. Regular exercise and giving up smoking are also seen as effective ways to avoid more serious illness by 35% and 31% respectively. Britons are least likely to see giving up alcohol as an effective prevention method against more serious COVID-19 symptoms (4%).

Link between Covid symptoms and obesity

Despite such a high level of recognition, few see it as the main reason to lose weight. Among those who are currently trying to shed the pounds (36% of Britons), only 15% want to lose weight to reduce the risk of severe coronavirus symptoms. Over a third (36%) want to lose the weight they have gained during the pandemic, while 62% of those trying to lose weight say it is unrelated to the pandemic.
For those looking to lose weight (43%), over a third (36%) want to lose weight that they have gained during the pandemic, while 62% of those trying to lose weight say it is unrelated to the pandemic.

Despite the fact that a third (32%) of the British public have put on weight during the pandemic and the high awareness of the potential risks of getting more severe COVID-19 symptoms for people who are overweight, only 15% want to lose weight specifically to reduce their risk of severe COVID-19 symptoms, although two thirds (64%) say that it is important.

What is most likely to reduce the risk of more sever Covid-19 symptoms?

While a third of Britons have gained weight since the start of the pandemic, 31% globally have done the same. A quarter (24%) say they have lost weight. Three in 10 have done more exercise during the pandemic while 23% have seen the amount of time they spend exercising decrease.

What have you done since the beginning of the pandemic? Only a small proportion of Britons have seen their alcohol consumption increase during the pandemic, 16% say they are drinking more alcohol. However, this is high compared to other countries with only Australia and the United States seeing bigger rises. While 2% have given up smoking since the outbreak, the same proportion have picked it up.

Pippa Bailey, Head of Innovation at Ipsos MORI, said:

Given the scale and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the proportion of people who have gained weight during this time alongside the public awareness of the risk that being overweight can have on the severity of the resultant symptoms, it is concerning that few see this is a key motivator to lose weight. The virus in turn, is not creating the ideal situation to lose weight as with many of us working from home and generally spending less time outside, there is a very real risk of one pandemic fuelling another.

(Ipsos MORI)

January 20, 2021

Source: https://www.ipsos.com/ipsos-mori/en-uk/two-thirds-britons-believe-there-link-between-obesity-and-severe-symptoms-covid-19-few-see-it

674-43-15/Poll

More than 4 in 10 Britons are trying to lose weight, focusing on dieting and exercise

Women are more likely to be trying to lose weight, eating healthier but not dieting.

When looking at methods of weight loss, dieting/reducing food intake and exercising more are most likely to be used (53% and 52% respectively). Half of British adults are eating healthier but not dieting while around a quarter are drinking fewer sugary drinks (27%) and alcohol (25%). Men are significantly more likely to cut sugary drinks and alcohol out of their diets, roughly a third use this as a method (35% sugary drinks and 33% alcohol), only around 2 in 10 women would do the same (22% and 19% respectively).

What actions are you taking to lose weight? Over half of Britons trying to lose weight say they are attempting to reduce the amount of total sugar in their diet to aid their weight loss, 47% of those who are not currently trying to lose weight believe that sugar should be reduced to help lose weight. Calorie reduction is also seen as important when trying to lose weight, almost half (47%) of those trying to lose weight believe calories should be avoided, 39% not trying to lose weight believe this is important.

One in five (20%) have reduced the amount of alcohol they consume while they try to lose weight, but this is seen as more important among those not trying to lose weight (24%). Only 7% say they are avoiding meat while attempting to shed the pounds.

Britons appear well informed when it comes to understanding the difference in the type of fat they should be avoiding. While over a quarter of those trying to lose weight (27%) would avoid saturated fats, only 2% would avoid unsaturated fats.

Among those trying to lose weight, cheaper healthy foods are seen as the best way companies and the government could help people with weight loss (52%). Other solutions include healthier ingredients in processed foods (17%), more public exercise facilities (14%), more green public spaces for exercising (14%) and easier access to healthy foods (9%).

View the global release

Pippa Bailey, Head of Innovation at Ipsos MORI, said:

There is evidence from this survey that a large proportion of the British population recognise the need to manage their weight and we do see that people are better informed about the factors in their diet that they need to focus on to achieve that goal. However, much relies on the individual to remain motivated and we know that there are many so factors that can easily erode that motivation. So, a multi-faceted approach which also involves manufacturers, retailers, education and policy makers is going to be needed to successfully halt and then reverse the obesity crisis.

(Ipsos MORI)

January 18, 2021

Source: https://www.ipsos.com/ipsos-mori/en-uk/more-4-10-britons-are-trying-lose-weight-focusing-dieting-and-exercise

NORTH AMERICA

674-43-16/Poll

Black Americans have made gains in U.S. political leadership, but gaps remain

How we did this

Many Black Americans view political representation as a potential catalyst for increased racial equality, according to a June 2020 Pew Research Center survey. Four-in-ten Black adults said that working to get more Black people elected to office would be a very effective tactic for groups striving to help Black Americans achieve equality. White adults were less likely to view this as an effective way to bring about increased racial equality (23% said it would be very effective).

Data from the past several decades reveals the upward yet uneven trajectory of Black political leadership in America. In 1965, there were no Black U.S. senators or governors, and only five members of the House of Representatives were Black. As of 2021, there is greater representation in some areas – 57 House members in the new Congress are Black (not including nonvoting delegates and commissioners), putting the share of Black House members (13%) about on par with the share of the overall U.S. population that is Black. But in other areas, there has been little change: There are three Black senators – the same number as in 2019 – and no Black governors.

The first Black U.S. senator, Hiram R. Revels, a Republican from Mississippi, was chosen by his state’s Legislature to fill an empty seat. He served for a year, from 1870 to 1871. In total, 11 Black Americans have served in the Senate, including three currently in office. This is the same number as in the previous Congress, since Harris moved from the Senate to the White House and Raphael Warnock, a Democrat, became the first Black senator from Georgia. Until 2013, no two Black senators had been in office at the same time.

The share of Black members in a presidential Cabinet was at or above parity with the population during the Clinton and George W. Bush administrations and Obama’s second term, and this will be the case if all of Biden’s nominees are approved. But there was only one Black Cabinet secretary during the Trump administration, and the same was true during Obama’s first term.

The current 117th Congress includes 57 Black representatives, a record high and a large increase since 1965. Only two of these 57 representatives are Republicans. Two nonvoting delegates, representing the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands, are Black. Only five representatives were Black in 1965, and all were Democrats.

PEW RESEARCH CENTER

The highest level of Black representation in a presidential Cabinet occurred during Bill Clinton’s first term, when four out of 15 Cabinet appointees were Black. Since then, the share of the Cabinet that is Black has fluctuated. In Obama’s first term and Donald Trump’s presidency, only one Cabinet member was Black, but under George W. Bush’s first term and Obama’s second, the share of the Cabinet that was Black exceeded the Black share of the overall U.S. population. If Biden’s slate of nominees is confirmed by the Senate, his Cabinet will include three Black members – Harris as vice president, Lloyd Austin as the first Black secretary of defense, and Marcia Fudge as secretary of housing and urban development.

Black U.S. Cabinet members

% of Cabinet members who are BlackJohnsonNixon, term 1Nixon, term 2FordCarterReagan, term 1Reagan, term 2G.H.W. BushClinton, term 1Clinton, term 2G.W. Bush, term 1G.W. Bush, term 2Obama, term 1Obama, term 2TrumpBiden, nominees051015202530

Note: Percentage for Biden’s Cabinet is based on his nominees as of Jan. 22, 2021, before the confirmation process was finalized. All other percentages are based on the maximum number of Black Cabinet members serving concurrently in a given administration out of the total number of Cabinet members in that administration. In this analysis, the Cabinet includes the vice president and heads of federal agencies; it does not include Cabinet-level officials. The number of Cabinet positions has changed over time.

Source: The White House and Inside Gov.

PEW RESEARCH CENTER

There are no Black governors in office today, and there have been none since Deval Patrick retired in 2015. In fact, there have been only four in U.S. history. Pinckney Pinchback served as a governor of Louisiana for 35 days in the 1870s following Henry Clay Warmoth’s impeachment. Virginia, Massachusetts and New York each had a Black governor during the 1990s and 2000s – Douglas Wilder, Deval Patrick and David Paterson, respectively. The latter two were the first to serve simultaneously, from 2008 to 2010. Three Black candidates – including two seeking to become the first Black female governor – are part of a crowded field vying to be elected governor of Virginia in November 2021.

(PEW)

January 22, 2021

Source: https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/01/22/black-americans-have-made-gains-in-u-s-political-leadership-but-gaps-remain/

674-43-17/Poll

Some Americans who have been targeted by troubling behaviors online wouldn’t call it ‘harassment’

Online harassment is often subjective when it comes to how people perceive the unpleasant or offensive behaviors that they encounter. Indeed, a notable share of Americans who have personally been targets of troubling online behaviors would not label their experience as “online harassment,” according to a new Pew Research Center report.

The Center’s survey conducted last September measured online harassment by asking respondents if they had personally experienced any of the following: offensive name-calling, purposeful embarrassment, stalking, physical threats, sexual harassment and sustained harassment. But in order to get a better understanding of how subjective this concept is, targets of these behaviors were asked if they considered their most recent incident to be “online harassment.”

How we did this

Some 41% of U.S. adults say they have ever experienced at least one of those activities and were categorized for our research as targets of online harassment. But when asked questions about the most recent episode they had encountered, even some of those who had been subjected to the more severe forms of online abuse say they would not classify it as harassment or are unsure it constituted harassment.

Among adults who report having experienced at least one harassing behavior online, roughly four-in-ten (43%) say that they consider their most recent experience to be “online harassment,” while 36% say they would not classify this experience as “online harassment.” An additional 21% say they are unsure.

Women who have experienced harassing behaviors online are more likely than their male counterparts to say they consider their most recent experience to be “online harassment” (50% vs. 36%). Conversely, a greater share of men than women who have experienced harassing behaviors online say they do not consider their most recent experience to be “online harassment” (43% vs. 28%).

In addition, Black (54%) and Hispanic adults (47%) who were targets of online harassment are more likely to label their experience as “online harassment” than are White targets (40%). On the other hand, a greater share of White targets say they don’t see their most recent experience as “online harassment” compared with their Black counterparts (39% vs. 27%).

The Center analysis broke the six harassment behaviors into several different groups. Some 38% of those who had been targeted had ever experienced only less severe problems – offensive name-calling or purposeful embarrassment – while 62% had ever experienced at least one of the more severe forms of harassment: physical threats, stalking, sexual harassment or sustained harassment. In their most recent encounter, 34% of targets said they had encountered one of these more severe behaviors, while 31% had faced multiple behaviors (i.e., more than one of the six behaviors we asked about).

A plurality of people who faced only less severe harassing behaviors in their most recent encounter (45%) say that they would not call this experience “online harassment,” whereas at least six-in-ten targets of each of the more severe behaviors say they would call their experience “online harassment.” Among those who only faced less severe behaviors in their most recent incident, roughly a third say they consider their experience to be “online harassment.” This pattern is statistically similar to what was seen in 2017.

While people who have faced more severe forms of harassment are more likely to label it as such, there remain notable shares who are not sure how they would characterize the problem they encountered. Roughly a third or more of those who have been physically threatened (36%), stalked (36%), sexually harassed (38%) or harassed for a sustained period of time (39%) in their most recent encounter say they do not consider this experience to be “online harassment” or are unsure about calling it this.

Beyond the types of behaviors encountered, the number of behaviors involved also plays a role in how people label their experience. While 35% of people who only faced one type of behavior in their most recent encounter would call it “online harassment,” 60% of adults who faced multiple types of harassing behaviors in their most recent experience would say it was “online harassment.”

There is a strong relationship between the reaction people have to their most recent incident and the way they classify it. Those who do not characterize their most recent episode as harassment are also less likely to say they were bothered by what happened. In fact, 65% of those who do not describe the episode as harassment say their most recent experience was not at all (34%) or a little (31%) upsetting, while 33% of targets who refer to their most recent experience as “online harassment” say the experience was not at all or a little upsetting.

Conversely, those who call their experience “online harassment” are more than four times as likely to describe that experience as very or extremely upsetting compared with those who would not use that label (40% vs. 9%). More pointedly, about one-in-five targets (19%) who call their experience “online harassment” say their most recent experience was extremely upsetting, while only 3% of those who reject the label of “online harassment” say the same.

Beyond their personal experiences, those who do not call their recent experience “online harassment” are less likely to see online harassment as a major problem. Roughly seven-in-ten people (69%) who call their most recent experience “online harassment” say that harassment is a major problem online, whereas about half of those (51%) who would not use this classification say the same – on par with findings from 2017. These differences in opinion hold up even when controlling for severity of the harassment, gender and race or ethnicity.

In addition, about six-in-ten targets (62%) who do not consider their most recent brush with harassing behavior to be “online harassment” say many people take offensive content they see online too seriously, compared with 54% of those who would describe their experience in this way. While the pattern remains the same, the difference between these groups has shrunk a notable degree since 2017, when there was a 23 percentage point gap (73% vs. 50%).

People who would not call their most recent experience “online harassment” are also less optimistic about the efficacy of a variety of tactics for combatting harassment on social media. They are 18 points less likely to say criminal charges and 17 points less likely to say permanent bans for users who bully or harass others would be very effective in helping to reduce harassment or bullying on social media, compared with targets who classify their most recent experience as “online harassment.”

There are also double-digit differences between those who label their online experiences as harassment and those who don’t when it comes to their views regarding the effectiveness of social media companies proactively deleting bullying or harassing posts and temporary bans for users who bully or harass others. No differences are seen in their views of the effectiveness of requiring users of these platforms to disclose their real identities in curtailing harassment.

(PEW)

January 22, 2021

Source: https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/01/22/some-americans-who-have-been-targeted-by-troubling-behaviors-online-wouldnt-call-it-harassment/

674-43-18/Poll

Americans Expect History to Judge Trump Harshly

Americans Believe President Trump Will Not Be Rated Positively in History

How do you think each of the following presidents will go down in history -- as an outstanding president, above average, average, below average or poor? [Donald Trump]

	Outstanding	Above average	Average	Below average	Poor
	%	%	%	%	%
U.S. adults	9	20	10	14	47
Republicans	23	49	14	6	8
Independents	6	18	12	20	43
Democrats	<1	2	3	13	82
GALLUP, JAN. 4-15, 2021

Kennedy continues to be rated highest overall, with seven in 10 regarding him as an outstanding or above average president. Majorities say the same about Barack Obama (56%) and Ronald Reagan (52%).

Americans' Ratings of How Presidents Will Go Down in History

Ranked by net positive score

	Outstanding	Above average	Average	Below average	Poor	Net positive
	%	%	%	%	%	pct. pts.
Kennedy	23	47	25	2	1	+67
Reagan	17	35	30	10	6	+36
Obama	21	35	22	11	12	+33
G.H.W. Bush	7	21	53	11	6	+11
Clinton	10	26	37	16	11	+9
Carter	6	21	43	14	10	+3
G.W. Bush	6	18	49	16	10	-2
Trump	9	20	10	14	47	-32
Nixon	4	7	26	29	30	-48
Net positive is the percentage "outstanding/above average" minus the percentage "below average/poor"
GALLUP, JAN. 4-15, 2021

Obama, George W. Bush Ratings Improved

Bottom Line

Neither Bush nor Carter, though, received the same degree of "poor" ratings as Trump gets, though neither got as many positive ratings as he did at the time.

(Gallup USA)

January 19, 2021

Source: https://news.gallup.com/poll/328670/americans-expect-history-judge-trump-harshly.aspx

674-43-19/Poll

Biden Transition Approval Remains High at 68%

As Joe Biden prepares to be sworn in as the 46^th president of the United States, 68% of Americans approve of his handling of his presidential transition and about four in 10 rate his Cabinet appointments as "outstanding" or "above average." Majorities view Biden (57%) and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris (53%) favorably.

Biden's Transition Rated Better Than Trump's, Worse Than Obama's

The latest rating of Biden's transition, from a Jan. 4-15 Gallup poll, is in line with his 65% rating in December. Biden's transition has been unique in that it has spanned President Donald Trump's attempts to overturn the election results while a global pandemic continued to surge across the U.S. The poll's field period encompassed the Jan. 6 insurrection on Capitol Hill by Trump supporters and the resulting second impeachment of the current president in the House of Representatives on Jan. 13.

Americans' rating of Biden's transition is similar to those of Bill Clinton in 1993 and George W. Bush in 2001, but significantly higher than for Trump four years ago and significantly lower than for Barack Obama in 2009.

Approval Ratings of Presidential Transitions, 1993-2021

Do you approve or disapprove of the way ... is handling his presidential transition?

	Approve	Disapprove
	%	%
Joe Biden (2021)	68	31
Donald Trump (2017)	44	51
Barack Obama (2009)	83	12
George W. Bush (2001)	61	25
Bill Clinton (1993)	68	18
Based on January readings prior to inauguration
GALLUP

Partisans' views of Biden's transition are sharply divided, with 96% of Democrats, 71% of independents and 27% of Republicans expressing approval. The 69-percentage-point approval gap between Republicans and Democrats is similar to the gaps in 2017 and 2001. However, in 2009, the gap was much smaller as 72% of Republicans approved of Obama's transition.

Partisans' Approval of Presidential Transitions, 1993-2021

% Approve of presidential transition

	Republicans	Independents	Democrats	Gap (Rep-Dem)
	%	%	%	pct. pts.
Joe Biden (2021)	27	71	96	-69
Donald Trump (2017)	87	33	13	+74
Barack Obama (2009)	72	81	96	-24
George W. Bush (2001)	92	58	34	+58
Bill Clinton (1993)	50	67	87	-37
Based on January readings prior to inauguration
GALLUP

With the exception of 2017 when 33% of independents approved of Trump's transition, majorities of independents have approved of presidential transitions since 1993.

Republicans' approval of Biden's transition (27%) is much higher than Democrats' approval of Trump's transition in 2017 (13%). Bush's rating among Democrats in 2001 (34%) was slightly better than Biden's rating among Republicans today. Obama's transition got very strong approval from all parties.

Majority Rate Biden's Cabinet Picks Average or Better

One of the key aspects of a presidential transition is the appointment of Cabinet members. The public's views on Biden's choices for his Cabinet are more lukewarm than their approval of his transition in general. Fourteen percent of Americans think Biden's choices for Cabinet-level positions are "outstanding," while 25% rate them as "above average," 27% "average," 10% "below average" and 17% "poor."

Ratings for Biden's Cabinet picks are lower than those for Obama, but they are in line with Bush's and higher than Trump's and Clinton's.

Americans' Views of Cabinet Picks of Presidents-Elect, 1993-2021

How would you rate the appointments President-elect ... has made so far to Cabinet-level positions? Would you say his choices have been -- outstanding, above average, average, below average or poor?

	Outstanding	Above average	Average	Below average	Poor
	%	%	%	%	%
Joe Biden (2021)	14	25	27	10	17
Donald Trump (2017)	11	21	20	12	32
Barack Obama (2009)	13	32	38	5	5
George W. Bush (2001)	12	26	43	6	7
Bill Clinton (1993)	7	25	51	7	5
Based on January readings prior to inauguration
GALLUP

Majorities View Biden and Harris Favorably

Biden's current 57% favorable rating remains near his highest on record, which was 61% in January 2017 at the end of his second term as vice president under Obama.

Line graph. Favorable ratings of Joe Biden since 2008. The latest rating, 57%, is near his highest on record in Jan. 2017 as he and Barack Obama left office.

Vice President-elect Kamala Harris is viewed favorably by 53% of Americans.

The favorable ratings of Biden and Harris are similar among Democrats (at more than 90% for both) and Republicans (around 10% for both). Independents have a slightly more favorable opinion of Biden (54%) than Harris (48%).

Looking back at the pre-inauguration favorable ratings of presidents-elect and vice presidents-elect, the favorable ratings of Biden and Harris are significantly higher than those of Trump and Pence in 2017. Biden's favorability as incoming president is 21 points below Obama's in 2009, while Harris' current rating is identical to Biden's in 2009 just before he was sworn in as vice president.

George W. Bush and Dick Cheney enjoyed slightly higher favorable ratings in 2001 than Biden and Harris have now. The same is true of Bill Clinton and Al Gore in 1993.

Favorable Ratings of Incoming Presidents and Vice Presidents, 1993-2021

	Favorable rating
	%
2021
Joe Biden	57
Kamala Harris	53
2017
Donald Trump	40
Mike Pence	42
2009
Barack Obama	78
Joe Biden	53
2001
George W. Bush	62
Dick Cheney	61
1993
Bill Clinton	66
Al Gore	63
January readings prior to inauguration
GALLUP

Bottom Line

Americans are generally sanguine about the incoming Biden administration, as they largely approve of the president-elect's transition and both he and the vice president-elect are viewed favorably by majorities. The public's rating of Biden's Cabinet appointments, while less enthusiastic than Obama's, is still more positive than Trump's and Clinton's.

Biden campaigned on a message of national unity -- and since winning, has reiterated that he will try to unite the country. Independents' broad approval of his presidential transition is a first step in doing so, and approval among Republicans for Biden's transition is higher than that among Democrats for Trump's transition in 2017. Trump's low transition approval ratings, including very low ratings from Democrats, signaled that his job approval ratings would be similarly low and polarized and that he would not enjoy the traditional presidential honeymoon period. The current ratings for Biden may signal that he will have a more typical start to his administration in terms of public support.

(Gallup USA)

January 19, 2021

Source: https://news.gallup.com/poll/328640/biden-transition-approval-remains-high.aspx

AUSTRALIA

674-43-20/Poll

59% of Australians want January 26 known as Australia Day but a sizeable minority of 41% wants it known as Invasion Day

Victorians are divided 50-50 on the name to call the day Captain Arthur Phillip arrived in Port Jackson on January 26, 1788, while in all other states majorities want January 26 known as ‘Australia Day’.

Men favour ‘Australia Day’ on January 26 almost 2:1 but Women are almost evenly split

There is quite a gender difference on the question with men favouring January 26 being known as ‘Australia Day’ rather than ‘Invasion Day’ by a margin of almost 2:1 (66% cf. 34%).

In contrast, Australia’s women are almost evenly split on the question with a narrow majority of 53% in favour of January 26 being known as ‘Australia Day’ compared to 47% saying it should be known as ‘Invasion Day’.

Australians under 35 favour ‘Invasion Day’ while those over 35 favour ‘Australia Day’

The results of this survey are heavily correlated to age with Australians under 25 in favour of January 26 being known as ‘Invasion Day’ by a margin of more than 2:1 (70% ‘Invasion Day’ cf. 30% ‘Australia Day’).

Their slightly older counterparts aged 25-34 are also in favour of the day being known as ‘Invasion Day’ but by a much narrower margin of 55% cf. 45%.

However, people aged 35+ are increasingly likely to say January 26 should be called ‘Australia Day’ rather than ‘Invasion Day’. People aged 35-49 are fairly evenly split but narrowly in favour of ‘Australia Day’ (54% cf.46%) and this margin increases substantially for those aged 50-64 (74% cf. 26%) and 65+ (78% cf. 22%).

Victoria is split 50:50 on the question, WA is most firmly in favour of Australia Day

There is a large divergence on a State-based level with Victorians split 50% cf. 50% on the question of whether January 26 should be known as ‘Australia Day’ or ‘Invasion Day’.

All other States favour the date being known as ‘Australia Day’ with Western Australians the most in favour at a ratio of over 3:1 (76% cf. 24%).

Other States are also in favour of January 26 being known as ‘Australia Day’ including Tasmania (70% cf. 30%), Queensland (64% cf. 36%), South Australia (63% cf. 37%) and New South Wales (57% cf. 43%).

There is also a large divergence between Australia’s Capital Cities and those in Country Regions on the question. A narrow majority of 55% of people in Capital Cities say January 26 should be known as ‘Australia Day’ compared to 45% opting for ‘Invasion Day’. In Country Regions the difference is far starker with over two-thirds (68%) saying the day should be known as ‘Australia Day’ compared to 32% for ‘Invasion Day’.

L-NP & ALP supporters favour ‘Australia Day’ whereas Greens supporters favour ‘Invasion Day’

L-NP supporters favour January 26 being known as ‘Australia Day’ rather than ‘Invasion Day’ by a margin of 63% cf. 37% - nearly two-to-one while ALP supporters are narrowly in favour of ‘Australia Day’ (54%) cf. ‘Invasion Day’ (46%).

In contrast Greens supporters are heavily in favour of January 26 being known as ‘Invasion Day’ (64%) rather than ‘Australia Day’ (36%).

However, supporters of Independents and Others, including Pauline Hanson’s One Nation, are heavily in favour of January 26 being known as ‘Australia Day’ (78%) compared to only 22% that say it should be known as ‘Invasion Day’ (22%).

Michele Levine CEO Roy Morgan, says the debate about January 26 has turned into an annual debate and the results from today’s special Roy Morgan survey show ‘Australia Day’ is favoured by 59% of Australians and ‘Invasion Day’ is supported by 41% - a gap of 18% points:

“Although a majority of 59% of Australians says January 26 should be known as ‘Australia Day’ – the gap is not as large as some would have you believe and the demographic trends are significant.

“Younger Australians aged under 35 favour January 26 being known as ‘Invasion Day’ – and this rises to well over two-thirds of people aged under 25 (70% cf. 30%). In contrast, Australians aged 50+ favour ‘Australia Day’ by margins of around three-to-one: 50-64: (74% cf. 26%) and 65+ (78% cf. 22%).

“There is also a significant gender gap on the issue with men favouring ‘Australia Day’ by a margin of almost two-to-one (66% cf. 34%) whereas women are almost evenly split (53% cf. 47%).

“Somewhat unusually for a question like this there are also significant differences based on what State someone is in. Victorians are split evenly (50% cf. 50%) on the issue but Western Australians favour ‘Australia Day’ over ‘Invasion Day’ by a margin of over three-to-one (76% cf. 24%).

“The issue has received added attention this year as the ABC posted a contentious headline for an article related to the day titled” ‘Australia Day/Invasion Day 2021 events guide for Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane… etc.’. After a media storm and the intervention of the Telecommunications Minister Paul Fletcher the ABC has removed ‘Invasion Day’ from the story.

“Perhaps most surprisingly amongst all the arguments about what the day should be known as is the views of people who consider themselves Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. Amongst this group 73% say the day should be known as ‘Australia Day’ compared to only 27% that say it should be known as ‘Invasion Day’ – a significantly higher level of support for ‘Australia Day’ than amongst other Australians.”

(Roy Morgan)

January 25, 2021

Source: https://www.roymorgan.com/findings/8621-roy-morgan-survey-australia-day-january-25-2021-202101250620

MULTICOUNTRY STUDIES

674-43-21/Poll

Has COVID-19 affected Brits’ and Americans’ love of travel?

A new year brings the reality of a COVID-19 vaccine closer and those dreaming of travel may soon be able to take the trips they plan for in 2021. Given the disruption to the travel industry brought on by the pandemic – leading to reductions in the amount of traveling done last year – what has happened to travel interest among Brits and Americans during that time?

Throughout the course of 2020, despite restrictions and lockdowns, more than two in five Brits said they were still interested in travel (43%). The topic of travel ranks third only slightly behind animals and nature, and food and beverage as the most popular interest among Britons.

While travel remained the third most popular interest in the UK, there were fewer Brits interested in travel in 2020 than there were in 2019 prior to the pandemic (43% vs. 46%). A closer look by age groups reveals that the largest declines in travel interest occurs among those aged 55 and over (49% in 2019 vs. 44% in 2020).
It appears that during the pandemic, the UK nation have shifted their focus away from politics, the topic suffered a five-point decrease in interest between 2020 and 2019 as did interest in national news (a four-point decline). With most cultural venues shut for a significant proportion of the year, we see a three-point decrease in music and local events.

By comparison, American interest in travel remained steady at pre-pandemic levels throughout 2020. Slightly more than a third of Americans (35%) said they were interested in travel in 2019 and 2020 and the subject is the seventh most popular general interest in both years. Even across age groups, none showed significant decay in their interest in travel.

This sustained interest in travel among Americans may be being fed by media content for now. For example, when Americans were asked which TV networks they watched in the past 30 days, viewership for the Travel Channel increased by more than a third (35%) when comparing the month of November in 2019 (5%) to the same period in 2020 (7%). The largest increase in Travel Channel viewership occurs among younger Americans aged 18-34 (2% in 2019 vs. 4% in 2020; a 68% increase). Viewership of the channel may have been aided by the off-beat “Shock Docs” series, which is the Travel Channel’s high-ever rated show when including time-shifted viewing but it’s nonetheless encouraging for the sector to see such appetite for travel content.
Travel recovery efforts will be in full effect across the globe in 2021 but as the data shows, travel brands may have to adapt their strategies and campaigns to the unique situations in each market. As data points out it is vital to be front of mind of consumers to nurture their interest in travelling and wanderlust. Industry players may have to reignite some demographics’ passion for travel and the US is a good example where demand for certain types of travel content is already higher than pre-pandemic levels. As the new year unfolds, keeping up with the perceptions of various traveler segments will prove critical in helping people explore the world again.

(YouGov)

January 19, 2021

Source: https://yougov.co.uk/topics/travel/articles-reports/2021/01/19/covid-19-effects-UK-US-travel-passion

674-43-22/Poll

Europe is becoming more pro-vaccine

People in nine key European nations are noticeably more willing to get vaccinated against coronavirus

With coronavirus vaccination programmes continuing apace across the world, data from YouGov’s COVID-19 trackers shows that Europeans are increasingly willing to take the vaccine.

Britain has seen a similarly large increase, going from 61% to 81%.

Perhaps the most important shift has taken place in France. At the time of our first survey conducted there in mid-November only 32% of French people said they would take the jab. This figure actually fell to 24% by mid-December – the lowest level of any country surveyed. Since then, however, willingness levels have risen to 46%.

Attitudes in Asia and elsewhere are taking longer to shift

Outside of Europe, the trend is less consistent. In the US, where YouGov has been tracking attitudes since July, currently 51% of Americans have either received their vaccine or are happy to do so – the highest level so far. Prior to this, figures had been between 36% and 50%.

In Asia attitudes are about where they were when YouGov first asked in mid/late December. The most notable shift has taken place in Hong Kong, where willingness to take the vaccine is 15 points down on the original level, at 36%.

In the Middle East, attitudes in Saudi Arabia have improved, up from 42% to 51%, while in the UAE attitudes are largely the same (63% vs 61%).

(YouGov)

January 22, 2021

Source: https://yougov.co.uk/topics/international/articles-reports/2021/01/22/europe-becoming-more-pro-vaccine