In the rivalry for regional influence, it is not only states that jostle for strategic primacy and public positioning in Arab countries. Regional leaders have also sought to project and represent their states’ foreign policies and aspire for public recognition. Some, like Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei, even have an active and multi-lingual presence on Twitter and other social media outlets to manage and promote their public image. They all appeal to transnational bonds of Arab or Islamic solidarity, as they try to justify their foreign policies within those parameters. According to Arab Barometer’s (AB) most recent data, they have not been very successful.

According to Arab Barometer Wave 6 data, the most popular regional leader among surveyed countries remained Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey. Asked what they thought of his foreign policies, a sizeable minority of respondents in the six surveyed countries—a little more than 4 in 10 (42 percent)—said they were very good or good. This included majorities in Morocco (57 percent), Jordan (54 percent), and Algeria (52 percent), and a sizeable minority in Tunisia (41 percent). Only in Lebanon (25 percent) and Libya (23 percent) did a smaller minority of a quarter or smaller proportion of respondents view Erdogan’s foreign policies favorably.

Less popular was Saudi Arabia’s crown prince (and de facto ruler) Mohammad Bin Salman. A small minority of respondents in the six surveyed countries—little more than 1 in 4 (28 percent)—said his foreign policies were very good or good. Bin Salman was thus significantly less popular than Erdogan in the six countries combined, and was most popular in Libya, where 45 percent looked favorably upon his foreign policies. Elsewhere, fewer proportions looked favorably upon his foreign policies in Morocco (39 percent), Algeria (31 percent), Lebanon (24 percent), Tunisia (22 percent), and Jordan (13 percent).

Finally, and despite the social media presence, Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was the least popular among regional leaders. A smaller minority of respondents in the six surveyed countries—a little less than 1 in 6 (16 percent)—said his foreign policies were very good or good. Erdogan was thus more than two-and-a-half times as popular in the six countries combined as Khamenei, who was most popular in Morocco where 23 percent looked favorably upon his foreign policies. Elsewhere, fewer proportions thought so in Lebanon (20 percent), Libya (19 percent), Algeria (15 percent), Tunisia (14 percent), and Jordan (5 percent).

There are several explanations for why Erdogan is so much more popular in the surveyed countries than either Bin Salman or Khamanei. The first of which is that, despite his illiberal and authoritarian tendencies, Erdogan enjoys a considerable level of electoral legitimacy. Erdogan has consistently won elections that are largely free and fair, and in which voter turnout is one of the highest in the world. It goes without saying that neither Bin Salman nor Khamenei enjoy this electoral legitimacy.

A second reason may be that, under Erdogan, Turkey has become much more accessible to Arab citizens – much more so in fact than Arab countries are. In the late 2000s, the Erdogan government cancelled visas for most countries in the Middle East and North Africa – including Morocco, Tunisia, Jordan, Lebanon and (for a time) Libya – five of the six countries surveyed in AB6. Visas have been reinstated for war-torn countries such as Libya, Syria and Yemen (making it almost impossible for citizens of these countries to enter), but Turkey remains one of the few countries in the world that is open and accessible to Arab citizens. That Turkey under Erdogan has opened up to this degree towards Arab countries and citizens is reflective in the increasingly higher commercial, cultural and touristic exchange between Turkey and Arab countries. Neither Saudi Arabia nor Iran is accessible to as many Arab citizens, nor are they likely to become under their current leadership.

And then there is the transnational claim on leadership of the Muslim nation (ummah), which Erdogan makes much more effectively than Bin Salman or Khamenei. Under Erdogan, Turkey has invested heavily in cultural production geared at reviving the Ottoman imperial heritage. While this has been contested in Turkey, it has been much better received in the Arab World where there is an exacerbated and sustained leadership crisis, and where Islam’s imperial legacy is sorely missed. An elected leader of a conservative, nationalist party with Islamist roots, Erdogan claims to lead the ummah in a much broader sense than either Bin Salman or Khamenei. His own simple roots in the poor Istanbul neighborhood of Kasımpaşa perhaps lend credence to these claims. Bin Salman and Khamenei cannot make these claims with as much credibility. Afterall, Bin Salman is an heir to an absolute monarchic dynasty, whereas the clerical and sectarian dimensions prevent Khamenei from appealing to as broad of a segment of Muslims.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, there is the question of military intervention in neighboring states, which my colleague Michael Robbins addressed in an earlier post. Though all three leaders have spearheaded foreign policies that can safely be characterized as imperial, Erdogan’s has perhaps been the least costly in terms of human lives. Turkey’s ethnic cleansing of parts of Northern Syria pales in comparison to Saudi Arabia’s genocidal war in Yemen and Iran’s genocidal intervention in Syria.

As I have previously argued elsewhere, Erdogan’s popularity in the Arab and Muslim worlds is problematic. However, it is easy for the impartial observer to see why Bin Salman and Khamenei is no match.

(Arabbarometer)

April 21, 2021

Source: https://www.arabbarometer.org/2021/04/whither-erdogan-regional-leadership-and-the-struggle-for-arab-hearts-and-minds/

SUMMARY OF POLLS

ASIA

(India)

One Out Of Seven Indians Believe Their Personal Data Is Secure With E-Commerce Sites And Online Businesses (14%)

YouGov’s latest study reveals that more than one-third of urban Indians trust government departments with the safety of their personal data (35%). This is closely followed by trust in financial institutions (31%). Only one out of seven respondents believe their personal data is secure with e-commerce sites and online businesses (14%). Social media platforms (7%) and hospitals or other healthcare units (6%) are the least trusted by people when it comes to their personal data.

(YouGov India)
April 19, 2021

(Pakistan)

78% Pakistanis Who Believe The Country Is Headed In The Wrong Direction Cite Inflation As The Top Reason; 58% Say Unemployment

78% Pakistanis who believe the country is headed in the wrong direction cite inflation as the top reason; 58% say unemployment. “Normally, why do you think that the country is headed in the wrong direction?” In response to this question, 78% said inflation, 58% said unemployment, 36% said poverty, 27% said corruption, 17% said load shedding, 14% said inexperienced government / politicians.

(Gallup Pakistan)

April 22, 2021

MENA

(Palestine)

33.5% Palestinians Would Vote For Marwan Barghouthi

In the possible presidential showdown, 33.5% would vote for Marwan Barghouthi while 24.5% would vote for Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen), 10.5% would vote for Ismail Haniyeh and 31.5% said they still did not know. More generally, 60.2% said they supported the idea of Marwan Barghouthi running for president, while 19.3% said they did not. Barghouthi is serving consecutive life sentences in an Israeli prison, but Palestinians consider him a political prisoner.

(JMCC)

April 21, 2021

AFRICA

(South Africa)

Almost Half 40% Of South African Households Go Hungry Due To Covid-19

At the time of fieldwork, more than 40% of South Africans of all age groups were affected by hunger. Close to six in every ten South Africans (58%) think that President Cyril Ramaphosa did a good job during the Covid-19 pandemic and a similar proportion (56%) give the South African Government credit for their handling of the pandemic. More than half (52%) of South Africans saying that the alleged corruption by government officials during the Covid-19 pandemic made them more negative about the ANC.

(Ipsos South Africa)

21 April 2021

(Uganda)

Despite Hydropower Surplus, 74% Ugandans Report Lack Of Electricity

More households use solar energy than electricity from the national grid. Lack of access and connection to the national electric grid is especially common for the poorest citizens, rural residents, and those in the Northern and Western regions. Even so, citizens’ ratings of the government’s performance on providing reliable electricity have improved significantly.

(Afrobarometer)

22 Apr 2021

WEST EUROPE

(Scotland)

SNP Have A 49% Share Of The Scottish Parliament Constituency Vote

The latest YouGov voting intention figures for Scotland show that the SNP have a 49% share of the constituency vote (-1 from 19-22 March), while the Conservatives are now on 21% (-3). Elsewhere in the constituency vote, Labour are on 21% (+4), the Liberal Democrats have 6% (+1), and the Greens 1% (-1). Of the regional vote, the SNP hold 39% (-7), the Conservatives have 22% (-2) and Labour 17% (+2). The Greens now hold 10% (+2) and the Liberal Democrats have 5% (n/c).

(YouGov UK)

April 22, 2021

(Wales)

Senedd Voting Intention: Lab 35%, Con 24% PC 24% (18-21 Apr)

The vote shares for the regional list vote see Labour with a 33% share (+2), Conservatives 22% (-6), Plaid Cymru 23% (+1) and Lib Dems 4% (n/c). Our latest figures show a reasonable change in the Labour lead over the Conservatives in both the constituency and regional list vote. 10% of those who say they’d vote Conservative if there was a UK-wide general election tomorrow say they are planning to vote Labour in the Senedd.

(YouGov UK)

April 22, 2021

(UK)

61% Think It Unacceptable For Ex-Ministers To Work For Companies Trying To Win Government Contracts

In terms of working for companies who are seeking to win government contracts, 54% of respondents said it was unacceptable for former ministers to be employed to provide strategic advice, while 61% said it was unacceptable for them to be employed working to help win the contracts. Just 20% and 15% of Brits think it is acceptable for ministers to provide advice or work for companies bidding for government contracts respectively.

(YouGov UK)

April 23, 2021

(France)

7 Out Of 10 French People Own A Barbecue And/or A Plancha 70%

7 out of 10 French people own a barbecue and / or a plancha (70%). Among them, 81% have at least one barbecue and 46% have at least one plancha. In details, 56% have a charcoal barbecue, 18% an electric barbecue and 15% a gas barbecue. 31% use an electric plancha and 16% a gas plancha. The vast majority of barbecue / plancha owners say they use - at least occasionally - their appliance to cook something other than meat (86%).

(YouGov France)
April 22, 2021

1 In 2 French Say They Are Sure They Are Up To Date With Regard To Their Vaccination (52%)

Only 1 in 2 say they are sure they are up to date with regard to their vaccination (52%), the others are not sure (36%) or are on the contrary certain that they are not (10%). Patients rarely discuss this subject with the healthcare professionals who follow them: only 27% say they talk about vaccination with their doctor "at least once a year". Digital tools could put patients back at the center of their vaccination journey. Thus, 48% of French people say that they would no longer be vaccinated.

(Ipsos France)

April 20, 2021

(Spain)

39% Of Spaniards Consider Spending A Lot Of Time Reading, Compared To 25% Who Consider Reading Very Little

Most of the Spanish respondents dedicate between 1 and 10 hours a week reading (43%), this percentage changes in the group of people who declare that they read a lot, dropping to 28%. Among the population that declares that they dedicate a lot of time to the activity of reading, 52% respond to spend between 10 and 20 hours a week with this activity (compared to 26% of the total population). On the other hand, 18% of the population responds that they dedicate less than an hour a week to reading.

(YouGov Spain)

April 23, 2021

Exactly Half Of The Spanish (50%) Support The Super League

Unlike other markets, such as Italy and England, which also have clubs that would participate in the competition, exactly half of the Spanish (50%) support the Super League. In fact, this proportion is larger than that of people who oppose it (44%).Among the fans of the Spanish clubs that would participate in the competition, there is even more support from the stands of Atlético de Madrid and Real Madrid (52% and 63% respectively), while among FC Barcelona fans this proportion is at the par with the general population (47%).

(YouGov Spain)

April 22, 2021

NORTH AMERICA

(USA)

Biden Job Approval A Respectable 57% At 100 Days

Biden's 100-day approval rating, based on an April 1-21 Gallup poll, well exceeds former President Donald Trump's 41% 100-day score but falls short of Barack Obama's 65% and George W. Bush's 62%. However, it's similar to readings in the mid- to high 50s for George H.W. Bush (58%) and Bill Clinton (55%).

(Gallup USA)

APRIL 23, 2021

About Six-In-Ten U.S. Adults 62% Say They Favor Raising The Federal Minimum Wage To $15 An Hour

About six-in-ten U.S. adults (62%) say they favor raising the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour, including 40% who strongly back the idea. About four-in-ten (38%) say they oppose the proposal, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted April 5-11. A narrow majority of these Americans (54%) say leaders should focus on passing an increase to the wage “even if it may be significantly less than $15 an hour,” while 43% say the priority should be to work to raise the hourly minimum wage to $15.

(PEW)

APRIL 22, 2021

44% Of Americans Said Dealing With Climate Change Should Be A Top Long-Term Foreign Policy Goal For The United States

Overall, the American public is closely divided on the question of how much international engagement benefits the nation. A slight majority (54%) said many of the nation’s problems can be solved by working with other countries, while a narrow minority (45%) said few of the country’s problems can be solved through international cooperation. And these differences of opinion over international engagement often extend to specific issues.

(PEW)

APRIL 23, 2021

AUSTRALIA

The Number Of Australians Drinking Wine Increased From 8,065,000 Australians (41.0%) To 8,814,000 (44.3%)

In 2020 a total of 13,337,000 Australians (67.0%) aged 18+ consumed alcohol in an average four-week period, up from 13,021,000 (66.2%) a year earlier. Driving this increase were significant increases for wine and spirits during the COVID-19 pandemic impacted 2020. The number of Australians drinking wine increased from 8,065,000 Australians (41.0%) to 8,814,000 (44.3%) – an increase of 3.3% points over the year.

(Roy Morgan)

April 20 2021

In December 2020 A Majority Of 82% Of Australians Are Satisfied With Their General Insurer

The larger general insurance brands which cater to a more diverse range of customers nation-wide have also had a good year with improvements in customer satisfaction across the board. The big improvers included CommInsure (up 8% points on a year ago), Budget Direct (up 8% points), Allianz (up 5% points), and the larger State-based RACQ in Queensland (up 5% points) and NRMA in NSW (up 3% points).

(Roy Morgan)

April 20 2021

MULTICOUNTRY STUDIES

4 In 10 in the Arab World Said Erdogan’s Foreign Policies Are Good Or Very Good

Asked what they thought of his foreign policies, a sizeable minority of respondents in the six surveyed countries—a little more than 4 in 10 (42 percent)—said they were very good or good. This included majorities in Morocco (57 percent), Jordan (54 percent), and Algeria (52 percent), and a sizeable minority in Tunisia (41 percent). Only in Lebanon (25 percent) and Libya (23 percent) did a smaller minority of a quarter or smaller proportion of respondents view Erdogan’s foreign policies favorably.

(Arabbarometer)

April 21, 2021

9 In 10 Britons Know About The European Super League Proposals

Spanish are most likely to support the agreement that the 15 founding club members get major funding each season irrespective of performance, with half (49%) saying they strongly support/tend to support. In comparison, 31% of those in the UK and 34% in Germany. In comparison, the UK is the least likely to support all of the above features of the league.

(Ipsos MORI)

21 April 2021

Global Market Average Of Only 31% Agree Their Government Has A Clear Plan To Tackle Climate Change

At the same time, people feel the burden of responsibility, with 72% agreeing that if ordinary people do not act now to combat climate change they will be failing future generations. 68% globally say that if companies do not act to combat climate change then they are failing their employees and customers, and 65% globally believe that if their government does not combat climate change then it is failing citizens.

(Ipsos Egypt)

22 April 2021

More Than Two-Thirds Of Africans Say Climate Change Is Making Their Lives Worse And Must Be Stopped

In all but four countries, pluralities said climate conditions for agricultural production have worsened over the past decade, most often due to drought. And among Africans who had heard of climate change, large majorities said it is making life in their country worse and needs to be stopped. More than two-thirds of Africans say climate change is making their lives worse and must be stopped, Afrobarometer analyses show.

(Afrobarometer)

22 Apr 2021

Junk Food Consumption Has Risen Since The Crisis In Major Markets Around The World

While food and supplies hoarding was a result of consumer fear and insecurity in the early months of the pandemic, curfews and food restrictions eventually led many people to discover (or rediscover) the passion for home cooking. In countries such as Australia, France, Germany, Mexico, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the US, consumption of fresh fruits / vegetables and dairy products has increased significantly since the pandemic began. When it comes to fresh fruit and vegetables, Mexico (57 percent) and Singapore (46 percent) lead the way.

(YouGov Germany)

April 23, 2021

Many In Western Europe And U.S. Want Economic Changes As Pandemic Continues

Calls for reform are more prevalent among those who think their country’s economy is not faring well. In the U.S., a large majority (69%) of those who say their country’s economic situation is currently bad also say that the system needs major changes. Just 28% of those who say the economy is currently good support such reform, a 41 percentage point difference. 63% of Britons who say the UK’s economy is currently poor call for reforming their economic system; about a quarter who say the economy is good hold the same view on reform.

(PEW)

APRIL 22, 2021

ASIA

687-43-01/Poll

One Out Of Seven Indians Believe Their Personal Data Is Secure With E-Commerce Sites And Online Businesses (14%)

The recent episodes of data leaks by start-ups and digital platforms have raised concerns about data privacy and security in India. Now YouGov’s latest study reveals that more than one-third of urban Indians trust government departments with the safety of their personal data (35%). This is closely followed by trust in financial institutions (31%).

Only one out of seven respondents believe their personal data is secure with e-commerce sites and online businesses (14%). Social media platforms (7%) and hospitals or other healthcare units (6%) are the least trusted by people when it comes to their personal data.

As more and more cases of personal data being misused emerge in the country, the study indicates that most respondents are concerned about their data privacy to some extent. Only one in ten (9%) are not concerned at all. Despite this only 58% read the privacy terms & conditions before signing up for an app or a web service.

When it comes to their personally identifiable information, the study found that people consider some types of personal information more important than others. Banking data such as ATM pins and passwords are considered the most important assets, followed by government-issued documents (76% and 63% respectively find them extremely important). More than half consider passwords (59%) and phone numbers (51%) extremely important. Relevance of email addresses, location, and browsing history is comparatively lower at 41%, 38%, and 31% respectively.

Some recent media reports suggest that India has seen an increase in cyber-attacks in the past few months and the cyber-fraud incidents may go up in 2021. When asked about their personal experience of a data breach, more than half the respondents said they have suffered a data breach in some form. About a fourth (24%) claimed to be victims of payment app frauds.

One in five (20%) have faced identity thefts (like social media accounts being hacked or email passwords being stolen) and an equal number suffered data hacktivism either for the company they work at or for the online service provider they used (like online apps used by them). Some have even experienced payment card frauds (18%).

Interestingly, millennials are more likely than the rest to say that they have been victims of all forms of data breaches listed earlier.

To prevent data breaches and safeguard personal information, urban Indians are taking some kind of measures. Creating strong passwords and refraining to click on suspicious links or attachments is the most common method employed by people to protect themselves against data breaches (51% each).

Many believe that not giving out personal information on calls, emails or messages would ensure data safety (46%) and almost a similar number said they make payments only through trusted payment gateways and verify website safety before logging in (45% each) to secure themselves.

(YouGov India)
April 19, 2021

Source: https://in.yougov.com/en-hi/news/2021/04/19/urban-indians-trust-government-more-others-their-p/

687-43-02/Poll

78% Pakistanis Who Believe The Country Is Headed In The Wrong Direction Cite Inflation As The Top Reason; 58% Say Unemployment

According to a survey conducted by Gallup & Gilani Pakistan, 78% Pakistanis who believe the country is headed in the wrong direction cite inflation as the top reason; 58% say unemployment. A nationally representative sample of adult men and women from across the four provinces who believe the country is headed in the wrong direction was asked the following question, “Normally, why do you think that the country is headed in the wrong direction?” In response to this question, 78% said inflation, 58% said unemployment, 36% said poverty, 27% said corruption, 17% said load shedding, 14% said inexperienced government / politicians, 9% each said weak economy and lack of education systems, 6% each said water shortage, lack of peace and order, rift between government institutions, 4% said political disunity and 7% said other reasons. Question: “Normally, why do you think that the country is headed in the wrong direction?”

(Gallup Pakistan)

April 22, 2021

Source: https://gallup.com.pk/post/31664

MENA

687-43-03/Poll

33.5% Palestinians Would Vote For Marwan Barghouthi

Imprisoned Fateh leader Marwan Barghouthi holds a commanding lead over President Abu Mazen and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in a three-way race, were presidential elections held today, according to a new JMCC and Friedrich Ebert Stiftung poll.

The poll, conducted between April 3-13, also shows the standing of candidates in legislative elections scheduled for May 22 this year.

In the upcoming legislative council elections, Palestinians will vote for factional lists. But nearly one in three respondents in the West Bank and one in five in the Gaza Strip said that they would not vote.

The list headed by Fateh leader and former Nablus governor Mahmoud Aloul leads the legislative polling, with 25.3% of the vote (23.1% in the West Bank and 28.7% in the Gaza Strip). Another 13% said they would vote for the Freedom List, headed by diplomat and nephew of Yasser Arafat, Nasser al-Qudwa, and Marwan Barghouthi (15% in the West Bank and 10.1% in the Gaza Strip).

Next in popularity was the Future List, headed by Gaza Fateh leader Samir Mashharawi, 8.8%, (20.2% in the Gaza Strip and 1.1% in the West Bank), followed by the Al Quds is our Destiny List, headed by Hamas leader and former Legislative Council representative Khalil Hayya, 8.2% (5.9% in the West Bank and 11.5% in the Gaza Strip), and The People’s Pulse List, headed by imprisoned Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine leader Ahmad Sa'adat at 2.2% and the Together We Can list headed by former prime minister Dr. Salam Fayyad, at 2.1%.

While the elections have been welcomed by the European Union and the United Nations, there remains some skepticism that they will be held at all. Previous planned votes have been scuttled and it remains unclear whether East Jerusalem residents, who live under direct Israeli control, will be allowed to vote. The rest of the West Bank and Gaza Strip are also occupied by Israel but governed in some areas by the Palestinian Authority, which is planning these elections.

A legislative vote held in 2006 resulted in violence and a long stalemate after Hamas won a majority but was not allowed to govern. The Islamic movement ultimately overran government security positions in the Gaza Strip, splitting the Palestinian leadership.

(JMCC)

April 21, 2021

Sources: http://www.jmcc.org/news.aspx?id=3821

AFRICA

687-43-04/Poll

Almost Half 40% Of South African Households Go Hungry Due To Covid-19

Large numbers of people - estimated in the region of around 3 million - lost their jobs during 2020 and were added to the growing unemployment figures of the country. In a study conducted by Ipsos, on behalf of the Centre for Social Development in Africa based at the University of Johannesburg, it was found that almost half (46%) of adult South Africans agreed with the statement: “Adults and children in my household often had to go hungry during the Covid-19 pandemic, as we did not have enough money for food.”

Fieldwork was conducted from 19 November 2020 to 30 December 2020, with 3,469 face-to-face interviews of a randomly selected sample of South Africans that are 18 years and older. Interviews were conducted in homes and in-home languages.

The extent of hunger

At the time of fieldwork, more than 40% of South Africans of all age groups were affected by hunger. All population groups were affected, with about half of Indian and Black people suffering from hunger. This is also true for more than four in ten Coloured people and almost three in ten White people in South Africa.

South Africans of all age groups and all population groups were affected by hunger

Hunger knows no provincial boundaries and South Africans all over the country were going hungry – but those in KwaZulu-Natal (the second most populous province in South Africa) and the Eastern Cape (one of the poorest provinces) suffered the most:

Hunger knows no provincial boundaries and South Africans all over the country were going hungry

The scourge of hunger affected similar proportions of working (45%) and non-working (46%) South Africans. This can be seen together with comments about household income and about stress and illnesses suffered by household members.

About six in every ten South Africans (58%) said that “The Covid-19 pandemic has a negative impact on the income of my household” and half (50%) said “People in my household suffer more from stress and other illnesses during the Covid-19 pandemic”.

People in my household suffer more from stress and other illnesses during the Covid-19 pandemic

The Government and Covid-19

Close to six in every ten South Africans (58%) think that President Cyril Ramaphosa did a good job during the Covid-19 pandemic and a similar proportion (56%) give the South African Government credit for their handling of the pandemic.

It is probably no surprise that ANC supporters are more vocal in their support for the president and the government’s handling of the pandemic, but supporters of other political parties largely agree – although not to the same extent.

Interestingly, supporters of all three the biggest political parties are very close in their opinions about the alleged corruption by government officials, with more than half (52%) of South Africans saying that the alleged corruption by government officials during the Covid-19 pandemic made them more negative about the ANC. This notion will have to be tested in forthcoming surveys.

supporters of all three the biggest political parties are very close in their opinions about the alleged corruption by government officials

(Ipsos South Africa)

21 April 2021

Source: https://www.ipsos.com/en-za/almost-half-south-african-households-go-hungry-due-covid-19

687-43-05/Poll

Despite Hydropower Surplus, 74% Ugandans Report Lack Of Electricity

Only about half of Ugandans live in zones served by the electric grid, and only a quarter live in households that are connected to the grid, Afrobarometer survey findings show.

These findings, presented in greater detail in Afrobarometer Dispatch No. 441, suggest that the government’s plans, policies, and programs, while appreciated by citizens, require accelerated implementation to achieve widespread access and lower electricity costs.

(Afrobarometer)

22 Apr 2021

Source: https://afrobarometer.org/press/despite-hydropower-surplus-most-ugandans-report-lack-electricity-afrobarometer-survey-shows

WEST EUROPE

687-43-06/Poll

SNP Have A 49% Share Of The Scottish Parliament Constituency Vote

Latest YouGov Holyrood voting intention figures

The latest YouGov voting intention figures for Scotland show that the SNP have a 49% share of the constituency vote (-1 from 19-22 March), while the Conservatives are now on 21% (-3).

Elsewhere in the constituency vote, Labour are on 21% (+4), the Liberal Democrats have 6% (+1), and the Greens 1% (-1).

Of the regional vote, the SNP hold 39% (-7), the Conservatives have 22% (-2) and Labour 17% (+2). The Greens now hold 10% (+2) and the Liberal Democrats have 5% (n/c).

"No" continues to lead on our Scottish independence tracker, at 53% (+2 since 4-8 March) versus "Yes" on 47% (-2).

(YouGov UK)

April 22, 2021

Source: https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/articles-reports/2021/04/22/scottish-voting-intention-16-20-apr

687-43-07/Poll

Senedd Voting Intention: Lab 35%, Con 24% PC 24% (18-21 Apr)

Our latest voting intention figures for the Senedd (Welsh Parliament) show Labour’s lead over the Conservatives rise to 9 points in the constituency vote and 11 points in the regional list vote.

In the constituency vote, Labour now stand at 35% (+3 since March), the Conservatives 24% (-6), Plaid Cymru 24% (+1), and the Lib Dems 3% (-2).

The vote shares for the regional list vote see Labour with a 33% share (+2), Conservatives 22% (-6), Plaid Cymru 23% (+1) and Lib Dems 4% (n/c).

Our latest figures show a reasonable change in the Labour lead over the Conservatives in both the constituency and regional list vote. There are two possible reasons for this. Firstly, our March poll came at a time of general positivity around the UK government’s handling of COVID-19, specifically the vaccine rollout. Its likely that this positivity translated into party support in the Senedd.

Secondly, we know that many voters only start to think about how they will vote in elections in the last couple of weeks of a campaign. Outside of election campaigns, voting intention polls are more of a snap-shot of general public mood towards parties rather than how they will vote if there was an actual election. While in our March poll some voters may have answered our Senedd voting questions as if they were more of a hypothetical, they may now be thinking more about how they will cast their ballot at the start of May.

Curiously, we find that 10% of those who say they’d vote Conservative if there was a UK-wide general election tomorrow say they are planning to vote Labour in the Senedd. This could mean that while these voters have a general positive opinion of how the Conservatives are currently doing, when faced with an actual election, they are planning to vote Labour. It could also suggest that Welsh Labour are doing a better job of winning over voters than Labour are UK-wide.

What vote share means for seats

While polls can give a good idea of how an election may go, they are only ever an indication of the national popular vote, rather than how many seats the parties will win – YouGov used an MRP model to estimate seat tallies in the 2017 and 2019 general elections, rather than traditional polling.

The Senedd election on 6 May could be even trickier than usual to predict in terms of how votes will transfer to seats, as small changes in vote share could have a big impact the outcome.

Our latest constituency vote figures have Labour on 35% nationally, the same vote share they achieved in 2016. At that election there were six seats that Labour won with less than a two point lead, and uniform national swing would suggest that Labour would lose three seats despite holding their vote share (Vale of Glamorgan to the Conservatives, and Llanelli and Blaenau Gwent to Plaid Cymru).

However, there is always a margin of error on polls and if we assume this is three percentage points then their actual vote share is anywhere between 32% and 38%. If Labour end up with 32% of the constituency vote then they could potentially also lose Vale of Clwyd and Cardiff West based on uniform swing. Conversely, if their vote share is 38% then they could hold on to all their seats from 2016 and even gain seats from other parties. This also ignores any local factors that would not be picked up in our national polls.

The regional list vote, designed to more equally distribute seats based on party vote share complicates things further. Each of the five regions have four top-up seats and things get very close on the final seat in certain regions, meaning a marginal difference in vote share will change which party gains the seat. This can be particularly impactful on smaller parties. The Abolish the Welsh Assembly party, for example, are currently on 7% of the national vote share, which puts them at the cusp of gaining seats.

So while opinion polls can show us the overall picture of an election, we will have to wait until after 6 May to see what the Senedd will look like in terms of seats

(YouGov UK)

April 22, 2021

Source: https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/articles-reports/2021/04/22/senedd-vote-intention-lab-35-con-24-pc-24-18-21-Ap

687-43-08/Poll

61% Think It Unacceptable For Ex-Ministers To Work For Companies Trying To Win Government Contracts

The row surrounding former prime minister David Cameron and his work as a lobbyist for Greensill – a private company founded by his former adviser Lex Greensill – rumbles on, bringing into focus again the connection between private business and British politics.

Cameron has come under fire for messaging current government ministers, including Chancellor Rishi Sunak, to arrange meetings and pressure the government into giving Greensill access to COVID-related government loan schemes.

It is not against any rules for former government ministers to lobby the government on behalf of private companies after they have left office for more than two years, but the issue is quite contentious.

Now a new YouGov data survey asks the British public what it is and is not acceptable for former ministers to do.

Just 20% and 15% of Brits think it is acceptable for ministers to provide advice or work for companies bidding for government contracts respectively.

Further, 58% of people think it is unacceptable for former ministers to be employed by a company who worked on government contracts while they were in office (15% acceptable). Just over two-in-five (44%) also say ministers working for foreign governments is unacceptable, compared to 25% who think it’s fine.

There are some small differences found between people who voted Conservatives and Labour at the 2019 general election. For instance, three-in-five Conservative (60%) voters suggested that it was ‘unacceptable’ for former ministers to be employed to try to win government contracts for companies, compared to 68% of 2019 Labour voters. The conclusion is consistent, however – a clear majority of voters from both parties view the practice as unacceptable.

There are, however, some quite clear age differences. For example, while 65% of respondents aged 65 and over suggest that it is unacceptable for former ministers to be employed to give advice to companies on winning government contracts, only 41% of those aged 18-24 share this view.

The British public are not completely against former ministers having any kind of remunerated work after they leave office. A majority (52%) think it is acceptable for former ministers to be paid to give after dinner speeches (21% unacceptable), and 45% felt that being employed on company boards was acceptable (22% unacceptable). Meanwhile, 44% of respondents said it was acceptable for former ministers to be employed giving strategic advice to companies in general (27% unacceptable).

(YouGov UK)

April 23, 2021

Source: https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/articles-reports/2021/04/23/61-think-it-unacceptable-ex-ministers-work-compani

687-43-09/Poll

7 Out Of 10 French People Own A Barbecue And/or A Plancha 70%

79% of French people consider barbecue / a la plancha cooking to be a summer must. With the approach of the summer season, we carried out a study devoted to these two cooking appliances.

A majority of French people have a barbecue and / or a plancha

7 out of 10 French people own a barbecue and / or a plancha (70%).

Among them, 81% have at least one barbecue and 46% have at least one plancha. In details :

56% have a charcoal barbecue, 18% an electric barbecue and 15% a gas barbecue
31% use an electric plancha and 16% a gas plancha

What foods do they usually cook?

The vast majority of barbecue / plancha owners say they use - at least occasionally - their appliance to cook something other than meat (86%).

Meat is still largely at the top of the foods that the French are used to preparing using this method of cooking, at 83%. Pepper comes second (60%) ahead of fish (55%) and vegetable skewers (49%).

The most important criteria when buying a barbecue and a plancha

If the top three is the same for both products, there are some differences.

Price is the number 1 criterion , cited by 55% of respondents regarding the purchase of a barbecue and by 51% of respondents for the purchase of a plancha.

The ease of cleaning (40%) and use (39%) are almost tied for barbecue, which is not the case for the plancha: 46% of the French cite the ease of cleaning, and 31% the ease of use, a difference of 15 points.

We also note that the quality of materials seems to be taken into account more when buying a barbecue (36% vs. 28% for a plancha).

Note: the French are generally ready to pay more for a barbecue than for a plancha. On average, they would be willing to pay € 171 for a barbecue, and € 133 for a plancha.

(YouGov France)
April 22, 2021

Source: https://fr.yougov.com/news/2021/04/22/barbecue-et-plancha-les-stars-de-l-ete/

687-43-10/Poll

1 In 2 French Say They Are Sure They Are Up To Date With Regard To Their Vaccination (52%)

Today, if 66% of French people say that getting vaccinated is a simple formality, 21% see it as a “chore that takes time” , and only 13% associate it with “anxiety” .

There are therefore levers and this survey carried out among French people and health professionals has identified four major areas for optimizing the vaccination course.

Better inform patients and healthcare professionals, using digital tools in particular

a) The French say they are little or even poorly informed about their vaccination schedule

• Only 1 in 2 say they are sure they are up to date with regard to their vaccination (52%), the others are not sure (36%) or are on the contrary certain that they are not (10%). )

• Patients rarely discuss this subject with the healthcare professionals who follow them: only 27% say they talk about vaccination with their doctor "at least once a year"

b) Digital tools could put patients back at the center of their vaccination journey

Thus, 48% of French people say that they would no longer be vaccinated:

• If they had an application on mobile phone allowing them to know the vaccines for which they are up to date or not.

• If they received alerts by email / phone / letter reminding them to carry out the essential vaccines

c) If healthcare professionals do not systematically inform their patients, it is also because they themselves admit that they lack information

• Only 53% of general practitioners, 21% of pharmacists and 11% of nurses admit to being “very well informed” about all the vaccines recommended for their patients.

• They are even less likely to say that they are very familiar with the tools for monitoring patients' vaccinations (34%, 15% and 13% respectively) or even the arguments to put forward to convince refractory patients to be vaccinated. (respectively 30%, 17% and 9%)

Inno'vaccines Ipsos

Mobilize all health actors in the vaccination effort

a) General practitioners are identified by all health professionals as being the actors most concerned by vaccination

Thus, for more than nine out of ten healthcare professionals , general practitioners are legitimate to intervene at all stages of the journey:

• Record all the vaccinations administered to the patient on dedicated media (98%)

• Identify the vaccines that are recommended to the patient in view of his state of health (97%)

• Follow the immunization schedule of patients (97%)

• Inform and sensitize patients to the need to be vaccinated (95%)

• Identify the risks or contraindications to vaccination (allergies, etc.) (95%)

• Convince patients opposed to vaccination to carry out essential vaccines (94%)

b) However, it also appears essential to mobilize all health actors in the vaccination efforts: pharmacists, occupational physicians, and nurses

• 87% of pharmacists thus wish to be able to administer adult vaccines other than that of influenza, a wish confirmed by the good satisfaction expressed by the French who have already been vaccinated in pharmacies (score of 8.1 / 10)

• 60% of private and mixed nurses want to be able to buy the vaccine instead of the patient

• Only 33% of working people say they have the possibility of being vaccinated at work but 25% of them do not know if this opportunity exists

• Many working people who have never been vaccinated at work say that they would do so especially if it was free (54%), fast (52%), and if they could do it near their workplace. (51%)

Inno'vaccines Ipsos

Shortening the vaccination course, an essential lever to encourage the French to be vaccinated more

a) A still relatively long vaccination course

• Indeed, for nearly 7 in 10 French people (69%), carrying out a vaccination act (injection of a dose of vaccine) involves making 2 consultation appointments.

• The average waiting time between obtaining the vaccine in the pharmacy and the 2nd appointment with the doctor is 7 days on average

b) Reducing the time taken for the vaccination course could convince many French people to get vaccinated

• 72% of French people currently behind in their vaccination would be vaccinated more if they could be vaccinated by their doctor just after buying their vaccine at the pharmacy , the same day

• 66% of those who are not up to date with their vaccination would be vaccinated if their doctor ordered their vaccine directly from the pharmacist , thus avoiding them having to travel

Inno'vaccines Ipsos

Managing demand better: a key issue for pharmacists

a) Inventory management is a key issue for pharmacists

• To anticipate their orders, pharmacists refer more to their activity for the previous year (number of vaccines sold or produced (92%) and to identified needs (81%)) than to information disseminated on websites. specialized information (78% of them do not consult any information site for this purpose)

b) The tools, especially digital, allowing the management of the evolution of stocks seem non-existent or unknown

• However, this is a real issue, 90% of pharmacists would vaccinate more patients against influenza if they could more accurately forecast demand (78% for compulsory or recommended vaccines)

• And 79% if they could anticipate supply difficulties

Inno'vaccines Ipsos

(Ipsos France)

April 20, 2021

Source: https://www.ipsos.com/fr-fr/comment-ameliorer-le-parcours-vaccinal-des-francais-et-lever-les-freins-la-vaccination

687-43-11/Poll

39% Of Spaniards Consider Spending A Lot Of Time Reading, Compared To 25% Who Consider Reading Very Little

On the occasion of the celebration of International Book Day , from YouGov we have analyzed some of the behavior of readers in Spain. Discover the hours they spend reading and the platforms preferred by the respondents.

39% of Spaniards consider spending a lot of time reading, compared to 25% who consider reading very little and 7% of the population who declare not to read anything.

Digital versus traditional What format do Spaniards prefer to read?

The arrival of digital format revolutionized the world of reading. More than half of the respondents (52%) prefer to read on paper and do so in this format, 30% declare they prefer the paper format, but read digitally, compared to 14% who both prefer how they use the digital format and Finally, 3% who, despite preferring digital formats, read on paper.

(YouGov Spain)

April 23, 2021

Source: https://es.yougov.com/news/2021/04/23/cuanto-tiempo-se-dedica-en-espana-la-lectura/

687-43-12/Poll

Exactly Half Of The Spanish (50%) Support The Super League

Raimon Basas - Rumors have been running about a breakup of soccer's big clubs for a long time, and it seemed that now his plan had come true when 12 of Europe's biggest teams revealed their plans to create the new European Super League ( ESL).

On the part of LaLiga, there were three Spanish teams among the founders of the competition: Atlético de Madrid, Barcelona and Real Madrid. The English teams leading the charge include the so-called "big six": Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur. In Italy, the founding members of the league comprised the teams AC Milan, Juventus and Inter Milan and with three other European clubs yet to be named.

The idea was that the European Super League teams would continue to compete in their respective national leagues, but the European Super League would effectively compete with the current Champions League, organized by UEFA.

To date, it seems that the project has already stopped, even so, from YouGov, we asked the Spanish fans for their opinion on the new SuperLiga, before most clubs decided not to be part of this project.

Half of the Spanish would support the creation of the new SuperLiga

Among the fans of the Spanish clubs that would participate in the competition, there is even more support from the stands of Atlético de Madrid and Real Madrid (52% and 63% respectively), while among FC Barcelona fans this proportion is at the par with the general population (47%).

When it comes to interest in watching the competition, the numbers are even higher. Almost two thirds of Spaniards (63%) would be interested in watching the competition when it started. Again, Real Madrid fans are the most enthusiastic (76%) followed by Atlético (70%) and FC Barcelona (68%).

In what the majority of both the population and football fans agree is that the formation of this new SuperLiga has been created more by the desire to obtain economic benefits on the part of the clubs that join the competition by the desire to football fans have such a league. In no case do these figures fall below 62%

In Spain, where income differences between clubs are considerable, fans tend to think, despite the good intentions of the ESL, that smaller teams and leagues will suffer with the introduction of the new league (55%) rather than benefit from it (24%). Finally, 15% believe that there will be no change in this regard, while the remaining 6% are unable to comment.

In the event that penalties were imposed on the Super League member clubs, the main targets would be the owners of the football clubs (46%) followed by the clubs themselves (39%). These proportions are maintained among the fans of the clubs involved.

Finally, when it comes to specifying these sanctions against the clubs, 38% of the Spanish population believes that economic sanctions should be applied. There is a third (33%) who believe that they should not have any punishment. The third most popular option would be expulsion from the national leagues, but already at a distant 24%.

(YouGov Spain)

April 22, 2021

Source: https://es.yougov.com/news/2021/04/22/la-opinion-de-los-hinchas-espanoles-sobre-la-europ/

NORTH AMERICA

687-43-13/Poll

Biden Job Approval A Respectable 57% At 100 Days

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- As President Joe Biden approaches the symbolic 100^th day of his presidency at the end of this month, his job approval rating is back to its post-inauguration high of 57%. It has varied between 54% and 57% since he took office.

Line graph. Trend from January 2021 to April 2021 in President Joe Biden's job approval ratings. Percentage approving was 57% in January, 56% in February, 54% in March and 57% in April.

Biden Averages 56% Approval in Entire First Quarter

Given the stability in Biden's approval rating thus far, his latest reading of 57% at roughly the 100-day mark nearly matches the 56% job approval score he has averaged during his first quarter in office, from Jan. 20 through April 19. Along with Biden's 100-day score, his first-quarter approval is on par with several of the past six presidents: G.W. Bush (58%), G.H.W. Bush (57%) and Clinton (55%).

Of the other two presidents who served during the past three decades, Obama, with a 63% first-quarter approval rating, was above par for the period, while Trump was well below par, averaging an all-time low of 41%.

All presidents taking office before 1989 had higher initial job approval ratings than Biden's, in terms of their first-quarter averages as well as their approval at 100 days.

Initial Presidential Job Approval Rating Statistics for Elected Presidents

Presidents listed in reverse chronological order

	Approval at 100 days	First-quarter average
	%	%
2021: Biden	57	56
2017: Trump	41	41
2009: Obama	65	63
2001: G.W. Bush	62	58
1993: Clinton	55	55
1989: G.H.W. Bush	58	57
1981: Reagan	67	60
1977: Carter	63	69
1969: Nixon	61	62
1961: Kennedy	83	74
1953: Eisenhower	73	71
Approval at 100 days is based on latest April Gallup poll presidential approval ratings starting on or before April 29 of each year. First-quarter average based on ratings in Gallup surveys with start dates between Jan. 20 and Apr. 19 of each year.
GALLUP

Views of Biden Steady at the Subgroup Level

The strong party divisions seen in Biden's approval rating in earlier readings have persisted in the latest, with 94% of Democrats and 11% of Republicans approving of his performance.

His current ratings by gender, age, race and education also roughly match his averages among these groups in January, February and March. He receives higher support from women, younger adults, non-White adults and college graduates than from their counterparts.

President Job Biden's Job Approval in April, by Major Subgroup

	Approve	Disapprove	No opinion
	%	%	%
U.S. adults	57	40	3
Party ID
Democrats	94	5	1
Independents	58	37	5
Republicans	11	88	1
Gender
Men	50	47	4
Women	64	34	2
Age
18 to 34	60	36	4
35 to 54	57	39	3
55 and older	55	43	2
Race
White adults	45	52	2
Non-White adults	81	16	4
Education
College graduates	64	35	1
Not college graduates	53	44	4
GALLUP, APRIL 1-21, 2021

No Set Pattern for First-Year Ratings

There are nearly as many patterns to presidents' quarterly ratings in their first year in office as there are presidents.

Elected presidents starting their first term with 60% or better job approval tended not to see it grow; only John F. Kennedy achieved that in 1961. But others maintained high support (Richard Nixon), lost a moderate amount (Dwight Eisenhower and Ronald Reagan) or lost a sizable amount (Jimmy Carter and Obama). Downturns in the economy (such as in 1981) and controversy over specific policies (as with the Affordable Care Act in 2009) and criticism of being too pro-business (mentioned by Eisenhower detractors in 1953) were among the factors behind these declines.

Of the three presidents who had first-quarter approval ratings between 55% and 59%, Clinton experienced a slight decline in approval by his fourth quarter in office, while G.H.W. Bush and G.W. Bush both saw sizable gains, with the latter Bush's rise resulting from Americans' response to the 9/11 attacks in the third quarter. The fall of the Berlin Wall and events leading up to it in 1989 may have contributed to increases in the elder Bush's approval rating throughout his first year.

Trump is the only president with a first-quarter average approval rating anywhere near as low as his 41%, and it declined slightly from there.

Quarterly Job Approval of Elected Presidents in First Year

Presidents listed in order of first-quarter approval rating

	1st qtr	2nd qtr	3rd qtr	4th qtr	Change (4th vs. 1st qtr)
	%	%	%	%	pct. pts.
60% or higher
1961: Kennedy	74	76	77	78	+4
1953: Eisenhower	71	72	68	65	-6
1977: Carter	69	64	60	55	-14
2009: Obama	63	62	53	51	-12
1969: Nixon	62	62	60	63	+1
1981: Reagan	60	61	57	51	-9
55%-59%
2001: G.W. Bush	58	56	72	86	+28
1989: G.H. W. Bush	57	64	69	74	+17
2021: Biden	56	--	--	--	--
1993: Clinton	55	44	48	51	-4
Below 55%
2017: Trump	41	39	37	37	-4
GALLUP

Bottom Line

Biden took office with a fairly normal level of popularity for recent presidents and has not done anything to shake that support with the American people. As evidenced by the great variation in the trajectory of past presidents' first-year approval ratings, where Biden's approval rating goes from here will be dictated by political, economic and global factors both within and beyond his control. However, extreme partisan differences in how he's viewed, should they persist, could limit the upper and lower bounds of his job approval rating, thereby limiting its movement.

(Gallup USA)

APRIL 23, 2021

Source: https://news.gallup.com/poll/348974/biden-job-approval-respectable-100-days.aspx

687-43-14/Poll

About Six-In-Ten U.S. Adults 62% Say They Favor Raising The Federal Minimum Wage To $15 An Hour

The Biden administration and many congressional Democrats favor increasing the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour from the current rate of $7.25 an hour, but the proposal’s fate in the Senate is uncertain. Some senators, including several Democrats, support a more modest increase in the wage.

Among the public, those who back a $15 minimum wage are fairly divided over how to approach the issue if there is insufficient support in Congress for an increase to that amount this year. A narrow majority of these Americans (54%) say leaders should focus on passing an increase to the wage “even if it may be significantly less than $15 an hour,” while 43% say the priority should be to work to raise the hourly minimum wage to $15 “even if no increase makes it into law this year.”

Among those who oppose raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour, a substantial majority (71%) say the federal minimum wage should be increased, but that the standard should be less than $15 an hour; those who hold this view account for 27% of the overall public. Only one-in-ten Americans in all say that federal minimum wage should remain at the current level of $7.25 an hour.

Support for raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour is extensive across most demographic groups, according to the survey, which was conducted among 5,109 U.S. adults.

Black adults in particular stand out for their support: 89% favor raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour, including 73% who support the idea strongly.

About three-quarters of Hispanic (76%) and Asian Americans (73%) also favor raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour, with 52% of Hispanics and 43% of Asians saying they strongly support the idea.

White adults, by contrast, are divided: 51% favor raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour – including just 30% who strongly favor it – while 48% oppose it.

About seven-in-ten adults who live in lower-income households (72%) say they favor raising the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour, including about half (52%) who strongly favor such an increase. Smaller majorities of those in middle- (58%) and upper-income households (55%) say they favor a $15 minimum wage.

There are sharp partisan differences in opinions. While 87% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents say they favor increasing the wage to $15 an hour (including 61% who strongly favor it), 72% of Republicans and GOP leaners oppose the idea (including 45% who strongly oppose it).

People living in areas where the state-level minimum wage is currently $12 or higher are more likely than others to say they favor a federal increase to $15 an hour. About seven-in-ten adults in these places (69%) favor raising the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour, compared with 59% of those living in places with a minimum wage of less than $12 an hour.

While Democrats are largely united in their support for increasing the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour, Republicans’ views differ by household income.

Lower-income Republicans (46%) are much more likely than middle- (23%) and upper-income Republicans (18%) to say they favor raising the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour. Still, a majority of lower-income Republicans (54%) say they oppose such an increase.

Similarly, Republicans who live in areas where the state minimum wage is $12 or higher are slightly more likely than those living in places where the $7.25 federal minimum wage applies to say they favor raising the federal minimum to $15 an hour (32% vs. 25%).

What should happen if Congress lacks support for a $15 minimum wage?

More than half of Americans who favor a $15 federal minimum wage (54%) say that if there is not enough congressional support for such an increase this year, Congress should prioritize increasing the wage even if the new wage is significantly less than $15.

These views differ by race and ethnicity, as well as by income. A majority of Black adults who favor a $15 standard (55%) say that if there is not sufficient support in Congress for that to pass, congressional leaders should continue to work for a $15 minimum wage even if no minimum wage increase becomes law this year. Half of Hispanic adults who back the $15 wage also express this view.

By contrast, 36% of White adults who favor a $15 minimum wage say Congress should keep pressing for that amount. A majority of White supporters of a $15 federal minimum wage, by contrast, say Congress should work for an increase in the minimum wage even if it is less than $15 an hour.

Lower-income adults who favor a $15 minimum wage are divided on the better approach if there is inadequate support in Congress for the proposal this year: 49% say congressional leaders should prioritize any raise to the minimum that can happen this year, while an identical 49% share say leaders should continue working until they pass legislation raising the wage to $15 an hour.

Among higher-income adults who support a $15 minimum wage, majorities say the priority for Congress should be to work to increase the minimum wage, even if the new wage is significantly less than $15 an hour.

(PEW)

APRIL 22, 2021

Source: https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/04/22/most-americans-support-a-15-federal-minimum-wage/

687-43-15/Poll

44% Of Americans Said Dealing With Climate Change Should Be A Top Long-Term Foreign Policy Goal For The United States

Dozens of world leaders are convening virtually this week to join President Joe Biden at the Leaders Summit on Climate. In a recent Pew Research Center survey, 44% of Americans said dealing with climate change should be a top long-term foreign policy goal for the United States. But Americans’ views about the importance of addressing climate change and other foreign policy priorities differed by a number of factors – most notably their broader attitudes toward international engagement.

In general, Americans who have faith in international cooperation were more likely to prioritize policies that require engaging with global partners, while those who doubt the value of collaborating with other countries prioritized policies that can be pursued independently. And similar divides cut across party affiliation, education and community type, according to the survey of 2,596 U.S. adults conducted Feb. 1-7.

‘Outward’ vs. ‘inward’ foreign policy goals

One way to analyze Americans’ views of foreign policy priorities is to think of each issue as either “outward” or “inward” in nature, as some international relations experts have done using the framework of “internationalism” and “isolationism.” While no issue fits exclusively into one category or the other, prioritizing outward issues – such as preventing the spread of weapons of mass destruction – tends to reflect liberal internationalism, a school of thought that promotes countries working together for mutual benefit. Prioritizing inward issues – such as protecting the jobs of American workers – generally reflects an emphasis on domestic priorities that do not necessarily involve international cooperation. Some scholars have pointed to former President Donald Trump’s “America First” foreign policy agenda as an example of these kinds of priorities.

The Center’s recent survey finds notable differences in views of specific issues depending on how Americans feel about international cooperation more broadly. For example, those who doubt the benefits of international cooperation were far more likely to say that curbing immigration – both illegal and legal – should be a top foreign policy priority for the nation. By contrast, those who express more faith in international cooperation were far more likely to prioritize combating climate change, strengthening the United Nations, promoting democracy abroad and aiding refugees. Only when it comes to containing North Korean power did equal shares of the two groups give top priority.

These patterns are generally consistent across the foreign policy priorities asked, but there is one notable outlier. Those who value international cooperation were more likely than those who don’t to favor limiting the power and influence of Russia – a goal that, on its face at least, could be described as more inward- than outward-facing.

Some of this could be due to partisan divides in views of Russia: Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents are more likely than Republicans and GOP leaners to see limiting Russian power as a top priority. This reflects an established pattern in previous Pew Research Center surveys. In this most recent survey, Democrats were also more likely than Republicans to lack confidence in Russian President Vladimir Putin (87% vs. 78%), and in 2020 they were more likely than Republicans to have an unfavorable view of Russia (78% vs. 68%). Also in 2020, Democrats were much more likely than Republicans to view Russia’s power and influence as a major threat to the U.S. (68% vs. 46%).

Differences by party, education and community type

Overall, Democrats were more likely than Republicans to believe that many of the nation’s problems can be solved by working with other countries (71% vs. 33%), the February survey found. Accordingly, they were also more likely than Republicans to prioritize outward-facing foreign policy goals, while Republicans were more likely to prioritize inward goals.

Democrats, for example, were five times as likely as Republicans to think dealing with global climate change should be a top priority (70% vs. 14%, respectively). On the flip side, Republicans were four times as likely as Democrats to see curbing illegal immigration as a critical issue (64% vs. 16%). The only inward-facing foreign policy goal that Democrats prioritized more than Republicans was limiting the power and influence of Russia.

Though there were significant differences between partisans on nearly all of the issues included in the survey, similar shares of Democrats and Republicans did agree that reducing U.S. military commitments abroad and preventing the spread of weapons of mass destruction should be top foreign policy goals.

Educational attainment also related to Americans’ attitudes toward specific foreign policies. Those without undergraduate degrees tended to fall on the more insular side, while those who have graduated from college tended to favor a more outward-facing agenda.

These divides were particularly stark in views of national security issues. For example, those with no college degree were more likely to prioritize maintaining the U.S. military’s dominance, while those with more education were more likely to prioritize combating climate change.

This pattern was not consistent across all foreign policy goals, however. Those with more education were less likely to see supporting human rights abroad – a more outward-facing policy goal – as a top priority.

Americans’ community type was also a factor in how they viewed some key foreign policy priorities. In general, those living in urban areas prioritized more outward facing policies, such as dealing with climate change or combating the spread of disease, while those in rural areas prioritized more inward-facing issues, such as reducing illegal immigration.

(PEW)

APRIL 23, 2021

Source: https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/04/23/americans-views-of-key-foreign-policy-goals-depend-on-their-attitudes-toward-international-cooperation/

AUSTRALIA

687-43-16/Poll

The Number Of Australians Drinking Wine Increased From 8,065,000 Australians (41.0%) To 8,814,000 (44.3%)

In 2020 a total of 13,337,000 Australians (67.0%) aged 18+ consumed alcohol in an average four-week period, up from 13,021,000 (66.2%) a year earlier.

Driving this increase were significant increases for wine and spirits during the COVID-19 pandemic impacted 2020. The number of Australians drinking wine increased from 8,065,000 Australians (41.0%) to 8,814,000 (44.3%) – an increase of 3.3% points over the year.

In addition there were 6,277,000 Australians (31.5%) drinking spirits in 2020, up from 5,465,000 (27.8%) a year earlier – an increase of 3.7% points. Also increasing was consumption of Ready-to-drinks (RTDs) which increased from 2,101,000 Australians (10.7%) up to 2,392,000 Australians (12.0%).

However, outside these three categories the long-term trends continued with fewer Australians drinking beer, cider, liqueurs and fortified wines in 2020.

Beer led the decline and was down from 7,353,000 Australians (37.4%) in 2019 to 6,878,000 (34.6%) in 2020. If the trends of last year were to continue this year the number of Australians drinking spirits would overtake those drinking beer.

The findings are from the Roy Morgan Single Source survey, Australia’s most trusted and comprehensive consumer survey, derived from in-depth interviews with 50,000 Australians each year.

Proportion of Australians who consume alcohol in an average four-week period

Source: Roy Morgan Single Source Australia, Jan-Dec 2019, n= 15,197. Jan-Dec 2020, n= 39,953. Base: Australians aged 18+.

Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine says the increase in the consumption of wine and spirits during 2020 has reversed the trend of declining consumption of alcohol by Australians – but will the unprecedented nature of a year dominated by COVID-19 and lockdowns prove an aberration?

“Australians experienced an unprecedented year in 2020 with a nation-wide lockdown in March--May 2020 followed by a longer second lockdown in Victoria between July and October and a series of shorter lockdowns in response to local outbreaks of COVID-19 around the country.

“In a year like no other many Australians found time to enjoy their favourite alcoholic beverage – and reversed the downward trend of the past three years – registering the first increase in the number of Australians (up 0.8% points to 67%) drinking alcohol in a calendar year since 2016.

“Driving this increase was an increasing proportion of people consuming wine, up 3.3% points to 44.3% of all Australians aged 18+ and spirits, up 3.7% points to 31.5% of Australians. Those enjoying Ready-to-drink beverages (RTDs) also increased, by 1.3% points to 12% of Australians.

“The popularity of wine during a year of lockdowns was broad-based with an increasing share of both genders drinking wine. Although more women than men drink wine the increase in the number of men drinking wine (up 4.5% points on 2019) was larger than for women (up 2.1% points). The number of people drinking wine also increased across the age spectrum and perhaps surprisingly the largest increase by age group was for those aged 80+ - up 6.7% points on a year ago.

“The increasing number of Australians drinking spirits has continued the trend of recent years (Roy Morgan: Gin and vodka drive spirits higher as other alcoholic beverages decline – March 10, 2020) and if the consumption trends of 2020 were to continue this year the number of Australians drinking spirits would overtake beer for the first time. The incidence of drinking spirits was up for both genders and across all age groups with the largest increase by age for people aged 25-34 (up 7.7% points on a year ago).

“A new emphasis on ‘health-conscious drinking’ has given a boost to the ‘Ready-to-drink’ (RTDs) market with RTDs overtaking cider among Australians for the first time since 2013. The number of Australians drinking RTDs rose for both genders and across all age groups in 2020 as alcoholic seltzers entered the market offering a healthier alternative lower in calories and carbohydrates than beer or wine.

“Other alcoholic beverages weren’t so fortunate with the number of Australians consuming beer, cider, liqueurs and fortified wine all declining from a year ago with beer taking the biggest hit down 2.8% points to 34.6% of Australians with pubs closed during the lockdowns and for several months on end in Victoria.

“Roy Morgan will be keeping a keen eye on the developing trends in the alcohol market during 2021 as an increasing proportion of Australians are vaccinated against COVID-19 and the threat of further lockdowns and border closures becomes less likely.

“The big question for the alcohol market going forward is can the trend in 2020 of an increasing number of Australians consuming alcohol (in particular wine, spirits and RTDs) continue or will the longer-term trends of declining alcohol consumption resume in a post-COVID environment?”

(Roy Morgan)

April 20 2021

Source: https://www.roymorgan.com/findings/8686-alcohol-consumption-april-2021-202104190630

687-43-17/Poll

In December 2020 A Majority Of 82% Of Australians Are Satisfied With Their General Insurer

Just behind RAA are Tasmania’s RACT with a customer satisfaction of 92% (down 1% point), Western Australia’s RAC on 92% (up 5% points) and Suncorp Group owned Shannons on 91% (up 1% point).

The largest improvement among the leaders for general insurance satisfaction has been by the Suncorp Group’s Bingle which increased customer satisfaction by 8% points during 2020 to an impressive 88%.

The five brands shown below in the chart far exceed the average for customer satisfaction in the general insurance industry. Overall in December 2020 a majority of 82% of Australians are satisfied with their general insurer, up 3% points from the same time a year ago at 79% in December 2019.

These latest results are based on in-depth interviews conducted with over 50,000 consumers per annum including over 35,000 with general insurance.

General Insurance Satisfaction - Top 5 Performers in December 2020

Source: Roy Morgan Single Source (Australia). Jan-Dec 2019, n = 38,954; Jan-Dec 2020 n = 37,655. Base: Australians 14+ who held General Insurance Policies.

Michele Levine, Chief Executive Officer, Roy Morgan, says:

“South Australian based RAA had the highest satisfaction for general insurance customers in December 2020 at a market-leading 94% - up 3% points on a year ago. RAA is marginally ahead of RACT on 92%, the reigning winners of the Roy Morgan Customer Satisfaction Award for the last five consecutive years of 2015-2019.

“The impressive result for RAA of increasing customer satisfaction amidst the COVID-19 pandemic was experienced across the industry with 82% of Australians satisfied with their general insurer in the year to December 2020, an increase of 3% points on 2019.

“The larger brands which hold diverse nation-wide customer bases have also performed well during 2020 with large increases in customer satisfaction led by CommInsure (up 8% points on a year ago), Budget Direct (up 8% points) and Allianz (up 5% points).

“Looking at customer satisfaction at a group level shows IAG Group (including brands such as NRMA, CGU, SGIC, SGIO and Swann Insurance) and Suncorp Group (including brands such as AAMI, GIO, Apia, Shannons, Bingle and Vero) stand out with the highest customer satisfaction of the major insurance groups.

“The General Insurance Customer Satisfaction Report provides an independent and reliable measure of customer satisfaction for General Insurance where it is placed in context with other industries across Australia. The report includes the latest 12 month ratings and trends in General Insurance satisfaction (overall and by brand).

“Satisfaction is analysed in detail by customer overall and by brand and is one of the strongest non-financial performance research measures available to companies. This report allows companies to compare performance against their peers and benchmark against the best in their industry.“

The Roy Morgan Customer Satisfaction Awards highlight the winners but this is only the tip of the iceberg. Roy Morgan tracks customer satisfaction, engagement, loyalty, advocacy and NPS across a range of industries and brands. This data can be analysed by month for your brand and importantly your competitive set.

(Roy Morgan)

April 20 2021

Source: https://www.roymorgan.com/findings/8671-raa-lead-general-insurance-satisfaction-december-2020-202104190625

MULTICOUNTRY STUDIES

687-43-18/Poll

4 In 10 in the Arab World Said Erdogan’s Foreign Policies Are Good Or Very Good

(Arabbarometer)

April 21, 2021

Source: https://www.arabbarometer.org/2021/04/whither-erdogan-regional-leadership-and-the-struggle-for-arab-hearts-and-minds/

687-43-19/Poll

9 In 10 Britons Know About The European Super League Proposals

An online Ipsos poll conducted last night shows that almost 9 in 10 Britons know about the European Super League proposals, which were launched on Sunday. The majority of Britons are opposed to the creation of the new league. The significant cut through highlights the cultural importance of football clubs in the UK and many European countries. Over two thirds of Britons are opposed to ALL the features of the European Super League that were asked about. This poll was conducted as news of founding Premier League clubs withdrawing from the ESL was breaking, reflecting the strength of opposition in the UK to the creation of the proposed new league and the impact it was having.

The new Ipsos poll of 5000 18-65 year olds, across five European countries (France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom), finds that 77% of people surveyed across the 5 countries have an awareness of the Super League, with those in the UK (88%) and Italy (85%) the most likely to say they are aware. Just one in 10 in the UK are not aware of this issue. In France and Germany there are lower levels of awareness, at 64% and 66% respectively.

When it comes to support of the Super League and the way it functions, we see some significant differences between countries. People in Spain are the most supportive of the four features of the Super League they were asked about, these included:

The Super League will contain six English clubs, three Spanish clubs, three Italian clubs and only three other clubs from other countries
The 15 founding club members will each receive major funding at the start of each season regardless of their performance
Only five other football clubs will be selected each year to take part in the Super League
The same 15 founding football clubs will take part in the tournament every year, regardless of their performance in national league championship(s). They will never be removed from the Super League.

For example, the Spanish are most likely to support the agreement that the 15 founding club members get major funding each season irrespective of performance, with half (49%) saying they strongly support/tend to support. In comparison, 31% of those in the UK and 34% in Germany. In comparison, the UK is the least likely to support all of the above features of the league.

2 out of 3 oppose different features of the super league When split by those that have an interest in football versus those that don’t we see that those with an interest tend to be more supportive of the features of the Super League, although overall the majority of people, irrespective of their interest in football, are not supportive of a Super League in Europe.

Support/ opposition to Super League features globally For the majority of people across Europe football is a regular part of their lives, with almost two thirds (62%) of people talking about it very/fairly often with their friends and family and the same number (62%) watching matches on TV very/fairly often. Spain has some of football’s biggest fans, with half (48%) watching matches on TV very often and 73% talking to friends and family about it very/fairly often.

Around 40% can be classified as "fans" Across Europe 68% of people are very or fairly interested in football tournaments, with Italy (75%), Spain (73%) and the UK (71%) the most likely to be interested, followed by Germany on 65% and France at 54%.

(Ipsos MORI)

21 April 2021

Source: https://www.ipsos.com/ipsos-mori/en-uk/widespread-opposition-footballs-european-super-league

687-43-20/Poll

Global Market Average Of Only 31% Agree Their Government Has A Clear Plan To Tackle Climate Change

2021 is a ‘Super Year’ for international environmental policy, with major deals in process on climate, biodiversity, food and oceans. Yet despite their high interest and concern about the environment, low public awareness of the plans suggests they could be more effectively included and engaged to be part of the solution.
All nations included in our research have signed the Paris Agreement and almost all have submitted and published initial Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) – or plans to tackle climate change. These are due to be updated in 2021, and pushing for these plans to be more ambitious will be a major focus of COP26 in Glasgow.
At the same time, people feel the burden of responsibility, with 72% agreeing that if ordinary people do not act now to combat climate change they will be failing future generations. 68% globally say that if companies do not act to combat climate change then they are failing their employees and customers, and 65% globally believe that if their government does not combat climate change then it is failing citizens.

Among the top findings are:

A Global Market Average of only 31% believe their market has a clear plan in place for how government, businesses and people themselves are going to work together to tackle climate change. Belief that government has a clear plan in place is highest in Saudi Arabia (64%), China (61%) and India (58%) and lowest in the United States (18%) and Japan (16%). Note that polling took place after Joe Biden returned the US to the Paris climate accord on 20th January 2020.
Markets which have made legally binding commitments to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by a specific date do not have higher levels of public agreement that their government has a clear plan. The Global Market Average agreement is 31%, but is no better in Great Britain (28%), France (24%) and Hungary (24%) when all these markets have committed to reaching net zero by 2050. In Sweden, where there is a legally binding agreement to reach net zero by 2045, only 23% of the public agree their government has a clear plan.
In a year of urgently competing priorities, Global Market Average agreement that if their market’s government does not act now, it will be failing its citizens has fallen just 3 percentage points to 65%, from when it was asked in 2020 (68% agreed), just before the WHO declared Coronavirus a pandemic, on March 12th 2020. Agreement is highest in Chile (84%), South Africa (83%) and Colombia (82%), and lowest in Russia (42%) and Saudi Arabia (38%).
Opinions are however divided on whether tackling climate change should, or should not be a priority in the economic recovery from Covid-19. A Global Market Average of 36% agree climate change should not be a priority in the economic recovery, while 35% disagree. Agreement climate change should not be a priority is highest in India (52%), and lowest in Colombia (28%)
COVID-19 and actions to control its spread have restricted the public’s ability or willingness to behave in several ways which have a relatively high environmental impact, such as air travel, car travel, and shopping for fun rather than from necessity. Some ask if, once restrictions are removed, these behaviours will revert to less sustainable lifestyles than before the pandemic. But this research suggests that in the main, the public do not expect this to happen.
There is evidence that behaviours have changed due to the pandemic, and that some if not all of these changes are likely to endure once all restrictions are removed. For example, 39% expect to be doing more to avoid food waste once restrictions are removed, than they were before the pandemic. Around a third expect to travel more on foot or by bike, rather than by car (34%) and a similar proportion expect they will more often buy only what they really need instead of shopping for fun (also 34%). Three in ten (31%) say they will be working from home rather than commuting more than they were before the pandemic.
A Global Market Average of 69% agree that ‘I understand what action I need to take to play my part in tackling climate change.’ Yet Ipsos Perils of Perception research shows that this isn’t always the case. We underestimate high-impact actions such as becoming vegetarian and taking flights, and overestimate lower-impact actions such as avoiding excess packaging. While all these actions can make a difference, understanding their relative impact is also vital.

Potential for further behaviour change over the coming year?

Despite 2021 being a ‘super year’ for political climate action, there is no evidence that the public intend to accelerate their own climate change action compared with previous years. Expectation of making pro-environmental changes over the coming year has changed very little since just before the WHO declared the coronavirus pandemic on 12th March 2020, and remains in line with levels seen in 2014.
When asked about what changes they are likely to make in order to combat climate change over the next year, avoiding excess packaging is still the most popular change, with a Global Market Average of 59% expecting to make this change over the coming year (vs 57% in 2020). The public show least intention to change on higher impact actions such as dietary changes (39% say they are likely to reduce dairy consumption, compared with 44% who say it is unlikely, and 43% say they are likely to eat less meat), and avoiding flights (45% say they are likely to do this over the next year), though there have been small increases in expectation to change on these measures since 2020.
The proportion who feel they are already taking as much action as they can is similar to before the full implications of the COVID-19 pandemic hit in early 2020.

(Ipsos Egypt)

22 April 2021

Source: https://www.ipsos.com/en-eg/earth-day-2021-globally-people-wonder-whats-plan-tackle-climate-change

687-43-21/Poll

More Than Two-Thirds Of Africans Say Climate Change Is Making Their Lives Worse And Must Be Stopped

More than two-thirds of Africans say climate change is making their lives worse and must be stopped, Afrobarometer analyses show.

The largest-ever survey of Africans’ perceptions of climate change, conducted in 34 countries in 2016/2018, found widespread reports of worsening quality of life and deteriorating conditions for agricultural production, as well as limited “climate change literacy” among average citizens.

In all but four countries, pluralities said climate conditions for agricultural production have worsened over the past decade, most often due to drought.

And among Africans who had heard of climate change, large majorities said it is making life in their country worse and needs to be stopped.

Afrobarometer’s Pan-Africa Profile report explores experiences and perceptions of climate change by country and region. As leaders from around the world gather virtually for a climate summit ahead of the next United Nations talks, these citizens’ voices suggest there is substantial public backing in Africa for global and national action to address climate-related threats.

(Afrobarometer)

22 Apr 2021

Source: https://afrobarometer.org/press/most-africans-say-climate-change-hurting-agricultural-production-and-quality-life-requires

687-43-22/Poll

Junk Food Consumption Has Risen Since The Crisis In Major Markets Around The World

A look at four food categories - fresh fruits / vegetables, dairy products, chilled ready meals and junk food - shows that a large proportion of people in major markets around the world have tended to increase their consumption in each of these categories. Snack consumption, for example, increased in countries like Australia, France, Great Britain and the USA, almost as the demand for fresh fruit and vegetables increased.

With regard to junk food, Germans, in a comparison of the seven markets considered in this article, are the least likely (14 percent) to state that they have increased their consumption, but the proportion of those who have reduced their consumption is only 3 percentage points higher. When it comes to junk food, Mexico is the only country that has reduced its consumption more frequently than increased it (36 percent decrease vs. 26 percent increase)

In a recent global study, YouGov examined the changes in grocery purchases and consumer behavior in 17 markets around the world. YouGov's International FMCG Report 2021 uses food and everyday products to represent "Fast Moving Consumer Goods". The study looks at the changes in shopping habits and routines of people worldwide during the COVID-19 crisis, the consumption of frozen food, alcohol, cleaning products, etc. It also offers a relevant outlook on a post-COVID-19 world.

CHANGES IN THE CONSUMPTION OF FRUITS, VEGETABLES AND DAIRY PRODUCTS

(YouGov Germany)

April 23, 2021

Source: https://yougov.de/news/2021/04/23/junk-food-konsum-seit-der-krise-deutschland-am-sel/

687-43-23/Poll

Many In Western Europe And U.S. Want Economic Changes As Pandemic Continues

A majority in France and half in Germany, UK and U.S. think economic system needs a major overhaul

The coronavirus outbreak has caused, among other things, a debate around how to best rebuild national economies ravaged by the pandemic. Across the United States, France, Germany and the United Kingdom, significant shares believe their economic system needs either major changes or a complete overhaul, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in the late fall of 2020. Few in the four countries say their economy does not need any changes.

The desire for change is strongest in France, where seven-in-ten believe the economic system in their country needs either major changes or to be completely reformed. Half share this view in the U.S., UK and Germany, while around four-in-ten in these three nations say minor changes are warranted. Few would opt for no adjustments to the economic system, ranging from 3% in France to 12% in the U.S. Those who think the overall economic situation in their country is bad are more likely to call for major or total reforms to the system.

When asked about various economic interventions the government could undertake, publics generally voice high levels of support for each potential program. Across five different economic policies, large majorities in all four countries think nearly all are important.

Of the five policies tested, the idea of government-sponsored job and skills training for workers garners the highest shares saying it is very important for their national government to take such action in all countries surveyed.

Sizable shares in these countries also believe it is very important for their government to implement policies targeted at helping those struggling financially, building more public housing, and increasing government benefits to the poor, all three of which are of high import for around four-in-ten or more in each country. Likewise, policies aimed at redistribution – raising taxes on the rich and providing a universal basic income – are very important priorities for at least three-in-ten. Across countries, those with higher levels of income are less likely to support many of these policies. And those who want major changes or total reforms to their national economic systems are also more likely to see these interventions as very important.

Government regulations on business garnered more mixed public assessments in the four countries. Americans, in particular, generally see government regulation of business as a bad thing for the country, a view held by half of U.S. adults. In the three European countries, at least half see regulation as a good thing. Those on the ideological right are especially likely to see regulation negatively in the U.S. and Germany.

Still, many hold out hope for their personal economic mobility despite the devastating economic effects of the pandemic in each of these countries. Two-thirds or more in the U.S., Germany and the UK believe they have a good chance of improving their standard of living, and roughly half in France share that opinion. Young people ages 18 to 29 are especially optimistic in France, the UK and the U.S., while Germans of all ages express about the same level of optimism.

These are among the findings of a Pew Research Center survey conducted from Nov. 10 to Dec. 23, 2020, among 4,069 adults in France, Germany, the UK and the U.S.

Measuring views of the economy amid a global economic crisis

Many want major or complete economic reforms amid the pandemic

In the midst of a global pandemic that brought many national economies to a halt, half or more in the four countries surveyed say their country’s economic system needs at least major changes, with small shares in each country saying it needs to be completely reformed.

A full seven-in-ten adults in France agree their country’s economic system needs at least a major overhaul, with 12% going so far as to say it needs complete reform. At the time of fielding the survey last fall, France had instituted a second nationwide lockdown, and the country’s unemployment rate had risen to its highest level in two years.

In the U.S., the UK and Germany, sizable shares fall on both sides of the issue. While half in each country say that their nation’s economic system needs at least major changes, roughly four-in-ten say it only needs minor changes. Small but non-negligible shares think no changes are needed at all, ranging from 12% in the U.S. to just 6% in the UK.

Views in the UK are similar: 63% of Britons who say the UK’s economy is currently poor call for reforming their economic system; about a quarter who say the economy is good hold the same view on reform. Double-digit differences are also present in France and Germany as well.

Similarly, those who say they have little chance of personally improving their standard of living are more supportive of reform in all four countries. In the UK and U.S., roughly seven-in-ten of those who are pessimistic about improving their standard of living say their economic system needs significant changes; fewer than half of those who are positive on their standard of living say the same.

Ideology colors views on the topic of reform. The largest difference by far again comes from the United States, where 77% of left-leaning respondents say the country’s economic system needs at least significant changes.¹ Fewer than half of Americans in the center and only a third of those on the right share this view.

In the UK, the spread is similar: Roughly three-quarters of those on the left support either major changes or complete reform of the economic system, while about half in the center and four-in-ten on the right say the same. The differences are more modest in Germany, where support for reform is generally more mixed among all ideological groups, though with those on the left slightly more supportive than those on the right.

In France, a full 77% on the left support reform – the same share as in the U.S. The difference, though, is that strong majorities on the center and right agree (64% and 69%, respectively).

Those who identify as Remainers in the UK are more supportive than those who identify as Leavers of a major overhaul of the UK’s economic system. A majority of Remainers (57%) say the system needs either a complete reform or major changes, while just 43% of Leavers agree.

Strong support for national governments to expand several types of economic assistance

All five economic policy proposals included on the survey receive widespread support. At least half of those surveyed in each of the four countries say that each policy is at least somewhat important, and most proposals garner support from more than six-in-ten in each country. Some of these approaches register noteworthy shares of the public who say they are very important for the national government to pursue.

The idea of the national government providing more job and skills training for workers has the most support: About six-in-ten or more in each country say it is very important that the government do this. Support for this idea is high across all income and age groups in each country, and about nine-in-ten or more in each of the four countries say that it is very important or somewhat important the national government provides such training.

Support for building more public housing also stands out, as 44% or more in each of the countries say that it is very important. Support for this is highest in the UK and Germany. In each of the four countries, larger shares of those in the lowest income groups say expanding public housing is very important than do those with higher incomes. The same is true in the U.S., UK and France when it comes to political ideology: Those on the left are more likely than those on the right to say building more public housing is important.

Increasing government benefits for the poor is also a well-received idea in the four countries surveyed. About half in the UK, Germany and U.S. say increased benefits are very important, while about four-in-ten say the same in France. In all four countries, support is particularly strong among those with less income and, with the exception of Germany, people on the ideological left.

Raising taxes on the wealthy receives somewhat less support from the four publics. Support is highest in the UK, where about half (48%) say it is very important to raise taxes on the wealthy. In each of the four countries surveyed, those on the ideological left are more likely than those on the right to say it is very important that the national government raise taxes on the rich.

Americans, Britons, French and Germans in the highest income group are more averse to raising taxes on the wealthy than those in the middle or lowest income groups. Still, around four-in-ten of the highest earners surveyed in the U.S. and UK said this policy is very important for the national government, while about a quarter of higher-earning French and Germans said the same.

The idea of a government-provided universal basic income (UBI) received the least support in each of the four countries among the policies in the survey. UBI gained notoriety in the U.S. as a central point of Andrew Yang’s 2020 presidential bid. It has been tested on smaller scales in places like Finland and Kenya, and a form of UBI has been in effect in the oil-rich U.S. state of Alaska since 1982.

Around a third of Americans and about four-in-ten French and Germans say it is very important for the national government to provide a UBI, while half of Britons say the same. Although UBI received the least support of the five policies asked about, about half, and as many as 79%, in the countries surveyed say it is at least somewhat important. In Germany, where a UBI trial is underway, and the UK, where more than 100 lawmakers are calling for a pilot program, people of all ages are about equally likely to say UBI is important. But younger Americans and French are especially likely to hold this view, as are those on the ideological left in all four countries.

There are stark differences of opinion on UBI across income groups. In each of the four countries surveyed, those with the lowest levels of income are the most likely to say it is very important for the national government to provide a UBI. This difference is largest in the U.S., where 51% of those in the lowest income group are very supportive of this, compared with only 16% in the highest income group.

Americans and Germans with less education are more likely to say it is very important for the national government to provide a universal basic income than are those with more education.

Across countries, views on the value of regulation are mixed

When asked about government regulation of business, a full two-thirds of Britons say that it is a good thing for their country, and nearly six-in-ten in France say the same. Views on regulation in these countries are largely unchanged from when the question was last asked in 2017.

Roughly half of Germans agree that regulation is generally good for their society, though 43% say it is bad for Germany. Notably, views against regulation have increased slightly since the question was last asked (36% in 2017 vs. 43% now).

There is less support for regulation in the U.S., where half say it is bad for society, while 46% believe it has a positive effect.

In France and the U.S., young people are more likely than their older counterparts to consider regulation a good thing; in both countries, those with more education are also more likely to see regulation as good.

In all four countries, ideology cleaves differences in views on regulation. The largest gap by far is in the U.S., where nearly three-quarters of those on the left believe regulating business is good, while just a quarter of those on the right say the same.

Differences are more modest in the other countries polled. In Germany, 64% of those on the left say regulation is good, and roughly half of those on the right agree. In France and the UK, while a majority of all ideological groups see benefits to regulation, those on the left are moderately more positive than right-leaning respondents.

Most say they have a good chance to improve standard of living in U.S., Germany and UK

Despite the coronavirus crisis and the associated economic recession, half or more of those in the four countries surveyed said they have at least a somewhat good chance of improving their standard of living when the survey was fielded in November and December 2020. Compared with the other three nations, public opinion is more divided in France, where 51% think their prospects of improving their livelihoods are somewhat or very good, compared with 48% who say they are somewhat or very bad. And Americans stand out for their optimism, as nearly three-in-ten believe their chances are very good when it comes to improving their standard of living.

In the U.S. and France, younger people and women are more optimistic. When it comes to income, Germans, Americans and Britons in the highest income group are more likely than those in the lowest income group to say they have a good chance to improve their standard of living. Still, even among this lowest group, more than six-in-ten in Germany, the U.S. and UK say they have a good chance to do so.

(PEW)

APRIL 22, 2021

Source: https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2021/04/22/many-in-western-europe-and-u-s-want-economic-changes-as-pandemic-continues/