Like their counterparts around the world, younger generations in sub-Saharan Africa are typically more hopeful than older generations about a lot of things.

Gallup surveys in 2021 showed that young people across sub-Saharan Africa remained more optimistic than their elders, even as they all faced a host of daunting challenges, from armed conflicts to COVID-19 surges to economic disruption. However, young people's hopes dimmed along with everyone else's -- particularly on issues related to the economy.

As 2022 shapes up to be even worse, with food costs expected to rise as much as 50% because of the war in Ukraine, the question becomes whether young people's optimism in sub-Saharan Africa can survive another assault.

More Than Half of Young Sub-Saharan Africans Saw Living Standards Improving

More than half of 15- to 29-year-olds in sub-Saharan Africa (54%) said their standard of living was getting better in 2021, compared with 42% of those aged 30 to 49 and 36% of those aged 50 and older.

Young people's greater optimism is consistent with what Gallup has found in sub-Saharan Africa since Gallup started conducting surveys there in 2006. The 54% of young people who say living standards are getting better is slightly lower than the high of 59% in 2018, but it is still on the higher end of the decade-plus trend.

Young people's optimism varies across sub-Saharan Africa. Fifteen- to 29-year-olds are most optimistic in Burkina Faso and Senegal, where 74% say their standard of living is improving. Alternatively, young adults are least optimistic in Zambia and Zimbabwe, where 42% see standards getting better.

In the run-up to the country's elections in 2021, Zambia experienced civil unrest and political violence that may have hurt young people's optimism about the future. Zimbabwe also suffered from civil unrest and political violence in 2021, as well as an ongoing water and sanitation crisis.

Local Economic Outlook Still Strongest Among Younger Sub-Saharan Africans

Young people in sub-Saharan Africa remain more positive than their older counterparts about local economic conditions: 40% of those aged 15 to 29 say economic conditions in their city or area are getting better, outpacing the 33% who say so among those aged 30 to 49 and the 30% among those aged 50 and older.

The youngest adults have been more buoyant than other age groups on their local economy throughout much of Gallup's trend. The current 40%, however, is well off their all-time high of 50% in 2018.

Young adults in Mauritius and Burkina Faso are the most optimistic about the trajectory of their local economy, with 63% and 62%, respectively, reporting that conditions are getting better. At the same time, young adults in Malawi (26%) and Sierra Leone (21%) are the most pessimistic.

Malawi's economy was hit particularly hard by the COVID-19 pandemic; inflated food prices potentially contributed to low levels of economic optimism. In Sierra Leone, the economy contracted substantially during the pandemic, and that contraction lingered into 2021 -- again, likely affecting optimism about local economic conditions.

Bottom Line

Optimism among sub-Saharan Africans tends to decrease by age group, with the youngest adults the most optimistic. These individuals have generally been the most likely to say conditions are improving, or will improve over time, throughout Gallup's trends on key aspects of life in their country. Meeting the expectations for improvement among these youngest adults may be one of the most difficult challenges for governments throughout this region.

The current challenges are likely to be compounded in the coming months by rising food prices due to disruption created in the market by the war in Ukraine. These higher food costs may further sap optimism; in 2021, 65% of adults in the region, including 63% of those aged 15 to 29, had already reported having lacked money for food in the previous 12 months.

If optimism for the future among young sub-Saharan Africans is dashed, it may result in further unrest and intensified political turmoil among the disaffected throughout the region. It is incumbent on policymakers in the region and on young adults themselves to ensure their optimism for a better life becomes a reality, despite these challenges.

(Gallup)

JULY 11, 2022

Source: https://news.gallup.com/poll/394586/young-people-sub-saharan-africa-stay-optimistic.aspx

SUMMARY OF POLLS

ASIA

(Japan)

84% of candidates favor more spending by government

Support for increased government spending instead of practicing fiscal responsibility has doubled among Upper House election candidates over the past 20 years, according to surveys. Among all candidates surveyed ahead of the July 10 Upper House election, 84 percent supported or somewhat supported the statement: The government should expand public finance to revitalize the economy in the foreseeable future, rather than refrain from doing so to rebuild government finances.

(Asahi Shimbun)

July 4, 2022

(Turkey)

One Out Of Every 2 Turkish People Says That They Will Not Sacrifice This Year For Economic Reasons

As in the previous year, the number of domestic or international holidaymakers or plans to do so during the Feast of Sacrifice is very low. Although the number of people planning to go to the country for visiting relatives this year is lower than last year, it is generally seen that what was done during the Feast of Sacrifice last year will continue in the same way this year. While the rate of those who sacrificed during the last Eid al-Adha was 41%, this rate is decreasing to 26% this year. This year, one out of every 2 people says that they will not sacrifice for economic reasons.

(Ipsos Turkey)

4 July 2022

AFRICA

(Gabon)

Gabonese Call For More Efforts To Fight Climate Change

The environmental awareness of the Gabonese authorities led them to define a climate strategy and to set up an Action Plan to Combat Climate Change and Adapt to Disruptions (French Development Agency, 2015). Similarly, with the support of the Green Climate Fund, the National Climate Council (2018), the Gabonese government's advisory body on climate and environmental strategy, created in 2010, has set up a framework for planning climate investments by sector of activity.

(Afrobarometer)

15 Jun 2022

WEST EUROPE

(UK)

Conservatives Set To Lose 26 Of Their 64 Lib Dem Battleground Seats

Now new YouGov MRP modelling shows that the Conservatives would be set to lose no fewer than 24 Con-Lib Dem battleground constituencies to the Liberal Democrats if an election were being held tomorrow. Of the 64 English seats which the Conservatives hold and the Liberal Democrats won above 20% of the vote at the 2019 general election, our MRP model suggests that the Tories would lose a number of high-profile contests to the Liberal Democrats including Esher and Walton (the seat of deputy prime minister Dominic Raab), Surrey South West (seat of former party leadership contender and health secretary Jeremy Hunt), and Chippenham (seat of cabinet minister Michelle Donelan).

(YouGov UK)

July 02, 2022

Three In Four Britons Expect The Economy To Worsen In The Next 12 Months

The latest Ipsos Political Monitor, taken June 22nd-29th shows significant public concern at the potential for inflation to rise further amidst gloomy economic expectations. When asked about their current financial situation, half of Britons (50%) tell us they have had to make some reductions in what I normally buy because of rising prices but I can cope. However, 1 in 5 (20%) say they are finding it very difficult to cope with the rise in prices. One in four (27%) say they have not had to make any changes in what they buy due to rising prices.

(Ipsos MORI)

4 July 2022

2 In 3 Lack Confidence In The Governments Ability To Run The Country Properly, Competently And Seriously, Or With Integrity

New polling from Ipsos, done after Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid announced their resignations, shows 7 in 10 (69%) Britons lack confidence in the UK Governments ability to run the country with integrity while a similar proportion (64%) dont believe it is running the country properly, competently or seriously. Around 7 in 10 say the Chancellor of the Exchequer was right to resign (71%) while a similar proportion say the same for the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (69%). Only 16% say either were wrong to step down.

(Ipsos MORI)

6 July 2022

Ben Wallace Clear Favourite For Next Conservative Leader Among Party Members

New snap YouGov polling of 716 Conservative party members shows at first glance that the field appears to be diverse. Ben Wallace tops the list, at 13%, neck and neck with Penny Mordaunt (12%). Rishi Sunak takes 10% and Liz Truss scores 8%. But while the single top choice looks to be contentious, our polling facing five of the candidates off against one another results in a very clear winner: Ben Wallace. Wallace wins all of his match-ups by wide margins.

(YouGov UK)

July 07, 2022

After Resignation, Boris Johnsons Favourability Drops To Lowest Ever Score Of -53

YouGov data reveals that Boris Johnsons net favourability has fallen to its lowest level to date, at -53. Just 19% of the public have a favourable view of the outgoing PM, with 72% having an unfavourable view. Half of those who voted for his party in 2019 also have an unfavourable view of Johnson (52%) with 43% holding a favourable view of him. This puts his net score amongst Conservative voters at -9. These latest figures mean Boris Johnson is less popular than Theresa May was at her lowest ebb a week before announcing shed resign (-49 in May 2019), and is almost level with Jeremy Corbyns lowest score of -55.

(YouGov UK)

July 07, 2022

33% Britons Expect A Clear Winner In Next General Elections

New polling from Ipsos, done after Boris Johnson resigned as Prime Minister, suggests Britons are more positive about a Labour government under Keir Starmer than a Conservative one under a new PM on a range of issues. Around half think it is likely that a Labour government would act with integrity (49%, compared with 37% who think it is likely under a new Conservative government under the person they think will replace Boris Johnson as Prime Minister), offer Britain a fresh start (47%, vs 36%) and improve public services (47%, vs 28%).

(Ipsos MORI)

11 July 2022

7 In 10 UK Drivers Responsible For Choosing And Buying Fuel Have Changed The Way They Drive To Reduce Fuel Costs

New research by Ipsos in the UK shows rising fuel costs are having a large impact on those responsible for purchasing fuel for their vehicles. Over the last six months, 71% of those who drive say they have taken steps to reduce their spending on fuel while a further 17% plan to in the next 6 months. Only 1 in 10 (11%) say they have not made any changes and do not plan to. The most common change has been to driving style, to use the accelerator less to save on fuel (40% of those who say they have taken steps to reduce their fuel spending) while a similar proportion say they are now driving slower than the speed limit on motorways to improve fuel economy (38%).

(Ipsos MORI)

11 July 2022

Seven In 10 (71%) Britons Support A Scheme To Resettle Some Ukrainian Refugees In The UK

YouGov asked the British public their willingness to help refugees, with respondents shown a series of questions about either Ukrainian, Afghan, Syrian or Somalian refugees (the specific nationality being selected at random). Seven in 10 (71%) Britons would support a scheme to resettle some Ukrainian refugees in the UK with a figure equivalent to three in 10 Britons (29%) saying the country should take in at least a few tens of thousands of displaced Ukrainians. This is a drop on previous polling from early March, when 42% said the same.

(YouGov UK)

July 12, 2022

Britons Are Most Likely To Say Experience Working In Public Services (47%) Is Sign That Someone Will Do A Good Job As Prime Minister

New research by Ipsos shows, of the list given, Britons are most likely to say experience working in public services (47%) and experience working in business (42%) are signs someone will do a good job as Prime Minister. Other aspects that are seen as more positive than negative although only for a minority - include being educated in a state school (by 29% to 4%), serving in the military (by 25% to 7%), coming from a part of the country outside the South-East and London (by 25% to 5%), voting in the same way as you in the Brexit referendum (by 28% to 49%).

(Ipsos MORI)

14 July 2022

Six In Ten Tory Members Think Government Taxes And Spends Too Much

In a trade-off between taxation and public spending, six in ten (61%) Conservative party members think the current government taxes and spends too much. This is compared to only 7% who think they tax too little and spend too little on public services. Three in ten (28%) think they get the balance about right. Given this is the group that will ultimately decide who becomes Britains next Prime Minister, it is maybe unsurprising why so many of the candidates have come out so strongly against the current level of taxation.

(YouGov UK)

July 14, 2022

(Germany)

One In Four (25%) Germans Said In July That They Were Very Satisfied With The Chancellor's Work

Since January 2022, Annalena Baerbock and Robert Habeck have been able to double their popularity among the German population and thus clearly set themselves apart from the other ministers in the satisfaction ranking. in July about a third of Germans (Baerbock: 33%; Habeck: 32%) on the satisfaction scale of 1-10 the highest values 8-10. Also with regard to their net satisfaction, i.e. the difference between those who are very satisfied and very dissatisfied, both have been able to increase significantly since January.

(Ipsos Germany)

11 July 2022

(Spain)

Products For The Relief Of Pain (96%) And Cough And Cold (94%) Are Purchased Almost Exclusively In Physical Pharmacy In Spain

Consumer interest in health and wellness has grown considerably in recent years. The rise of this trend, which has been accelerated by the pandemic, has meant a significant increase in the purchase and use of pharmaceutical products that can be purchased without a prescription, also called OTC. Although the doctor's recommendation is decisive, especially in some subcategories such as allergy products (67%) and pain relief (59%), the role of the pharmacist exceeds or ties with that of the doctor in most cases.

(Ipsos Spain)

13 July 2022

NORTH AMERICA

(USA)

Majority (64%) Of Americans Want Congress To Pass More Gun Policy Legislation

Americans are largely supportive of the new gun law passed by Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden on June 25. Nearly two-thirds of U.S. adults (64%) approve of the new gun law, including 32% who strongly approve. Just 21% say they disapprove of the law, including 11% who strongly disapprove; 15% are not sure. And roughly six-in-ten adults (63%) say they would like to see Congress pass another round of legislation to address gun violence, compared with 35% who do not.

(PEW)

JULY 11, 2022

Two-Thirds Of U S Adults (67%) Express A Favorable View Of The Israeli People

Americans attitudes about Israel are nuanced, according to a new Pew Research Center analysis. While two-thirds of U.S. adults (67%) express a favorable view of the Israeli people, a much smaller share (48%) says the same about the Israeli government. Views of Israel as a country, meanwhile, fall in between, with a little over half of Americans (55%) expressing a favorable opinion. Among Republicans and independents who lean toward the Republican Party, around six-in-ten (57%) have a favorable view of Israel as a country, the Israeli government and the Israeli people.

(PEW)

JULY 11, 2022

U S Journalists Differ From The Public In Their Views Of Bothsidesism In Journalism

A little more than half of the journalists surveyed (55%) say that every side does not always deserve equal coverage in the news. By contrast, 22% of Americans overall say the same, whereas about three-quarters (76%) say journalists should always strive to give all sides equal coverage. Roughly six-in-ten U.S. journalists ages 18 to 29 (63%) say every side does not always deserve equal coverage, while 37% of journalists in this age range say journalists should always strive to cover all sides equally.

(PEW)

JULY 13, 2022

37% Of US Adults Say They Approve Of How Biden Is Handling His Job As President While 62% Disapprove

Bidens current job approval numbers are the lowest since he became president, with 37% of U.S. adults saying they approve of how he is handling his job as president while 62% disapprove. Bidens job rating has declined 6 percentage points since March (43%) and 18 points over the past year; last July, a 55% majority approved of Bidens job performance. Today, just 13% of adults say economic conditions in the United States are excellent or good; 28% said this six months ago.

(PEW)

JULY 13, 2022

Only Around One-In-Five Black Adults Say The Use Of Facial Recognition Will Make Policing Fairer

Only 22% of Black adults say it will make policing fairer, while 29% say it will make policing less fair and about half say it will make no difference. Hispanic and White Americans are more likely than Black Americans to say the widespread use of this technology will make policing fairer (40% and 36% say this, respectively). Four-in-ten Black adults say the widespread use of facial recognition technology would be a good idea for society, while three-in-ten say it would be a bad idea and another three-in-ten arent sure.

(PEW)

JULY 14, 2022

49% Of U S Adults Say The Biden Administrations Policies On Climate Change Are Taking The Country In The Right Direction

More than a year into Joe Bidens presidency, the public is divided over the administrations approach to climate change: 49% of U.S. adults say the Biden administrations policies on climate change are taking the country in the right direction, while 47% say these climate policies are taking the country in the wrong direction. A majority of Republicans and independents who lean to the GOP (82%) say Bidens climate policies are taking the country in the wrong direction. Among Democrats and Democratic leaners, most say Biden is moving the country in the right direction on climate policy (79%).

(PEW)
JULY 14, 2022

Americans' Views On Federalism As States Take On More Power

Gallup's most recent Governance poll, conducted in September 2021, showed that 37% of Americans have a great deal or fair amount of confidence in the legislative branch of government, 44% of Americans have confidence in the executive branch and 54% have confidence in the judicial branch. Americans' confidence in their state government is at the 57% level (a great deal or fair amount) and faith in local government is at 66%.

(Gallup)

JULY 15, 2022

(Canada)

Six In Ten (58%) Canadians Avoiding Airports Until Situation Improves As Seven In Ten (70%) Call Situation A National Embarrassment

Six in ten (58%) Canadians appear to be avoiding airports for the time being, agreeing (24% strongly/34% somewhat) that they are going to cancel or delay travel plans until the airport situation has improved, according to a new Ipsos poll conducted on behalf of Global News. While just one in twenty (5%) strongly agree that theyve personally been delayed while traveling through a Canadian airport recently (another 18% somewhat agree), the problem has become untenable enough that most (70%) Canadians agree (26% strongly/44% somewhat) that the situation at Canadian airports is an embarrassment to Canada.

(Ipsos Canada)

15 July 2022

AUSTRALIA

Australian Unemployment Drops To 7.8% In June Equal Lowest Since The Pandemic Began

In June unemployment dropped for a second straight month, down 0.3% points to 7.8%, according to the latest Roy Morgan monthly employment data. The drop in unemployment was driven by increasing full-time jobs which boosted the overall number of employed Australians. Unemployment in June fell 44,000 to 1.13 million Australians (7.8% of the workforce) while under-employment was down slightly by 13,000 to 1.23 million (8.5% of the workforce). Overall unemployment and under-employment fell 57,000 to 2.35 million (16.3% of the workforce).

(Roy Morgan)

July 05 2022

Inflation Expectations Jump 0.4% Points To 5.7% In June As Energy (Petrol, Gas & Electricity) And Food Prices Increase Rapidly

Inflation Expectations in June are a large 1.7% points higher than a year ago in June 2021 and 2.5% points above the record low of only 3.2% reached in June 2020. Inflation Expectations plunged in April and May to 5.3% after former Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg cut the petrol excise in half a cut of about 25 cents per litre but the measure has now rebounded back towards its recent high.

(Roy Morgan)

July 05 2022

Over Two In Five Australians Turn To Their Family And Friends For Investing Advice

Among Australian investment app users who use social media to research and learn about investing, a large majority say social media content on investing has shaped their choice of investment platforms (83%) as well as particular investment decisions they made (79%) to at least some extent. Among users of the top five investment apps (by usage), Millennials make up the clear majority of Spaceship, Superhero, Raiz and Swftyx users who turn to social media for investing advice (61-69%).

(YouGov Australia)

July 12, 2022

MULTICOUNTRY STUDIES

One In Three People Believe Their Own Country Is One Of The Three Countries In The World Hosting The Greatest Number Of Refugees, A 28 Country Survey

Many of those surveyed by Ipsos across 28 countries overstate their countrys contribution to hosting refugees, with one-third (a global country average of 33%) thinking their own country is one of the top three taking in the most refugees worldwide. In only eight of the 28 countries do less than half support allowing more refugees from Ukraine into their country: Japan (48%), South Africa (48%), Saudi Arabia (44%), Hungary (43%), South Korea (40%), Turkey (31%), China (26%), and Malaysia (18%).

(Ipsos South Africa)

6 July 2022

Source: https://www.ipsos.com/en-za/one-three-incorrectly-believe-their-country-one-biggest-hosts-refugees-globally

39% Of Consumers From 43 Countries Agree That They Would Never Buy Second-Hand Clothes Or Accessories

Globally, 39% of consumers agree that they would never buy second-hand clothes or accessories a figure driven up by 35-54 year olds (42%). European countries all record scores below the global average: 36% in Italy, 35% in Germany, 29% in Spain, 25% in France and 21% in Belgium, European countries all record scores below the global average: 36% in Italy, 35% in Germany, 29% in Spain, 25% in France and 21% in Belgium.

(YouGov France)
July 6, 2022

Source: https://fr.yougov.com/news/2022/07/06/vetements-et-accessoires-seconde-main/

Yougovs Eurotrack Shows Varying Support For The Introduction Of A Universal Basic Income Across Seven European Countries

YouGovs Eurotrack shows varying support for the introduction of a universal basic income across seven European countries, with support being highest in Germany (55%) and Italy (52%) and lowest in Denmark (29%). Great Britain, Germany, Spain and Italy are all more in favour of a basic income than against it, with Sweden split, and France and Denmark more opposed. Six in 10 Germans who support a basic income say a UBI should be set at a level that is at least enough to pay for a persons basic living costs (62%), even if they have no other form of income.

(YouGov UK)

July 06, 2022

Source: https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/articles-reports/2022/07/06/eurotrack-would-europeans-support-universal-basic-

Great Concern About Inflation And Poverty Across 27 Countries

Close behind inflation, with 38 percent concerned (+2 compared to the previous month), there is also a concern about poverty and social inequality, which is also characterized by a lack of money. Globally, too, inflation has been the number one concern for three months now. Inflation-induced concerns are particularly high in Poland (64%) and Argentina (62%). Only just under one in three Germans (31%) cites fear of armed conflict as one of the main concerns, compared to 41 percent who expressed this concern in June.
(Ipsos Germany)

6 July 2022

Source: https://www.ipsos.com/de-de/grosse-sorge-vor-inflation-und-armut

71% Of Europeans Will Be Traveling This Summer, Study Conducted In 15 Countries

72% of Europeans feel really excited to travel or happy to travel this year; overall, with 71% of Europeans intending to travel during the summer, which represents a +14pts increase compared to 2021. Concerns about inflation and price increases are much present in peoples mind: financial considerations are mentioned as one of the main reasons not to travel by 41% of Europeans who wont be going on a trip this summer (+14pts vs 2021), 45% of Americans (+9pts) and 34% of Thais (+10pts).

(Ipsos Denmark)

6 July 2022

Source: https://www.ipsos.com/en-dk/holiday-barometer-2022

Desire To Travel Has Increased By 30% In Year-On-Year Terms In 4 Main Countries That Emit Tourism To Spain
If we analyze the conversations about travel and vacations in these countries we see that in many of them Spain does appear as a tourist destination. It is Italy where they quote him the most, in 8% of his conversation we find the mention of Spain, followed by Germany. Compared to 2021, Spain's presence in the talks is increasing. In absolute terms, the English are the ones who most mention Spain as a holiday destination, and this figure also increases compared to last year. In Italy there is less talk than last year, but it is still the second country where it is most mentioned due to the sharp decline in Germany.

(Ipsos Spain)

8 July 2022

Source: https://www.ipsos.com/es-es/nuestros-principales-mercados-emisores-alemania-italia-francia-y-reino-unido-estan-deseando-viajar

A Majority Of Adults In Both Israel And The United States Have Favorable Views Of Each Other

A majority of adults in both Israel and the United States have favorable views of the other country and the current state of bilateral relations. But Israeli views of the relationship are somewhat rosier than American ones. Today, 60% of Israelis say they have a great deal or some confidence in Biden to do the right thing regarding world affairs, down 11 percentage points from assessments of Trump in 2019. The share of Israelis who express a lot of confidence in Biden is also about half the share who said the same of Trump (16% vs. 30%, respectively).

(PEW)

JULY 11, 2022

Source: https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2022/07/11/most-israelis-express-confidence-in-biden-but-his-ratings-are-down-from-trumps/

54% Of Young Adults See Improving Living Standards Across 23 Sub-Saharan African States

Gallup surveys in 2021 showed that young people across sub-Saharan Africa remained more optimistic than their elders, even as they all faced a host of daunting challenges, from armed conflicts to COVID-19 surges to economic disruption. As 2022 shapes up to be even worse, with food costs expected to rise as much as 50% because of the war in Ukraine, the question becomes whether young people's optimism in sub-Saharan Africa can survive another assault.

(Gallup)

JULY 11, 2022

Source: https://news.gallup.com/poll/394586/young-people-sub-saharan-africa-stay-optimistic.aspx

Internet Access Rose Substantially In Five Sub-Saharan African Countries During Pandemic

Sub-Saharan Africa remains one of the least connected places on the planet when it comes to internet access. Five countries in the region are more connected today than they were before the COVID-19 pandemic, with internet access growing substantially, by 10 percentage points or more, between 2019 and 2021.The largest increase in internet access occurred in South Africa, one of the region's biggest economies. Internet access in South Africa grew from 52% in 2019 to 66% in 2021.

(Gallup)

JULY 14, 2022

Source: https://news.gallup.com/poll/394811/africa-online-internet-access-spreads-during-pandemic.aspx

Data Across 18 International Markets Reveals Key Insights For Seasonal Fmcg And Retail Marketers

YouGovs latest report for the FMCG and retail sector which explores the dynamics of seasonal shopping and consumer purchasing process reveals that appetite for such events is high in Singapore, with the proportion of those who participate in Singles Day (22%) and Thanksgiving (32%) sales being the second and third highest among the 18 markets surveyed. Those above 55 are least likely to be interested in these shopping events, with only one in five (19%) and one in ten (10%) shopping Thanksgiving and Singles Day sales respectively.

(YouGov Singapore)

July 14, 2022

Source: https://sg.yougov.com/en-sg/news/2022/07/14/spore-shoppers-within-top-three-country-spenders-s/

ASIA

750-751-43-01/Polls

84% of candidates favor more spending by government

Support for increased government spending instead of practicing fiscal responsibility has doubled among Upper House election candidates over the past 20 years, according to surveys.

Among all candidates surveyed ahead of the July 10 Upper House election, 84 percent supported or somewhat supported the statement: The government should expand public finance to revitalize the economy in the foreseeable future, rather than refrain from doing so to rebuild government finances.

The candidates could pick from five choices to express their views.

The lowest ratio of such support for the statement was 18 percent recorded in a survey of candidates in the 2007 Upper House election.

At that time, the fiscal austerity policies implemented by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi under the banner of smaller government were still in effect.

The surveys, taken for Upper House elections from 2004 to 2022, found that support for fiscal expansion among candidates tended to increase to overcome certain events. In the latest survey, the COVID-19 pandemic was the event.

The Asahi Shimbun and the office of Masaki Taniguchi, professor of Japanese politics at the University of Tokyo, have conducted joint polls among candidates in national elections since 2003.

They compared the survey results among Upper House election candidates between 2004 and 2022 from major political parties.

The support rate for increased government spending rose after the global financial crisis triggered by the 2008 collapse of U.S. investment bank Lehman Brothers.

The rate increased to 43 percent in the 2010 survey, when the Democratic Party of Japan was in power.

Support for the pro-spending statement soared among DPJ candidates from 8 percent in 2007 to 43 percent in 2010.

The rate also jumped among candidates of the Liberal Democratic Party, from 27 percent in 2007 to 67 percent in 2010.

In 2013, a year after the LDP regained power, the second administration of Shinzo Abe was advocating fiscal expansion. The country was still trying to recover from the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami disaster.

The 2013 survey showed support for increased spending among LDP candidates rose further, to 74 percent.

The parties covered in the latest survey were: the LDP; junior coalition partner Komeito; the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan; the Democratic Party for the People; the Japanese Communist Party; Nippon Ishin (Japan Innovation Party); Reiwa Shinsengumi; and the NHK Party.

Candidates of the NHK Party, which actually opposes the public broadcaster, raised their support for fiscal expansion to 84 percent this year from 69 percent in the 2019 survey.

The party is fielding many candidates this year, and their support for the statement helped to lift the overall ratio.

Taniguchi said the latest survey results represent a departure from the idea of smaller government.

The earthquake in 2011 and the COVID-19 pandemic have increased the necessity of fiscal expansion, the professor said.

Candidates were also given five choices for the question on whether Japan should enhance its defense capabilities.

In 2004, only 28 percent of all surveyed candidates supported a strengthening of Japans defense, while 50 percent either opposed or somewhat opposed the idea.

However, in 2013, 46 percent of candidates backed enhanced defense capabilities, while 33 percent were against the idea.

Support among LDP candidates rose significantly, from 78 percent in 2010 to 95 percent in 2013.

In the years between the two surveys, Japans relations with China and South Korea deteriorated over territorial issues and other matters.

In both the 2016 and 2019 surveys, support for stronger defense capabilities hovered around 40 percent among all candidates, but the figure spiked to 63 percent in 2022. Among LDP candidates, 99 percent supported or somewhat supported the idea.

Support for enhancing defense capabilities stopped rising significantly under the second Abe administration, Taniguchi said. However, the Russian invasion of Ukraine is bolstering support for it again.

The surveys also asked candidates about revising the Constitution, although the specific wording of the questions differed.

In general, support for constitutional revision hovered from around 40 percent to 50 percent among all candidates between 2004 and 2019.

A big shift has been seen among Komeito candidates.

Only 37 percent of Komeito candidates supported the idea of amending the Constitution in 2010, just after the coalition lost power. That figure was less than half of the ratio in the previous survey conducted in 2007.

However, as much as 74 percent of Komeitos candidates backed the idea in 2013 after the partys return to power, following the trend of the LDP.

But support for constitutional revision among Komieto candidates fell to 17 percent in 2019, its lowest ratio in the surveys.

Abe in 2017 proposed changing the Constitution to clearly refer to the Self-Defense Forces in Article 9, with plans to implement the revised Constitution in 2020.

In the latest survey, 42 percent of Komeito candidates backed revising the Constitution.

Komeito appears to heighten its opposition to constitutional revision when the argument for amending war-renouncing Article 9 heats up.

In this years survey, 55 percent of all surveyed candidates supported constitutional revision, up from 44 percent in the 2019 survey.

Taniguchi said the July 10 Upper House election is important because revision of the Constitution could be more realistic depending on its results.

(Asahi Shimbun)

July 4, 2022

Source: https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14660687

750-751-43-02/Polls

One Out Of Every 2 Turkish People Says That They Will Not Sacrifice This Year For Economic Reasons

This Year, the Number of Individuals Planning a Holiday in the Domestic Sector Is Decreasing in These Months That Summer Starts

8 out of 10 people say they are not planning a holiday in the country this year. In the same period of 2021, this rate was 6 points lower (76%). Another remarkable situation is that while the rate of those who postponed their holiday in June 2021 was 18%, this rate decreased to 7% this year. It seems that individuals can no longer plan vacations.

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In the last 1 month, the number of individuals taking a holiday or traveling is decreasing.

While the rate of those who were engaged in a holiday or travel activity was 22% in June last year, this rate has decreased to 16% this year.

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Our Feast Habits Do Not Change Much During the Feast of Sacrifice

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The Main Reason for Those Who Say They Will Do Nothing on This Holiday is the Economy

Economic reasons are the main reason given by those who say that they cannot do anything during this Eid al-Adha. While 72% of these people say they will not do anything for economic reasons, the rate of those who cannot go for work reasons is 16%.

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Sacrifice is also affected by economic reasons

While the rate of those who sacrificed during the last Eid al-Adha was 41%, this rate is decreasing to 26% this year. This year, one out of every 2 people says that they will not sacrifice for economic reasons.

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Ipsos Turkey CEO Sidar GEDİK made the following evaluations about the data; The Feast of Sacrifice will mean a long leave period for some of the employees this year. Leaving aside the debate about whether holidays mean holiday breaks or whether they mean the opportunity to celebrate in accordance with traditions, we looked at whether there is anything in the holiday plans that has changed from last year to this year. Let me start by saying at the beginning what is to be said at the end, economic difficulties have shaken all kinds of holiday plans to the core. Whether for holiday purposes or for holiday customs, a significant part of the plans have been shelved. The rate of those who postponed their holiday plans in the last 1 month decreased compared to last year. At first glance, this seemed like a good development to me, but when I saw that a larger section of the population could not even make a plan to postpone it, I was confronted with the bitter truth. In the meantime, the situation was not pleasant last year, while the rate of those who did not make any plans last year is 75% and this year it is increasing to 81%.In addition to not planning for the future, the rate of those who have not engaged in any travel activities in the last 1 month is also increasing compared to last year. While it was 79% last year, it is 85% this year.

A significant part of the citizens consider Eid as an occasion to celebrate Eid with family and relatives in the city where they live or in their hometowns. The segment that goes on vacation is quite a small cut.

The difference this year compared to last year is that the proportion of those who plan to travel, even if they want to go to the country, is decreasing, and the rate of those who do not plan any travel at all is increasing.

(Ipsos Turkey)

4 July 2022

Source: https://www.ipsos.com/tr-tr/kurban-bayrami-bu-yil-nasil-gececek

AFRICA

750-751-43-03/Polls

Gabonese Call For More Efforts To Fight Climate Change

Since coming to power in 2009, President Ali Bongo Ondimba has made the issue of the environment a priority of his policy both nationally and internationally. Is Gabon now considered the pioneer of green diplomacy and an African leader in sustainable development issues (Scalpel, 2020). This earned the Gabonese president to coordinate for three years the Committee of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC) (Mussavu, 2020).

All these initiatives show that even though Gabon is ranked among the countries moderately vulnerable to the effects of climate change in the benchmarks, i.e. the Global Climate Risk Index 2017 (Kreft, Eckstein, & Melchior, 2016) and Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative (2019), governments have undertaken to address the issue of climate change. It should be noted that the impacts of this phenomenon in Gabon are increasing, particularly on the coast by the increase in intense rains that lead to significant flooding (Sonwa et al., 2014; Menii Ovono, Itongo, & Moukana Libongui, 2017).

This dispatch reports on the special survey module included in the Afrobarometer Round 9 questionnaire to explore Gabonese's experiences and perceptions of climate change.

The results show that the vast majority of Gabonese citizens have heard of climate change and say that it makes their lives more difficult. They expect greater action by the government and other stakeholders to combat this threat to the country's well-being.

(Afrobarometer)

15 Jun 2022

Source: https://www.afrobarometer.org/publication/ad525-les-gabonais-demandent-plus-defforts-pour-lutter-contre-les-changements-climatiques/

WEST EUROPE

750-751-43-04/Polls

Conservatives Set To Lose 26 Of Their 64 Lib Dem Battleground Seats

Last Thursday the Liberal Democrats overturned a huge Conservative majority to comfortably win a by-election contest for the third time this parliament.

Following notable wins in both Chesham and Amersham and North Shropshire, the Liberal Democrats won the South Western seat of Tiverton and Honiton on a swing of no less than 30 points.

Of the 64 English seats which the Conservatives hold and the Liberal Democrats won above 20% of the vote at the 2019 general election, our MRP model suggests that the Tories would lose a number of high-profile contests to the Liberal Democrats including Esher and Walton (the seat of deputy prime minister Dominic Raab), Surrey South West (seat of former party leadership contender and health secretary Jeremy Hunt), and Chippenham (seat of cabinet minister Michelle Donelan).

In London, Labour would pick up the marginal seats of Kensington and Cities of London and Westminster.

Many more Conservative seats are close to being flipped: no fewer than 11 of the 38 predicted holds would be retained by a margin of less than five points. None would be retained with a majority of over 20 points.

Although constituencies would fall to the Liberal Democrats all across the country, including Harrogate and Knaresborough in the North and South Cambridgeshire in the East, perhaps the most striking losses come in the South West, where we estimate that the Conservative vote share is down by over 16 points on 2019.

Here, of the 20 constituencies included in the definition, eight would go to the Liberal Democrats. That includes the Conservative "Celtic Fringe" seats, identified by YouGov earlier this month, of Wells, North Cornwall, St Ives, North Devon, and Taunton Deane.

Elsewhere, many Blue Wall seats would also fall to Liberal Democrat challengers. As well as the aforementioned seats of Esher and Walton and Surrey South West, other commuter-belt constituencies such as Guildford, Woking, Hitchin and Harpenden, and Wokingham would also be lost. We estimate that nine of the 29 battleground seats in the South East region would go from the Conservatives to the Liberal Democrats, if an election were being held now.

Across each of the three parties there are interesting geographical variations to vote share change among the constituencies analysed. For instance, while the Liberal Democrats are up by eight points in battleground seats in the South East, and nine points in the South West, they are actually down in London by one point.

Meanwhile, the Conservatives are down 15 and 16 points in the South West and South East respectively, 14 points in the East of England, the North and the Midlands, and 11 in London.

The only Con-Lib Dem battlegrounds region where Labour have increased their vote share on 2019 is in London, where they are up by three points. In all other regions their vote share in these battleground seats is down despite Labours vote intention being around six to nine points higher than the 32% they managed at the last election.

YouGov interviewed 13,459 voters across England between 15-29 June for this research. Constituency-level forecasts were estimated using the same method which correctly predicted the 2017 and 2019 general elections, with an additional tactical voting model (see below). MRP constituency forecast models first estimate the relationship between a wide variety of characteristics about prospective voters and their vote intention (this is the multilevel model part). It then uses data at the constituency level to predict the outcomes of seats based on the concentration of various different types of voters who live there, according to what the multilevel model says about their probability of voting for various parties (post-stratification). In this instance, 1,000 draws from the posterior distribution of the multilevel model were used to predict the constituency probabilities, which ran for 12,000 post-warmup iterations across four chains.

Turnout likelihood for each voter group was estimated using a multilevel model fit on British Election Study data with post-hoc adjustments made according to the latest self-reported turnout likelihoods in YouGov data. The precise multilevel model equation has been benchmarked to correctly estimate the 2017 and 2019 General Elections to within a handful of seats of each partys actual performance in those elections.

Our latest MRP model differs from others released in the past year in two important ways. Firstly, we made use of our traditional MRP election model vote intention question which asks respondents how they would vote in their constituency. Secondly, we included a tactical voting model which assumed that varying fractional degrees of the kind of pro-Lib Dem tactical voting we have seen in recent by-election and local elections would happen again in these battlegrounds, depending on how obviously the Lib Dems were best placed to challenge Conservative incumbents.

(YouGov UK)

July 02, 2022

Source: https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/articles-reports/2022/07/02/conservatives-set-lose-26-their-64-lib-dem-battleg

750-751-43-05/Polls

Three In Four Britons Expect The Economy To Worsen In The Next 12 Months

One in three say they would struggle to cope if inflation hits 11%.
Labour more trusted on cost of living but Conservatives more trusted to grow the economy, while managing inflation is contested.

The latest Ipsos Political Monitor, taken June 22nd-29th shows significant public concern at the potential for inflation to rise further amidst gloomy economic expectations.

Inflation and cost of living

When asked about their current financial situation, half of Britons (50%) tell us they have had to make some reductions in what I normally buy because of rising prices but I can cope. However, 1 in 5 (20%) say they are finding it very difficult to cope with the rise in prices. One in four (27%) say they have not had to make any changes in what they buy due to rising prices.
However, should inflation rise to around 11% later this year, one in three (32%) say they would find it very difficult to cope and 52% say they would have to make some reductions in what I normally buy because of rising prices but I could cope. Just 15% say they would not have to make any changes.
When asked what they would be most likely to cut back on in the event inflation hits 11%, treats and luxuries top the list (63%), followed by other premium / expensive brands (56%), how much they use heating, electricity or water (52%), holiday plans (50%), and whether or not they but new large household appliances such as TVs or furniture (49%).

11%

Economic optimism

Some 77% expect the economy to worsen in the next 12 months (+5 points from May). Just 13% expect it to improve (-2 points). This gives a net Ipsos Economic Optimism Index score of -64, similar to the score of -62 in March and otherwise in our records going back to 1978 has only ever been this low in July 2008 (around the time of the financial crash) and January 1980.

EOI

Most trusted party on key issues

When asked which party is most trusted on various issues, the Conservatives lead Labour by 32% to 26% on growing the economy. This 6 point lead on growing the economy has weakened from leads of 13 points and 9 points in March and May respectively and matches the lead the Conservatives held in January.
On reducing yours and your familys cost of living, Labour lead by 33% to 21%. This 12-point lead is slightly down on a 15 point lead Labour held in May. Back in January, Labour led by 17 points.
On managing inflation, 30% say they would trust the Conservatives most, and 27% Labour.
Finally, Labour leads by 16 points on levelling up (34% to 18%) but had led by 30 points in January (44% to 14%) and 21 points in May (39% to 18%).

Trust party

Gideon Skinner, Head of Political Research at Ipsos UK, says of the findings:

Britons tell us that the cost of living is the most important issue facing the country, with concern at the highest levels Ipsos has seen in our trends for 40 years, and with many worried about how they will cope if inflation rises as forecast to 11%, we can expect public anxiety to continue. Given this it is also a key political battleground, with the Conservatives most trusted on growing the economy, Labour to reduce the cost of living, and who is best to manage inflation still an open question. The party who can best set the agenda on this issue could make real headway.

(Ipsos MORI)

4 July 2022

Source: https://www.ipsos.com/en-uk/three-four-britons-expect-economy-worsen-next-12-months

750-751-43-06/Polls

2 In 3 Lack Confidence In The Governments Ability To Run The Country Properly, Competently And Seriously, Or With Integrity

69% say they have no/little confidence in the UK Governments ability to run with the country with integrity (69%), 64% lack confidence it is running the country properly, competently and seriously
6 in 10, 59%, support Boris Johnson resigning as Prime Minister, including half of 2019 Conservative voters
7 in 10 say Sajid Javid and Rishi Sunak were right to step down from their respective positions

Two-thirds of the public lack confidence that the Government is running the country properly, competently, and seriously, or with integrity - Ipsos - July 2022

Even among their own 2019 Conservative voters, 62% lack confidence in the Governments to lead with integrity.

Looking at the actions of the past couple of days, the majority of Britons believe Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid were right to step down from their posts. Around 7 in 10 say the Chancellor of the Exchequer was right to resign (71%) while a similar proportion say the same for the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (69%). Only 16% say either were wrong to step down.

Six in 10 (59%) Britons would now support Boris Johnson resigning as Prime Minister, up from 50% in June. Half (51%) of those who voted for the Conservatives in 2019 want Mr Johnson to resign, this increases to 71% of Labour voters. Among the public at large, only 22% would oppose Mr Johnson resigning from his position. Similarly, when asked if they would support Boris Johnson appointing replacements and continuing as PM only 3 in 10 agree (the rest are split between neutral and oppose).

This reflects dissatisfaction with the way Boris Johnson is doing his job as Prime Minister, with only a quarter (26%) saying Boris Johnson has done a good job as Prime Minister while more than half think he is doing badly (56%, up from 49% in May). The public have just as negative a view of his Government with 59% saying it has done a bad job at running the country, up from 50% in June, while 22% think it has done well. Overall, 57% think the country is heading in the wrong direction.

Gideon Skinner, Head of Political Research at Ipsos in the UK, said:

Last nights resignations reflect growing public dissatisfaction with the Prime Minister and the way his Government is running the country, with many Britons clearly sharing the doubts that his Government is conducting itself properly, competently and seriously, or with integrity. Even many of his own 2019 voters are now becoming more critical.

(Ipsos MORI)

6 July 2022

Source: https://www.ipsos.com/en-uk/2-3-lack-confidence-governments-ability-run-country-properly-competently-and-seriously-or-integrity

750-751-43-07/Polls

Ben Wallace Clear Favourite For Next Conservative Leader Among Party Members

With Boris Johnson announcing that he is standing down as Conservative leader, but wants to stay on as prime minister until the autumn, the race is now on to succeed him.

New snap YouGov polling of 716 Conservative party members shows at first glance that the field appears to be diverse. Ben Wallace tops the list, at 13%, neck and neck with Penny Mordaunt (12%). Rishi Sunak takes 10% and Liz Truss scores 8%. Jeremy Hunt, who came second in the 2019 Conservative leadership contest, places joint eighth on 5%, alongside new chancellor Nadhim Zahawi.

But while the single top choice looks to be contentious, our polling facing five of the candidates off against one another results in a very clear winner: Ben Wallace.

Wallace wins all of his match-ups by wide margins. His closest competitor is Rishi Sunak, whom he sees off by 51% to 30%. He beats both Liz Truss and Penny Mordaunt handily with 48% of the vote to their 26-29%. And most Conservative members (58%) prefer him over Jeremy Hunt (22%).

Liz Truss is a distant second in the head to heads, being firmly favoured over Jeremy Hunt but only narrowly defeating Rishi Sunak (by 5pts) and Penny Mordaunt (by 6pts).

Sunak and Mordaunt effectively tie their head to head (by 38% to 40%), while Hunt who took a third of the vote at the 2019 leadership context loses all of his match-ups by wide margins.

(YouGov UK)

July 07, 2022

Source: https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/articles-reports/2022/07/07/ben-wallace-clear-favourite-next-conservative-lead

750-751-43-08/Polls

After Resignation, Boris Johnsons Favourability Drops To Lowest Ever Score Of -53

On the day he has announced plans to step down as prime minister, new YouGov data reveals that Boris Johnsons net favourability has fallen to its lowest level to date, at -53. Just 19% of the public have a favourable view of the outgoing PM, with 72% having an unfavourable view.

Half of those who voted for his party in 2019 also have an unfavourable view of Johnson (52%) with 43% holding a favourable view of him. This puts his net score amongst Conservative voters at -9.

These latest figures mean Boris Johnson is less popular than Theresa May was at her lowest ebb a week before announcing shed resign (-49 in May 2019), and is almost level with Jeremy Corbyns lowest score of -55.

In contrast, Rishi Sunak has seen his net favourability rise significantly since stepping down as chancellor. One in three (34%) hold a favourable view of Sunak compared to 51% who hold an unfavourable view, giving him a net score of -17. While still in negative figures, this is a vast improvement on his net score of -33 at the end of June. Sunaks newly-appointed replacement, Nadhim Zahawi, also has a net score of -17 (19% favourable, 36% unfavourable), though is far less known amongst the public than Sunak.

Ben Wallace, who has emerged as an early frontrunner to replace Boris Johnson amongst Conservative party members according to YouGov data, has a net score of -4 (16% favourable, 20% unfavourable). However, two-thirds of the public still dont know enough about the defence secretary to give an opinion (65% answered dont know).

(YouGov UK)

July 07, 2022

Source: https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/articles-reports/2022/07/07/he-resigns-boris-johnsons-favourability-drops-lowe

750-751-43-09/Polls

33% Britons Expect A Clear Winner In Next General Elections

Public split over whether Labour or the Conservatives will win the next election
Honesty, understanding Britains problems, being in touch with ordinary people, and being a strong and capable leader what Britons are looking for in a PM

A Labour government is also expected to be more likely to be competent and effective (42% vs 34%), have a good team of ministers (43% vs 34%), reduce the cost of living (35% vs 23%), provide strong and stable government (by 43% to 36%), do whats best for Britain as a whole (by 44% to 38%), reduce regional inequalities or levelling-up (by 40% to 27%) and reduce climate change (by 36% to 29%). However, Britons see little difference between the parties when it comes to the prospects for growing the economy (36% Conservative vs. 34% Labour), having the right foreign policy (37% Conservative, 38% Labour) or reducing taxes (35% Conservatives, 34% Labour).

The research also finds Britons are split about what will happen at the next General Election. Overall, 43% expect a hung parliament and 33% a clear winner, 39% expect the Conservatives to be the biggest party (either a majority (14%) or in a hung parliament (25%)), 37% expect Labour to be the biggest (19% with a majority and 18% the biggest party in a hung parliament). One in five (20%) are unsure about what will happen. Six in ten (61%) of Conservative 2019 voters expect the Conservatives to win (37% with a majority), while Labour 2019 voters are slightly more confident that Labour will win at 68% (though the same proportion, 36%, anticipate them winning a majority).

Looking at what makes a good Prime Minister, most Britons say honesty (68%) and understanding the problems facing the country (66%) are the most important traits. Other important characteristics are being in touch with ordinary people (59%), being a strong (56%) and capable (54%) leader and being good in a crisis (54%). Only 15% think it is important for a good PM to have a big personality while around a quarter (26%) believe they should share their values. This is a similar pattern to June, but since then Britons are placing even more emphasis on honesty, understanding Britains problems and being in touch with ordinary people.

Gideon Skinner, Head of Political Research at Ipsos in the UK, said:

Potential Conservative leadership challengers do not just need to demonstrate their own personal attributes for the job, and how they will deliver on Britons priorities, but will also want to show how they can improve public perceptions of the party as a whole. At this early stage, though, the challenge is that across many metrics Britons think a Labour government is more likely to produce a fresh start, a competent government with integrity, and one that is more likely to deliver improvements on the cost of living, public services and levelling-up. But Labour itself also has doubts to overcome, and the public is still split over which party is most likely to win the next General Election. To be the Prime Minister who leads the Conservatives into that next election, the contenders can listen to what the public says they want to see in a premier: honesty, understanding Britains problems and being in touch with ordinary people, and being a strong and capable leader.

(Ipsos MORI)

11 July 2022

Source: https://www.ipsos.com/en-uk/britons-believe-fresh-start-more-likely-under-labour-government-conservative-one-under-new-pm

750-751-43-10/Polls

7 In 10 UK Drivers Responsible For Choosing And Buying Fuel Have Changed The Way They Drive To Reduce Fuel Costs

The most common change has been to driving style, to use the accelerator less to save on fuel (40% of those who say they have taken steps to reduce their fuel spending) while a similar proportion say they are now driving slower than the speed limit on motorways to improve fuel economy (38%). Around a third (35%) are using the air conditioning less.

Fewer are making bigger, and potentially more costly, changes such as buying fuel efficient tyres (9% of those who have made changes) or changing their car or vehicle to a more fuel-efficient model (10%) or electric or hybrid model (10%).

Many drivers are making changes to the way they travel altogether. Three-quarters of those who have taken steps to reduce their fuel spending (75%) say they have already started to use the car less by taking fewer or shorter journeys. Around a third now walk for at least some of their journey and 1 in 5 (18%) have switched to public transport for at least some of their journey. One in 6 (16%) now use a bicycle, skateboard or other non-motorised form of transport, while 11% have switched to carpooling for parts of the journeys.

Lewis Hill, Head of Transport and Infrastructure Research at Ipsos, said:

As fuel prices reach record highs, and with fuel price protests taking place across the UK, our findings suggest that the high cost of fuel has already changed drivers behaviour. As well as leading many to change the way that they drive, the vast majority of drivers say they are using their cars less often, and some have already switched to alternative forms of transport to get around. With the cost of living crisis continuing to bite, many drivers expect more belt-tightening in the months to come.

(Ipsos MORI)

11 July 2022

Source: https://www.ipsos.com/en-uk/7-10-uk-drivers-responsible-choosing-and-buying-fuel-have-changed-way-they-drive-reduce-fuel-costs

750-751-43-11/Polls

Seven In 10 (71%) Britons Support A Scheme To Resettle Some Ukrainian Refugees In The UK

The Russian invasion of Ukraine and subsequent displacement of millions of Ukrainians created yet another major international refugee crisis. Ukraine has now joined countries like Syria, Afghanistan, Somalia, South Sudan, Myanmar and Venezuela, citizens of whom make up over half of the worlds displaced population.

The British public responded to the conflict in Ukraine with extraordinary willingness: tens of thousands signed up to share their homes with Ukrainians fleeing conflict, and previous YouGov polling shows that British citizens want the government to do more to help Ukrainian refugees.

But the media coverage of the Ukrainian refugee crisis, including references to Ukrainians being civilized and European people, with blue eyes and blond hair, have prompted accusations of a double standard. Do Britons warm attitudes towards displaced Ukrainians extend to refugees fleeing conflict in other countries?

The research reveals that the British public feel less generous and more morally conflicted about refugees from Afghanistan, Syria and Somalia, compared to Ukraine, with Conservative voters particularly likely to take a harder stance on refugees from these countries.

Support for resettling refugees fleeing conflicts in Afghanistan, Syria and Somalia is lower than support for resettling displaced Ukrainians

Seven in 10 (71%) Britons would support a scheme to resettle some Ukrainian refugees in the UK with a figure equivalent to three in 10 Britons (29%) saying the country should take in at least a few tens of thousands of displaced Ukrainians. This is a drop on previous polling from early March, when 42% said the same.

Even though support for taking in large numbers of Ukrainian refugees appears to be waning, the British public are nevertheless more likely to support offering asylum to Ukrainians over refugees fleeing conflicts in other parts of the world. Half of the public (50%) would support resettling Afghan refugees, while 48% would support a scheme to resettle displaced Syrians and just 40% would support the same for Somalian refugees.

The public are also more reluctant to take in higher numbers of Afghan, Syrian and Somalian refugees: 16%, 15% and 10% respectively would take in at least a few tens of thousands of refugees from these countries, half as many as would take in the same number of Ukrainians.

Conservative voters are as likely as the wider public on support for resettling Ukrainian refugees (71%), with Labour voters are more in favour of such a scheme (82%). But Conservative voters do not show anything like the same levels of support for resettling refugees from other conflicts, while Labour voters support, although lower, is still a majority for all four countries asked about. Just 37% of Conservative voters would support a scheme to resettle Afghan refugees, falling to 31% for Syrian refugees and 21% for Somalian refugees.

Britons feel less morally obliged to offer asylum to Afghan, Syrian and Somalian refugees than to Ukrainians

Six in 10 Britons (59%) say that the UK has a moral obligation to offer asylum to Ukrainian refugees, with a quarter (25%) thinking the country does not have such an obligation. When it comes to Afghanistan, Syria and Somalia, the public are more split about whether the country has a moral duty to shelter displaced refugees. Britons tend to believe that the UK has a moral obligation to resettle refugees from Afghanistan, by 44% to 37%, are split 39% to 41% on Syrians, and tend not to think the UK has a moral obligation to offer asylum to Somalian refugees (34% to 45%).

By 53% to 33%, Conservative voters feel that the UK does have a moral obligation to offer asylum to Ukrainians. However, as before, Tory voters feel the opposite way about refugees from conflicts in the Middle East and Africa. Just 29% of Conservatives feel that the UK has a moral duty to house Afghan refugees (with 56% saying the UK does not have such a duty), while 21% feel a moral obligation to resettle Syrians (and 65% do not) and just 14% feel the same duty about Somalians (with 69% not feeling any moral responsibility).

Labour voters, on the other hand, are much more likely to feel that the country has a moral obligation to take in refugees from all four countries asked about in our survey: 76% for Ukraine, 71% for Afghanistan, 60% for Syria and 60% for Somalia.

The British public see refugees from conflicts in the Middle East and Africa as more of a threat to the UK than Ukrainians

Broadly speaking, Britons do not see refugees from any of the countries asked about in our survey as a threat to the UK. However, the public is much more likely to see Middle Eastern and African refugees as threatening: 22-25% see Afghan, Syrian and Somalian refugees as a threat to the country, compared to just 5% who feel the same about Ukrainians. For refugees from Afghanistan, Syria and Somalia, there is also a higher degree of uncertainty: between 29-35% answering dont know when asked whether refugees from these countries are a threat to the UK, compared to 18% who are unsure about Ukrainian refugees.

As before, Conservative voters are much more likely to have negative attitudes towards refugees from the Middle East and Africa. Four in 10 Tory voters (40%) see refugees from Somalia as a threat to the UK (compared with just 10% of Labour voters who feel the same), 37% see Afghan refugees as a threat and 38% have this view about Syrian refugees. Aa with the wider public, just 5% of Conservative voters see Ukrainian refugees as a threat to the county.

Does perception of refugee numbers affect attitudes to refugees?

Compared to the other countries asked about in our survey, the Ukrainian refugee crisis is comparatively very young. Syrians have been fleeing violence in their country since May 2011, while Somalians have faced unrest for over 30 years and Afghans for over 40 years.

Consequently, refugees from Syria, Somalia and Afghanistan have been seeking asylum in the UK over many years although despite this, the 70,000 Ukrainian refugees granted visas by the UK over the last few months dwarfs the number of Syrian refugees granted asylum in the UK since the beginning of the crisis (5,102), and is already approaching the total number of Afghan refugees resettled (around 79,000 as of 2019). According to UN refugee statistics, as of 2020, the number of Somalian refugees settled in the UK is 132,000.

Does the warmth shown towards displaced Ukrainians reflect a broader attitude to refugee numbers? Even those who consider there to be a very high or fairly high number of Ukrainian refugees in the UK still support resettling more (47%), and the same pattern of reduced generosity towards Middle Eastern and African refugees is present among those who perceive there to be a very high or fairly high number of refugees in the UK from these countries.

A quarter of those who think there are many Afghan refugees in the UK (26%) support resettling more, while a similar number (27%) of those who think there are many Syrians in the UK would support a resettlement scheme. For Somalian refugees, just 18% of those who think there are many in the UK would support granting asylum to more.

Likewise, those who think there are lots of Ukrainian refugees in the UK are more willing to admit further large numbers compared to those who believe there are high numbers of Afghans, Syrians or Somalians.

Three in ten (31%) of those who think there are already large numbers of Ukrainian refugees in the UK are willing to admit a few thousand, a few tens of thousands or a few hundreds of thousands. For the other nationalities, this figure stands at only 10-15%.

Part of this appears to be down to the fact that Ukrainian refugees are not seen as a threat by those who think there are many in the UK, in stark contrast to the other refugee nationalities. Just 16% of those who say there are a lot of Ukrainian refugees in the UK see them as a threat. By contrast, those who perceive there to be many Somalian, Syrian or Afghan refugees in the UK are much more likely to see these people as a threat, at 57%, 51% and 48% respectively.

(YouGov UK)

July 12, 2022

Source: https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/articles-reports/2022/07/12/are-attitudes-ukrainian-refugees-unique

750-751-43-12/Polls

Britons Are Most Likely To Say Experience Working In Public Services (47%) Is Sign That Someone Will Do A Good Job As Prime Minister

With the final 6 candidates for the Conservative leadership contest confirmed, many debates are being had about backgrounds and previous experience. New research by Ipsos shows, of the list given, Britons are most likely to say experience working in public services (47%) and experience working in business (42%) are signs someone will do a good job as Prime Minister.

Other aspects that are seen as more positive than negative although only for a minority - include being educated in a state school (by 29% to 4%), serving in the military (by 25% to 7%), coming from a part of the country outside the South-East and London (by 25% to 5%), voting in the same way as you in the Brexit referendum (by 28% to 49%). Looking at previous ministerial experience, around 4 in 10 (37%) see this as a good sign, however this changes if it is experience of being a Government minister under Boris Johnson (14% say good sign while 29% say bad).

Meanwhile, Britons are most likely to say someone being much wealthier than the average Briton (36%) and having upper class parents (30%) are signs that someone would do a bad job as PM. Having working class parents is viewed more positively (32% good, 6% bad sign), while having middle-class parents is a marginal net benefit (by 18% to 6%).

Nevertheless, of the characteristics listed, most are seen as unlikely to make any difference on someones performance as PM, especially having middle class parents (63% say this makes little difference), coming from a part of the country other than London and the South East (56%), what type of school they were educated in (53% say either state school or private school make no difference), having military experience (52%), having working class parents (50%), and voting in the same way as you in the 2016 EU referendum (49%).

Whilst Conservative and Labour 2019 voters share some views, there are clear differences in emphasis. Labour supporters are much more likely to see the following as bad signs: experience under Boris Johnson (by 54% to 15% for Conservatives), a private school education (34% to 15%) , above average wealth (47% to 23%), and upper class parents (44% to 16%); but to see state school education (40% to 20%) and working class parents (by 47% to 22%) as a good sing. Military experience is more of a good sign to Conservative voters (by 29% to 18%), as is business experience (by 48% to 37%).

There has also been speculation of an early general election, and the survey shows this raises mixed emotions amongst the public. When asked what words describe how they would feel if it was announced a general election were to be held this year, 29% say hopeful, 17% each worried, happy and relieved, 16% excited, and 14% frustrated. One in five (22%) say they would not feel anything.

Generally, there are more favourable reactions than negative ones (47% pick a positive feeling and 32% a negative one), although much more amongst voters for parties other than the Conservatives than among supporters of the current Government. For example, 47% of Labour 2019 voters would feel hopeful, compared with 21% of Conservative voters, but Conservative 2019 voters are more likely to feel worried, by 25% to 11%.

Gideon Skinner, Head of Political Research at Ipsos, said:

There has been much talk about the impact of the background of the candidates in the Conservative leadership race, but for the public they say that many aspects of someones personal history dont make much difference. The main advantages are from experience in public services and business, while around 1 in 3 think an upper class or particularly wealthy upbringing are a disadvantage probably reflecting the importance people place on having a PM who understands the problems facing Britain and is in touch with ordinary people.
Meanwhile, the prospect of an early General Election raises a mix of emotions amongst the public, both positive and negative but Labour supporters are feeling much more hopeful about one than Conservative voters.

(Ipsos MORI)

14 July 2022

Source: https://www.ipsos.com/en-uk/experience-public-services-or-business-most-seen-signs-good-prime-minister-wealthier-average-or

750-751-43-13/Polls

Six In Ten Tory Members Think Government Taxes And Spends Too Much

As the leadership campaign for the next Conservative leader kicks off, many candidates have pledged significant tax cuts, ranging from cutting fuel duty, to scrapping the proposed NI rise. While some commentators have questioned the amount of money such cuts would cost, these pledges will likely be music to the ears of the party membership, who overwhelmingly feel taxes are too high.

Among the general public, opinion is more mixed. A third of all adults in Britain (35%) say that the government is taxing and spending too much, compared to a 23% who think the opposite. One in seven (14%) think they get the balance right.

The Conservative party membership is completely at odds with the public when it comes to corporation tax, another tax that some candidates have pledged to slash. More than four in ten Tory members (44%) think businesses have to pay too much tax, compared to 16% who think they do not pay enough already. By contrast, the British public do not think businesses pay enough tax by 49% to 9%.

Cuts to corporation tax probably wont go down too well with Conservative voters either, with just one in nine (11%) of those who voted for the party in 2019 thinking businesses pay too much tax. This group are far more likely to think they do not pay enough (41%) or the current level is about right (29%).

(YouGov UK)

July 14, 2022

Source: https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/articles-reports/2022/07/14/six-ten-tory-members-think-government-taxes-and-sp

750-751-43-14/Polls

One In Four (25%) Germans Said In July That They Were Very Satisfied With The Chancellor's Work

Since January 2022, Annalena Baerbock and Robert Habeck have been able to double their popularity among the German population and thus clearly set themselves apart from the other ministers in the satisfaction ranking. This is shown by a survey by the market and opinion research institute Ipsos. While in January only 16 percent were satisfied with the work of the Foreign Minister and the Minister of Economic Affairs, in July about a third of Germans (Baerbock: 33%; Habeck: 32%) on the satisfaction scale of 1-10 the highest values 8-10. Also with regard to their net satisfaction, i.e. the difference between those who are very satisfied and very dissatisfied, both have been able to increase significantly since January. Habeck wins 21 points here and Baerbock has even been able to increase by 27 points since the beginning of the year. In the case of Defence Minister Christine Lambrecht, on the other hand, the number of those who are very dissatisfied with their work has almost doubled since January. The figure has risen from 29 to 49 percent in recent months. Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach has also recorded a sharp loss of satisfaction since January. His net satisfaction score has fallen by 23 points since the beginning of the year more than any other cabinet member.

Scholz also more popular again

Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz can also increase his popularity in July. Despite significant losses since January, it has recorded strong gains compared to the last survey in May, similar to Baerbock and Habeck. One in four (25%) said in July that they were very satisfied with the Chancellor's work. In May, only one in five respondents (20%) did so. Satisfaction with the federal government of the SPD, Greens and FDP remains relatively consistently rather low. In both May (19%) and July (21%), about one in five Germans said they were very satisfied with their work.

Satisfaction with other ministers has been mostly stable since January

The net satisfaction scores of most of the other ministers in the Federal Cabinet since the beginning of the current year remain largely stable. There are only significant deviations for Transport Minister Volker Wissing, who has lost nine points since January. Agriculture Minister Cem Vzdemir, on the other hand, has risen by eight points since the beginning of the year.

Ministers Ranking July 2022

There is also a clear upward trend in terms of awareness of the ministers who were least known in January.

Levels of awareness of the Federal Cabinet

(Ipsos Germany)

11 July 2022

Source: https://www.ipsos.com/de-de/zufriedenheit-mit-baerbock-und-habeck-doppelt-so-hoch-wie-im-januar

750-751-43-15/Polls

Products For The Relief Of Pain (96%) And Cough And Cold (94%) Are Purchased Almost Exclusively In Physical Pharmacy In Spain

Consumer interest in health and wellness has grown considerably in recent years. The rise of this trend, which has been accelerated by the pandemic, has meant a significant increase in the purchase and use of pharmaceutical products that can be purchased without a prescription, also called OTC (Over The Counter, for its acronym in English). Estimates point to a significant growth in the sale of this type of product in the coming decades: it is estimated that it could go from 157 billion dollars in 2021 to more than 234 billion in 2028 worldwide.

In this context, the Ipsos Mystery Shopping team has carried out a study through the Ipsos Digital platform with the aim of analyzing the OTC market, the buying habits of consumers and the role that the pharmacy plays in its sale. The report reveals that pharmacist recommendation and point-of-sale advertising are key. In addition, the physical pharmacy continues to be the main sales channel for this type of product.

The population follows the recommendations of professionals

Consumers trust, above all, the recommendations of professionals, whether doctors or pharmacists, and their relatives when choosing one OTC product or another, while advertising has a much lower weight. Although the doctor's recommendation is decisive, especially in some subcategories such as allergy products (67%) and pain relief (59%), the role of the pharmacist exceeds or ties with that of the doctor in most cases.

On the other hand, the recommendation of friends and family is key when it comes to products related to the care of the baby (35%). Only in the case of products related to sexual health, the weight of advertising, whether in the pharmacy itself, on the internet, in social networks or traditional advertising, slightly exceeds that of recommendations (58% compared to 57%).

However, if the weight of the pharmacist's recommendation and on-premises advertising is taken into account, the pharmacy is positioned as a key agent in the prescription of OTC, being the majority in practically all categories, except for pain relief, eye care and allergy, where the doctor's recommendation prevails. And, as this report reveals, the pharmacy is an important sales channel for many products and consumers often ask for advice and product recommendations at the counter.

Products for pain, cough and cold, the best sellers

Pain relief products have been the most purchased in the last year (79%), followed by cough and cold products (58%) and vitamin supplements, products for strengthening defenses or joint care (45%). On the opposite side are products to combat obesity and overweight (8%), products to stop smoking (9%) and products for lice (10%).

If in addition to the volume, the frequency of purchase is taken into account, the ranking varies slightly. Thus, products for pain relief maintain the first position, followed by vitamins, supplements, products for the reinforcement of the defenses or the care of the joints and products for cough and cold, which would occupy the third position.

The physical pharmacy continues to be the main sales channel

The main sales channel is still the physical pharmacy: all products have been purchased more in pharmacy than through another channel. Products for the relief of pain (96%) and cough and cold (94%) are purchased almost exclusively in physical pharmacy. In addition, 62% and 60% respectively, say that it is unlikely that, in the future, they will acquire these products through the internet.

However, although all the subcategories are still, to this day, more physically purchased than online, there is a trend towards online in vitamins, supplements, products for the reinforcement of the defenses or the care of the joints, products for the skin and sexual health.

(Ipsos Spain)

13 July 2022

Source: https://www.ipsos.com/es-es/la-farmacia-clave-en-la-venta-de-productos-otc

NORTH AMERICA

750-751-43-16/Polls

Majority (64%) Of Americans Want Congress To Pass More Gun Policy Legislation

Chart shows Americans largely supportive of new gun law, but most would like Congress to do more

Despite broad support for the new law, however, most Americans are not optimistic it will do much to reduce gun violence in the country: 78% think the new gun law will do a little (42%) or nothing at all (36%) to reduce gun violence. Only 7% say the bill will do a lot, while 14% say they are not sure.

And roughly six-in-ten adults (63%) say they would like to see Congress pass another round of legislation to address gun violence, compared with 35% who do not.

The new Pew Research Center survey was conducted June 27-July 4, 2022, among 6,174 adults. It was conducted amid a series of mass shootings and rising levels of gun violence in several major U.S. cities; it was nearly completed before the shooting at a July Fourth parade in Highland Park, Illinois, which took seven lives.

Republicans and Democrats differ sharply in views of the new gun law, its effectiveness and whether further gun legislation will be necessary. The gun law, passed with bipartisan support in Congress, draws overwhelming support from Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents; 80% approve of the law, with 51% saying they strongly approve.

Notably, more Republicans and Republican leaners approve (47%) than disapprove (35%) of the new law; 18% say they are not sure. However, Republicans who say they have heard a lot about the gun law are less supportive of it than those who have heard little or nothing about the law.

While neither Democrats nor Republicans believe the new gun law will do a lot to reduce gun violence, Democrats are considerably more optimistic about its effect (68% say it will do at least a little to reduce gun violence, compared with 29% of Republicans). Nearly six-in-ten Republicans (59%) say the new law will do nothing at all to reduce gun violence, compared with just 17% of Democrats who say the same.

Democrats overwhelmingly support further legislation to address the issue. Nearly nine-in-ten Democrats (89%) would like to see Congress pass another round of legislation, while 32% of Republicans say the same. About two-thirds of Republicans (66%) say they do not want more legislation.

The survey also finds:

Chart shows wide partisan divisions on whether gun laws affect number of mass shootings

Little change in views of impact of gun restrictions on number of mass shootings. About half of Americans (49%) say that if it was harder for people to legally obtain guns, then there would be fewer mass shootings; a nearly identical share (50%) say this would make no difference or would result in more mass shootings. This is little changed from the last time the Center asked this question, in April 2021. While about three-quarters of Democrats (76%) say making it harder for people to obtain guns would decrease the number of mass shootings in the country, 80% of Republicans say it would make no difference, or it would lead to more mass shootings.

Declining share of Americans say if more people owned guns there would be less crime. Overall, the share of U.S. adults who say that there would be less crime if more Americans owned guns decreased from 31% in 2021 to 24% today. In contrast, the share of Americans who say there would be more crime increased from 34% to 41%. The share that say there would be no difference remains unchanged at 34%.

Persistent divide on priorities for gun policy. About half of Americans (52%) say it is more important to control gun ownership than to protect gun rights; nearly as many (47%) say it is more important to protect the right of Americans to own guns. These views have changed little in recent years and remain deeply divided along partisan lines: 81% of Republicans say it is more important to protect gun rights while an identical share of Democrats (81%) say it is more important to control gun ownership.

Widespread support for new gun bill among most demographic groups

Chart shows more GOP approval than disapproval of new gun law; Democrats overwhelmingly approve

By about three-to-one, more Americans approve than disapprove of the gun bill passed by Congress and signed into law by Biden on June 25. Nearly two-thirds of Americans approve of the bill (64%), with about three-in-ten strongly approving (32%). Just two-in-ten Americans (21%) disapprove of the bill, including 11% who strongly disapprove; 15% of the public is not sure of their view of the law.

About six-in-ten White (64%), Black (63%) and Hispanic (63%) adults approve of the law, as does a larger majority (75%) of Asian Americans.

Majorities of adults across age groups approve of the law, with about two-in-ten disapproving across all age groups. Older Americans (those ages 65 and older) are somewhat more likely to express approval of the law than are younger adults, though this difference is largely attributable to younger adults being less likely to express an opinion (for instance, 22% of adults under 30 say they are not sure, compared with just 8% of adults 65 and older).

Adults with a college degree are more likely to approve of the law than those with less formal education. A slim majority of adults with no college experience (56%) and about six-in-ten of those with some college experience (62%) approve of the law. Larger majorities of those with a bachelors degree (72%) and with postgraduate degrees (78%) approve. While just 13% of those with postgraduate degrees disapprove, a quarter of adults with no college experience (25%) disapprove of the law.

In both parties, more approve than disapprove of the new legislation, but support is substantially higher among Democrats than Republicans. Eight-in-ten Democrats approve, with just 9% disapproving; by contrast, about half of Republicans (47%) approve while 35% disapprove. Conservative Republicans are split: 43% disapprove of the bill (including 23% who strongly disapprove), and 42% approve (9% strongly). Moderate Republicans approve of the legislation by more than two-to-one: 55% approve, 22% disapprove.

Chart shows Republicans who have heard a lot about the new gun law more likely to disapprove of it

Americans are largely familiar with the new gun legislation: Nearly eight-in-ten say they have heard or read a lot (25%) or a little (54%) about the gun bill signed into law last month; 20% say they have heard nothing at all about the law.

Overall, those who have heard more about the law are more likely to offer an opinion about it, with support substantially outweighing opposition regardless of how much people have heard about the legislation.

Among Republicans, those who have heard or read a lot about the new gun law are more likely to disapprove of it than those who have heard less. About half of Republicans (53%) who say they have heard a lot about the law say they disapprove of it, while 44% say they approve. On balance, Republicans who have heard a little about the legislation approve of it: 51% say they approve, while 34% say they disapprove; an additional 15% say they are unsure about their opinions of the law.

Democrats are largely supportive of the new gun law, regardless of how much they have heard about it. Still, about a third of Democrats who have heard nothing about the law (32%) say they are unsure of their opinion of it.

Many supporters of the gun law say it will do a little to reduce gun violence

While most Americans approve of the new gun law, opinions are more divided over how much it will do to reduce gun violence: Just 7% of Americans say it will do a lot, 42% say it will do a little, and 36% say it will do nothing at all; 14% are not sure. A 59% majority of Republicans say the law will do nothing at all to reduce gun violence. By comparison, 57% of Democrats say the law will do a little and an additional 11% say it will do a lot to reduce gun violence.

Among the 32% of the public that expresses strong approval of the bill, about eight-in-ten say it will do a lot (16%) or a little (65%) to reduce gun violence. A narrower majority of those who somewhat approve of the bill (56%) also say it will reduce gun violence at least a little. In contrast, among the 11% of Americans who strongly disapprove of the law, 84% say the law will do nothing at all to reduce gun violence a view also held by 71% of those who somewhat disapprove of the law.

Chart shows Americans who strongly approve of the new gun law are the most likely to want Congress to pass additional legislation to address gun violence

About six-in-ten Americans (63%) would like to see Congress pass additional legislation to address gun violence, although there are deep partisan divides on this issue. Roughly nine-in-ten Democrats (89%) say they would like to see another round of legislation, while just 32% of Republicans say the same.

Those who strongly approve of the bill overwhelmingly would like to see Congress pass additional legislation: 91% say this. About two-thirds of those who somewhat approve of the law (65%) say Congress should take up another round of legislation on this issue. By contrast, 70% of those who disapprove of the law do not want to see Congress take further action.

Gun rights, gun control and the impact of gun ownership on crime

A narrow majority of the public (52%) says that controlling gun ownership is more important than protecting gun rights, while slightly fewer (47%) prioritize protecting Americans rights to own guns. As in the past, there are deep partisan divides on this question: Roughly eight-in-ten Republicans (81%) say that protecting gun rights is more important, compared with about two-in-ten Democrats (18%). Overall, Americans attitudes on this question have changed little over the past three years.

Chart shows public remains closely divided over controlling gun ownership and protecting gun rights, with Republicans and Democrats holding opposing views Chart shows drop in the share saying more Americans with guns would lead to less crime

Overall, the share of U.S. adults who say that there would be less crime if more Americans owned guns has decreased from 31% last year to 24% today, while the share saying there would be more crime has increased from 34% to 41%. About a third of Americans (34%) continue to say that if more people owned guns there would be no difference in the amount of crime.

Nearly two-thirds of Democrats (65%) now say there would be more crime if more Americans owned guns, up from 55% last year and 51% in 2017.

By contrast, just 14% of Republicans say that there would be more crime if more Americans owned guns, while 45% say there would be less. While the share of Republicans saying more gun ownership would lead to more crime is little changed in recent years, Republicans are now less likely to say that more gun ownership would lead to less crime than in past years (45% say this today, compared with 56% last year).

(PEW)

JULY 11, 2022

Source: https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2022/07/11/broad-public-approval-of-new-gun-law-but-few-say-it-will-do-a-lot-to-stem-gun-violence/

750-751-43-17/Polls

Two-Thirds Of U S Adults (67%) Express A Favorable View Of The Israeli People

A bar chart showing that two-thirds of Americans have a favorable view of Israels people; fewer say the same about its government

The Centers analysis is based on two recent surveys and the subset of 3,383 U.S. adults who took them both. The first survey, fielded March 7-13, asked Americans about the Israeli people and the Israeli government. The second, fielded March 21-27, asked them about Israel in a more general way, as a country. Together, the two surveys provide a closer look at what Americans may have in mind when they express a favorable or unfavorable opinion about Israel.

Among Republicans and independents who lean toward the Republican Party, around six-in-ten (57%) have a favorable view of Israel as a country, the Israeli government and the Israeli people. Another 12% of Republicans have an unfavorable view of all three, while all other combinations of views are held by no more than 10% each.

Democrats and independents who lean toward the Democratic Party are more divided. Around a quarter of Democrats (24%) have a favorable view of all three: Israel as a country, the Israeli government and the Israeli people. A similar share (22%) has uniformly unfavorable views of the country, government and people. But a third sizable group also emerges among Democrats: 18% have an unfavorable view of Israel as a country, an unfavorable view of the Israeli government and a favorable view of the Israeli people. Once again, all other combinations of views are held by no more than 10% each.

A chart showing that around two-thirds of U.S. adults who have a favorable view of Israel also have a favorable view of the Israeli government and its people

These results are generally in line with the Centers other internationally focused work, which suggests that Americans may be more likely to think about a particular countrys government than its people when they are asked about the nation as a whole.

For example, in an open-ended survey question last year, the Center asked Americans, Whats the first thing you think about when you think about China? In that study, Americans were more focused on the Chinese government including its policies and how it behaves internationally than on the people. To the degree that the Chinese people were mentioned at all (only 3% of responses mentioned the Chinese people), Americans tended to use quite favorable words. And that was true even among Americans who had lukewarm or cold views of China as a country.

The same broad pattern applies when people in other countries are asked about the United States, as the Centers international surveys have shown. In most countries surveyed, people abroad generally express more or equally as positive views of Americans than of the U.S. as a country. Attitudes about the U.S. as a country also tend to fluctuate substantially with a change in the U.S. presidency, suggesting that people are thinking more about the government than the people.

When it comes to Americans attitudes about Israel, views of the country and the government are closely related, as the Centers new analysis shows. But there can be other factors at play, too. For example, for a share of the public, positive views of the Israeli people may be enough to lead to positive views of the country, even among those who dislike the Israeli government. Other factors, such as views of a countrys cultural exports or model of government, can also play a role, coloring views of the country if not views of the government or people, as might the countrys historical or religious significance.

Around two-thirds of Americans who have a favorable view of Israel as a country also have a favorable view of the Israeli government (70%). And more than eight-in-ten of those who have a favorable view of Israel as a country also have a favorable view of the Israeli people (86%). Still, 16% of Americans who have a favorable view of Israel as a country express a favorable view of the people and, at the same time, an unfavorable view of the government.

A similar pattern emerges when looking more closely at the Americans who express an unfavorable opinion about Israel as a country. A large majority of these Americans express a negative view of Israels government (71%). But around three-in-ten of those who have an unfavorable view of Israel as a country simultaneously have an unfavorable view of the Israeli government and a favorable view of the Israeli people (28%).

(PEW)

JULY 11, 2022

Source: https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2022/07/11/when-americans-think-about-israel-what-do-they-have-in-mind/

750-751-43-18/Polls

U S Journalists Differ From The Public In Their Views Of Bothsidesism In Journalism

Journalists in the United States differ markedly from the general public in their views of bothsidesism whether journalists should always strive to give equal coverage to all sides of an issue according to a recent Pew Research Center study. A little more than half of the journalists surveyed (55%) say that every side does not always deserve equal coverage in the news. By contrast, 22% of Americans overall say the same, whereas about three-quarters (76%) say journalists should always strive to give all sides equal coverage.

A bar chart showing that U.S. journalists are more likely than the public to say all sides dont always deserve equal coverage

A new analysis of these survey findings shows that attitudes among both journalists and the public differ by age and political factors. Opinions among journalists also vary based on how they view the issue of misinformation, while opinions among Americans overall vary based on their trust in the news.

The issue of whether to try to provide equal coverage to all sides gained new intensity during Donald Trumps presidency and the widespread disinformation and competing views surrounding the 2020 election and the COVID-19 pandemic. While some feel that equal coverage is always necessary to allow the public to be equally informed about multiple sides of an argument, those who disagree argue that people making false statements or unsupported conjectures do not warrant as much attention as those making factual statements with solid supporting evidence.

Younger journalists, those who say their outlet has a left-leaning audience most likely to say equal coverage not always merited

A bar chart showing that journalists views about equal coverage vary by age, platform and political leaning of outlets audience

Roughly six-in-ten U.S. journalists ages 18 to 29 (63%) say every side does not always deserve equal coverage, while 37% of journalists in this age range say journalists should always strive to cover all sides equally percentages that are very similar to the breakdown among journalists ages 30 to 49. But those numbers change noticeably for journalists 50 and older, who are evenly split between the two viewpoints.

This age gap aligns with another factor: how long journalists have been working in the profession. Those who have been in the industry longer are more likely to support always striving for equal coverage. About half of journalists surveyed who have been working in the news industry for more than 20 years (49%) say journalists should always strive for equal coverage, compared with 38% of those who have been working in the industry for 10 years or less. Those who have worked in the industry for 11 to 20 years fall somewhere in between (43%).

Differences also arise based on the original platform of the outlet journalists work for. Those who say they work at an organization that originated in television are more likely to say that journalists should strive to give every side equal coverage (55%) than those who work at outlets that started in print, radio or online. Conversely, those who work in online media are the least likely to say this (37%).

Journalists attitudes also vary by the political leaning of their audience. Overall, 57% of those who say their outlet has a right-leaning audience think the profession should strive for equal coverage, while 42% of these journalists say equal coverage is not always deserved. For journalists who say their outlets audience leans left, the trend is reversed, with 30% supporting equal coverage for all sides and a large majority (69%) saying it is not always deserved. Those who say their audiences are politically mixed are evenly divided (49% each).

A bar chart showing that journalists who view misinformation as a very big problem are more likely to say that not every side deserves equal news coverage

There is also a notable difference among journalists based on how they view the issue of made-up news and information. Nearly six-in-ten journalists who identify made-up news as a very big problem for the nation today (59%) say all sides do not always deserve equal coverage, while 40% say they do. Journalists who see it as less of a problem either as a moderately big problem, a small problem or not a problem at all are more split: 53% support always striving for equal coverage, compared with 46% who say it is not always merited. Overall, 71% of journalists surveyed say made-up news and information is a very big problem for the country.

Republicans, Americans with low levels of trust in news organizations more likely to say journalists should always strive to cover all sides equally

A bar chart showing that U.S. adults with less trust in the news are more likely to say journalists should always strive to cover all sides equally

Among the general public, strong majorities in most partisan and demographic groups say each side warrants equal news coverage, but there are some differences by political party and age.

Republicans and independents who lean to the Republican Party are considerably more likely than Democrats and Democratic leaners to say journalists should always strive to give every side equal coverage (87% vs. 68%, respectively).

As is the case among journalists, older adults are the most likely to say all sides warrant equal attention. About eight-in-ten of those ages 50 and older (81%) say this, but the share falls to 74% among those ages 30 to 49 and to 71% among those 18 to 29.

Americans attitudes also vary based on the amount of trust they have in the news media. U.S. adults who say they have little or no trust in the information they get from news organizations are more likely than those who have a great deal or fair amount of trust to say journalists should always strive to give every side equal coverage (84% vs. 66%, respectively). Those who have some trust in the news fall in between, with three-quarters of adults in this group saying that journalists should always strive to cover all sides equally.

(PEW)

JULY 13, 2022

Source: https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2022/07/13/u-s-journalists-differ-from-the-public-in-their-views-of-bothsidesism-in-journalism/

750-751-43-19/Polls

37% Of US Adults Say They Approve Of How Biden Is Handling His Job As President While 62% Disapprove

With public views of the nations economy at their most negative in years, Joe Bidens political standing is at the lowest point of his presidency. Yet Biden is hardly the only focal point of the countrys political discontent: Americans express unfavorable views of both major parties and a range of leading political figures, including Bidens predecessor, Donald Trump.

Amid persistent inflation, the publics views of the national economy have worsened since the start of this year. Today, just 13% of adults say economic conditions in the United States are excellent or good; 28% said this six months ago.

A majority of Americans say Bidens policies have hurt the economy: 56% now say his policies have made economic conditions worse, compared with just 11% who say his policies have improved the economy. About a third (32%) say they have not had much of an effect. The share of Americans who say Bidens policies have made economic conditions worse has increased 16 percentage points since last September.

Views of the economy and the impact of the presidents policies on economic conditions have long been deeply divided along partisan lines. Still, only 20% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents say Bidens policies have made the economy better, while 52% say they have had little impact and 27% say they have made things worse. Among Republicans and Republican leaners, 90% say Bidens policies have made the economy worse.

Chart shows positive views of the economy decline among members of both parties

A new Pew Research Center survey of 6,174 U.S. adults, conducted June 27 to July 4, finds that just 20% of Democrats and 5% of Republicans rate the nations economic conditions as excellent or good. These opinions have declined substantially since January, when 36% of Democrats and 20% of Republicans viewed the economy positively. Currently, Republicans are far more likely than Democrats to rate conditions as poor (67% vs. 32%); Democrats are more likely to say they are only fair (47% vs. 28%).

The publics economic concerns are dominated by worries over rising prices. Three-quarters of Americans say they are very concerned about rising prices for food and consumer goods; an identical share say they are very concerned about rising prices for gasoline and energy. Majorities in almost every demographic group say they are very worried about rising prices for food and energy.

Chart shows three-quarters of Americans are very concerned about rising prices for food, gas and other goods

Among five other issues asked about, the cost of housing is the next most concerning for the public, with six-in-ten saying they are very concerned about this. About four-in-ten (42%) are very concerned about limited availability for some consumer products. Fewer Americans say they are very concerned about employers finding workers to hire (32%), the performance of the stock market (31%) or people being unable to find jobs (27%).

When asked to assess possible causes for inflation, nearly half of adults (49%) say businesses taking advantage of economic conditions to increase their profits has contributed a lot to rising prices. Nearly as many (45%) cite the impact of COVID-19 on manufacturing and shipping.

Fewer say that Russias invasion of Ukraine (39%), government aid to deal with the economic impact of the pandemic (32%), or the fact that interest rates were very low until recently (25%) have contributed a lot to rising prices.

Democrats are much more likely than Republicans to say Russias invasion of Ukraine and businesses taking advantage of conditions to increase profits are major factors driving inflation. Republicans, by contrast, are more likely to point to the governments aid to deal with economic impact of the pandemic.

Other important findings from the survey

Chart shows views of Republican, Democratic parties largely stable as public continues to rate both parties unfavorably

Both parties continue to be viewed unfavorably. With less than four months until the midterm elections, neither party is very popular with the public. Slightly more Americans say they view the Democratic Party (41%) favorably than say so about the Republican Party (37%), but clear majorities view both parties unfavorably (61% for the GOP and 57% for the Democrats).

Chart shows Biden, Harris, Trump, Pence, Democratic and GOP congressional leaders all viewed more unfavorably than favorably

Biden, Trump, congressional leaders viewed more negatively than positively. The publics views of eight political leaders included on the survey including Biden and Trump are all unfavorable overall. The public gives Biden (43% favorable vs. 55% unfavorable) slightly better ratings than Trump (38% vs. 60%). Congressional leaders fare the worst, with Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi each viewed unfavorably by about six-in-ten Americans (62% McConnell and 60% Pelosi). Views of Vice President Kamala Harris and former Vice President Mike Pence are somewhat more positive, yet both are still underwater in their personal favorability ratings.

Biden is viewed negatively but better than Trump on some dimensions. Evaluations of Bidens performance in specific areas are largely negative as they were for Trump at a similar point in his presidency but Biden outperforms Trump on setting a high moral standard for the presidency (43% say Biden has definitely or probably done this, compared with 27% who said it about Trump in August 2018) and running an open and transparent administration (44% say this about Biden today vs. 37% about Trump four years ago). However, more said Trump improved the way government worked (37% in 2018) than say this about Biden today (29%).

Chart shows GOP holds edge on economy, crime policy; Democrats have wide advantages on health care, race, abortion, climate change and policies affecting LGBT people

More agree with the GOP than with Democrats on economic policy, but Democrats have edge on most issues. Americans are more likely to say they agree with the Democratic Party than the Republican Party on a number of key issues including policies on health care, race, COVID-19 and climate change as well as policies affecting LGBT people.

However, the Republican Party holds a 7 percentage point advantage on the economy: 40% Americans say they agree with the GOP on economic policy, compared with a third who say they agree with the Democratic Party.

With abortion policy in the spotlight following the Supreme Courts decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, 43% say they agree with the Democrats on abortion policy, while 29% say that about Republicans; another 26% say they agree with neither party on abortion policy.

(PEW)

JULY 13, 2022

Source: https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2022/07/13/bidens-job-rating-slumps-as-publics-view-of-economy-turns-more-negative/

750-751-43-20/Polls

Only Around One-In-Five Black Adults Say The Use Of Facial Recognition Will Make Policing Fairer

Black Americans are broadly critical of several key aspects of policing and the criminal justice system in the United States. But their views on an emerging tool in U.S. law enforcement the use of face recognition technology are more nuanced, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey of U.S. adults, conducted in November 2021. In some cases, Black Americans stand out for their skepticism around the use of such technology by police, but in other cases, their views are largely in line with other racial and ethnic groups analyzed in this survey.

Here are the key findings about Black Americans views toward the use of this technology by police, based on the Centers November 2021 survey. The findings come as other studies have found that face recognition technology may be accurate for identifying White men but is less accurate when it comes to identifying others.

A bar chart showing that only around one-in-five Black adults say the use of facial recognition will make policing fairer

Black Americans are less likely than White or Hispanic Americans to believe that the widespread use of facial recognition technology will make policing fairer. Only 22% of Black adults say it will make policing fairer, while 29% say it will make policing less fair and about half say it will make no difference. Hispanic and White Americans are more likely than Black Americans to say the widespread use of this technology will make policing fairer (40% and 36% say this, respectively).

Like Americans overall, most Black Americans are skeptical about whether face recognition technology should be used as evidence to arrest people. A majority of Americans, including 74% of Black adults, say that if a facial recognition program said that someone was involved in a crime, it should not be good enough evidence for police to arrest them. Roughly a third or fewer of adults in each major racial or ethnic group say the technology should be good enough evidence, even if there was a small chance the program was wrong.

A chart showing that about half of Black adults say police definitely would use facial recognition to monitor Black, Hispanic neighborhoods more often than other neighborhoods

Black Americans are more likely than other Americans to see certain negative outcomes from the widespread use of face recognition technology by police. For example, nearly half of Black adults (48%) think police definitely would use facial recognition technology to monitor Black and Hispanic neighborhoods much more often than other neighborhoods. That is higher than the shares of Hispanic (37%) and White (18%) adults who say the same.

Similarly, Black adults are more likely than people of other races and ethnicities to think police would make more false arrests if the use of facial recognition technology became widespread. Some 28% of Black adults say they think this would definitely happen, compared with 19% of Hispanics and 11% of White adults.

A chart showing that Black adults are less likely than White, Hispanic adults to say police use of face recognition would be more acceptable under certain conditions

Black Americans are more skeptical than White or Hispanic Americans about whether certain measures might make the use of face recognition technology by police more acceptable. Black adults are less likely than Hispanic and White adults to think each of three separate measures asked about in the survey would make face recognition technology use by police more acceptable. For example, only around a third of Black adults (35%) say that allowing people without criminal records to opt out of facial recognition databases would make the use of this technology more acceptable. Hispanic and White adults are more likely to say this (47% and 45%, respectively).

A chart showing that majorities across racial and ethnic groups favor police use of facial recognition to monitor protests

Most Black adults say scanning people at public protests is an acceptable use of facial recognition technology by police. Six-in-ten Black adults say this, as do similar shares of White and Hispanic adults (63% and 57%, respectively). Black Americans, however, are less likely to see the other two uses of the technology as acceptable: Only around half (52%) say it would be acceptable to scan people as they enter large events like concerts to see who is in the crowd, and only around a quarter (26%) say it would be acceptable for police to scan people as they walk down the street.

A plurality of Americans say the widespread use of facial recognition technology by police would be a good idea for society, but the same cannot be said for Black Americans. Among Americans overall, 46% of U.S. adults say the widespread use of such technology by police would be a good idea for society, 27% say it would be a bad idea and 27% arent sure. But when it comes to Black adults views, no consensus emerges: Four-in-ten Black adults say the widespread use of facial recognition technology would be a good idea for society, while three-in-ten say it would be a bad idea and another three-in-ten arent sure.

(PEW)

JULY 14, 2022

Source: https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2022/07/14/how-black-americans-view-the-use-of-face-recognition-technology-by-police/

750-751-43-21/Polls

49% Of U S Adults Say The Biden Administrations Policies On Climate Change Are Taking The Country In The Right Direction

Chart shows deep partisan divides over whether Bidens climate policies are taking country in right or wrong direction

Climate change has been among the top priorities of the Biden administration, whose actions on the issue include rejoining the Paris Climate Agreement and passage of an infrastructure bill with funding for renewable energy. More recent legislative efforts on climate have stalled in Congress, and a Supreme Court decision in June curtailed the ability of the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate power plant emissions.

Ratings of Bidens approach to climate change and the federal governments role dealing with the issue are deeply partisan. A majority of Republicans and independents who lean to the GOP (82%) say Bidens climate policies are taking the country in the wrong direction. Among Democrats and Democratic leaners, most say Biden is moving the country in the right direction on climate policy (79%).

But in a sign of Democratic frustration with progress tackling climate change, theres discontent within the party even among those who say Bidens policies are taking the country in the right direction. Among Democrats who back the direction of the administrations climate policies, 61% say the administration could be doing a lot more on climate; far fewer (37%) say they are doing about as much as can be expected.

While the public is divided over Bidens approach to climate change, a majority of Americans continue to see room for more federal action on the issue: 58% say the federal government is doing too little to reduce the effects of global climate change, compared with just 18% who say it is doing too much (22% say it is doing about the right amount). Here again, partisan differences are wide, with Democrats much more likely than Republicans to say the federal government is doing too little to reduce the effects of climate change (82% vs. 28%).

Despite these polarized attitudes, the Pew Research Center survey of 10,282 U.S. adults conducted from May 2 to 8, 2022, finds broad public agreement on some specific policies to address climate change. A large majority of Americans (90%) say they favor planting about a trillion trees to absorb carbon emissions to help reduce the effects of climate change, and 79% favor providing a tax credit to encourage businesses to develop technology to capture and store carbon emissions. Both of these policies are backed by sizable majorities of Republicans and Democrats alike.

The survey, fielded before the Supreme Courts decision limiting the EPAs authority to regulate power plant emissions, finds 72% of Americans favor requiring power companies to use more energy from renewable sources, like wind and solar, and 68% back taxing corporations based on the amount of carbon emissions they produce. Partisan gaps are more pronounced on these approaches to reduce the effects of climate change, but they are not absolute. About half of Republicans including majorities of moderate Republicans say they favor these approaches to limiting emissions, as do most Democrats.

Chart shows most who say their community experienced extreme weather see climate change as a factor

Climate change is making extreme weather events more frequent and severe. A majority of Americans (71%) say their community has experienced at least one of five forms of extreme weather in the past year, including severe weather such as floods or intense storms (43%), long periods of unusually hot weather (42%), droughts or water shortages (31%), major wildfires (21%), or rising sea levels that erode shorelines (16%).

Large shares of Americans who say their communities have been impacted see climate change as contributing to these extreme weather events. For example, among the 42% of Americans who say they have experienced unusually hot weather in the last year, 61% say climate change contributed a lot and 30% think it contributed a little. Across all five forms of extreme weather included in the survey, more than eight-in-ten of those who say theyve been impacted view climate change as having contributed a lot or a little to the event.

Other key findings include:

A 55% majority opposes phasing out the production of new gasoline cars and trucks by 2035, while 43% are in favor. Opposition is slightly higher today than it was in April 2021, when 51% opposed and 47% favored this idea. Partisans remain far apart on this proposal: 82% of Republicans and those who lean to the GOP say they oppose phasing out the production of new gas-powered vehicles by 2035, while 65% of Democrats and Democratic leaners say they favor this.

42% of U.S. adults say they are very or somewhat likely to seriously consider purchasing an electric vehicle (EV). About as many (45%) say they are not too or not at all interested in an EV. Interest in purchasing an EV is about the same as it was in the spring of 2021, before gas prices in the U.S. rose sharply from an average of $2.95 in April 2021 to $4.55 in May 2022. Roughly seven-in-ten of those at least somewhat likely to consider an EV in the future cite saving money on gas as well as helping the environment as reasons why.

By 53% to 45%, Americans are more likely to view stricter environmental laws as worth the cost than to say they cost too many jobs and hurt the economy. However, this view is less widely held today than it was in September of 2019, when about two-thirds (65%) said stricter environmental laws and regulations were worth the cost. Partisan divisions on this measure have widened over the last few years. Three-quarters of Republicans now say stricter environmental laws hurt the economy, up 20 percentage points from 2019. Among Democrats, 21% now say stricter environmental laws and regulations hurt the economy, up from 14% in 2019.

Younger Democrats are more likely than older Democrats to express frustration with the administration on climate change. Among Democrats ages 18 to 29, 26% say the Biden administrations climate policies are taking the country in the wrong direction, compared with just 9% of Democrats 65 and older. And among Democrats who say the Biden administration is taking things in the right direction, those ages 18 to 29 are also more likely than those 65 and older to say the Biden administration could be doing a lot more on climate change (73% vs. 54%).

Lower-income adults as well as Black and Hispanic adults are especially likely to report environmental problems in their communities. A majority of Americans see at least one of the environmental issues mentioned in the survey, such as water pollution and excessive waste and landfills, as a problem in their area. Lower-income adults and Black and Hispanic adults are more likely to see these problems in their communities than others in the U.S. For instance, 61% of lower-income adults say air pollution is a big or moderate problem in their local community, compared with smaller shares of middle- (45%) and higher-income adults (38%).

Within the GOP, younger adults are more likely than older adults to see a need for federal government action or offer policy support on environmental and climate issues. About two-thirds (64%) of Republicans ages 18 to 29 favor requiring power companies to use more energy from renewable sources; Republicans 65 and older are much less likely to support this policy (42%). This general pattern of greater support among younger Republicans is seen across many but not all climate and environmental policy questions.

Large majorities of Americans remain broadly supportive of several policies to address climate change

While Americans have mixed reactions to the Biden administrations overall approach to climate policies, there continues to be broad public support for a range of specific proposals aimed at reducing the effects of climate change.

Chart shows two-thirds of Americans support incentives for more use of hybrid and electric vehicles

An overwhelming majority of U.S. adults (90%) support planting about a trillion trees to absorb carbon emissions. Majorities of Americans also support tax credits to businesses for developing carbon capture and storage technologies (79%) and requiring power companies to use more renewable energy (72%). About two-thirds favor taxing corporations based on their carbon emissions (68%) and incentives to increase the use of hybrid and electric vehicles (67%).

There is near consensus among both Democrats and Republicans in favor of planting large numbers of trees to help absorb carbon emissions (91% and 89%, respectively).

Majorities from both parties also support providing tax credits to businesses for developing carbon capture and storage technologies (88% of Democrats and 70% of Republicans).

Chart shows majorities of Democrats and Republicans support tree plantings, carbon capture to address climate change

Democrats and Republicans are more divided over other climate measures. For example, 90% of Democrats favor requiring power companies to use more energy from renewable sources. In comparison, about half of Republicans favor this idea (49%), while an equal share say they oppose it.

Overwhelming majorities of Democrats also favor taxing corporations based on their carbon emissions and providing incentives for the use of electric vehicles. Slightly fewer than half of Republicans support these two measures (46% each).

Republican support for both measures has fallen since 2020. The share of Republicans who support taxing corporations based on the amount of carbon emissions they produce is down from 55% to 46% today. Support for providing tax credits to businesses for developing carbon capture technology is down 8 points, from 78% to 70%. See Appendix for more details.

Majorities of Americans say the federal government is doing too little to protect water and air quality, address climate change

On balance, Americans think the federal government is doing too little to address several key areas of environmental protection, such as air and water quality, and to reduce the effects of climate change.

A majority (63%) says the federal government is doing too little to protect water quality of rivers, lakes and streams. About half as many (31%) say the federal government is doing about the right amount in this area; a very small share (5%) say it is doing too much.

Chart shows 63% of Americans say the federal government is doing too little to protect water quality

Majorities also think the federal government is doing too little to protect air quality (58%), reduce the effects of climate change (58%) and protect animals and their habitats (56%). For each of these areas of environmental protection, significantly smaller shares say the federal government is doing about the right amount.

When it comes to protecting open lands in national parks and nature preserves, opinion is more evenly divided: 47% say the federal government is doing too little, while 44% say it is doing about the right amount in this area.

Small shares say the federal government is doing too much across these five areas of environmental protection, though the share who say this about reducing the effects of climate change (18%) is slightly higher than for other areas.

Republicans and Democrats disagree over how much the federal government is doing to protect key aspects of the environment

Democrats remain much more likely than Republicans to say the federal government is doing too little across key aspects of the environment.

Chart shows large majority of Democrats say the federal government isnt doing enough on climate change

On climate change, about eight-in-ten Democrats (82%) say the federal government is doing too little, while just 13% say it is doing the right amount and few (4%) say it is doing too much. By contrast, larger shares of Republicans say the federal government is doing too much to address climate change than say it is doing too little (37% to 28%); 33% say it is doing about the right amount.

Large partisan differences also are seen across other areas of environmental protection. When it comes to protecting air quality, 77% of Democrats think the federal government is doing too little, compared with 34% of Republicans.

For more details on these views over time, see the Appendix.

On balance, Americans think stricter environmental laws are worth the cost but a growing share see too much economic downside

When asked for their overall views, slightly more Americans say stricter environmental laws and regulations are worth the cost (53%) than say they cost too many jobs and hurt the economy (45%).

Chart shows by narrow margin, Americans more likely than not to say stricter environmental laws are worth the cost

The share of Americans who say stricter environmental laws and regulations cost too many jobs and hurt the economy is up 12 percentage points since 2019, when 33% expressed this view.

Rising concern about the economic impact of environmental laws has primarily grown among Republicans (though this view has also grown somewhat among Democrats).

Three-quarters of Republicans now say stricter environmental laws hurt the economy, up 20 points from 2019. Among Democrats, 21% now say stricter environmental laws and regulations hurt the economy, up from 14% in 2019.

About seven-in-ten Americans say their local community has experienced extreme weather in past year

Most Americans report that their local community has experienced some form of extreme weather in the past year. The most common experiences are severe weather, like floods or intense storms (43% say their community has experienced this in the past year) and long periods of unusually hot weather (42%). Smaller shares say that in the past 12 months their local community has experienced droughts or water shortages (31%), major wildfires (21%) or rising sea levels that erode beaches and shorelines (16%). In all, 71% of Americans say they experienced at least one of these five kinds of weather events in the past year.

There are pronounced regional differences in experiences with extreme weather. Those living in the West are especially likely to say their local community has faced droughts or water shortages (68%), long periods of unusually hot weather (62%) and major wildfires (59%). Among Westerners, those living in the Mountain states (77% in this region stretching from Idaho to New Mexico) are more likely to report droughts in their local community in the past year than those in the Pacific states (63% of those in California, Oregon and Washington).

Chart shows majorities of Americans who live in the West report unusually hot weather, droughts and major wildfires in the last year

Those in the Northeast, Midwest and South are more likely than those in the West to say their local community has experienced severe weather events such as floods and intense storms in the past year.

In general, partisanship shapes how people view their weather experiences, but the size of the partisan gap depends on the type of weather event. Democrats are 25 percentage points more likely than Republicans to report their local community experienced long periods of unusually hot weather (54% vs. 29%). There are more modest gaps between the shares of Democrats and Republicans who say their local community experienced droughts (34% and 27%, respectively) and major wildfires (24% vs. 19%).

These partisan differences tend to hold across regions. However, there are some notable exceptions. For instance, in the West, similar majorities of Republicans (67%) and Democrats (68%) say their local community has experienced droughts or water shortages in the last year. See Appendix for more details.

Most Americans who say their local community has experienced extreme weather in the last year believe climate change was a contributing factor

Chart shows among those whose local communities have experienced extreme weather, most say climate change contributed a lot or a little

Among the 42% of Americans who say their local community has experienced long periods of unusually hot weather, 61% say climate change contributed a lot to this event, while another 30% say climate change contributed a little. Just 8% do not see climate change as having played a role.

Similarly, among those who say their local community experienced major wildfires, 58% think climate change contributed a lot and 28% say climate change contributed a little.

In fact, large shares of those who report experiencing any of these five forms of extreme weather in the past year including droughts, floods or intense storms, and rising sea levels believe climate change contributed either a lot or a little.

Black and Hispanic Americans are particularly likely to report local environmental problems

Broad shares of Americans report environmental problems in their local area. A majority (59%) say too much garbage, waste and landfills is a big or moderate problem in their own community. About as many (56%) say pollution of lakes, rivers and streams is a big or moderate problem in their community.

Chart shows lower-income Americans are more likely to say safety of drinking water is a problem in their local communities

Roughly half of U.S. adults (49%) say air pollution is at least a moderately big problem in their communities. Fewer say that access to safe drinking water (41%) and lack of green space (37%) in their communities are problems.

Black and Hispanic Americans continue to be more likely than White Americans to report each of these environmental problems in their communities. For example, 63% of Black Americans and 57% of Hispanic Americans say safety of drinking water is at least a moderate problem in their local community, compared with only 33% of non-Hispanic White Americans. There are significant gaps by race and ethnicity when it comes to other environmental problems, including air pollution.

Studies on environmental pollution have found that Black and Hispanic Americans are exposed to air pollution from a wide variety of sources, including construction and industry, more than White Americans.

Firsthand experiences with environmental problems also differ across levels of family income. Those with lower incomes are more likely to report environmental issues in their communities than those in middle- and upper-income families. For instance, a majority of lower-income Americans (58%) say the safety of drinking water is at least a moderate problem in their local community, compared with 37% of those in middle-income and 25% of those in upper-income families. Lower-income communities are among those at the greatest risk for unsafe drinking water.

Those who live in urban areas are more likely than those in rural or suburban areas to say that these environmental issues affect their communities. The divide between rural and urban Americans is widest on the problem of air pollution. More than six-in-ten of those who live in urban areas (64%) say air pollution is a big or moderate problem for their communities, compared with 47% of those in suburban areas and 38% of those who live in rural areas.

55% of U.S. adults oppose phasing out gasoline cars by 2035

Americans lean against the idea of phasing out gas-powered vehicles by 2035: 55% say they oppose phasing out the production of new gasoline cars and trucks by 2035, compared with 43% who support this proposal.

Chart shows 82% of Republicans oppose phasing out gasoline cars by 2035, while two-thirds of Democrats favor this

The Biden administration has proposed regulatory efforts on emission standards that would increase the sale of electric vehicles so that half of all new cars and trucks sold in the U.S. are electric by 2030. Last month, the European Parliament supported a proposal to effectively ban new gas cars and trucks by 2035.

Support for phasing out gas-powered vehicles in the U.S. is down slightly from last year, when 47% of Americans favored this idea and 51% were opposed.

Democrats and Republicans continue to be deeply divided over whether to end the production of cars and trucks with internal combustion engines. About two-thirds of Democrats favor phasing out gasoline-powered cars and trucks by 2035 (65%). In contrast, just 17% of Republicans support this idea, while an overwhelming majority (82%) oppose it.

Among Democrats, a large majority of liberals (77%) favor phasing out the production of new gas-powered cars and truck by 2035. Moderate and conservative Democrats are more closely divided: 55% favor this idea, while 44% oppose it.

About four-in-ten Americans would seriously consider an electric car for their next purchase

When asked how likely they would be to seriously consider purchasing an electric vehicle (EV), 42% of Americans say they would be very or somewhat likely to seriously consider purchasing an electric vehicle. A slightly larger share (45%) say they would be not too or not at all likely to do this (13% say they do not plan to purchase a vehicle in the future).

Chart shows younger adults more likely than older adults to consider buying an electric vehicle

The share of Americans who are very or somewhat interested in purchasing an electric car or truck is about the same as in April 2021, the last time this question was asked. Gas prices are up sharply since then, from an average of $2.95 in April 2021 to $4.55 in May 2022.

Those most inclined to consider an EV purchase in the future include younger adults, urban dwellers, Democrats and those who already own a hybrid or all-electric vehicle.

Across age groups, a majority of adults ages 18 to 29 (55%) say they are very or somewhat likely to consider an electric vehicle the next time they buy a vehicle. Smaller shares of adults ages 50 to 64 (34%) or 65 and older (31%) say the same.

Democrats are more inclined than Republicans to say they are at least somewhat likely to consider purchasing an EV. Younger adults within each party are more inclined than older adults to say this.

Those living in urban areas (53%) are more likely than those in suburban areas (44%) to report interest in purchasing an electric vehicle. Those living in rural areas are among the least likely to say this (27%).

Chart shows Americans who have considered purchasing electric vehicles cite helping the environment, saving money on gas as top reasons why

The survey asked Americans who say they are at least somewhat likely to consider an electric vehicle about the reasons for their interest.

Among this group, large majorities say helping the environment (73%) and saving money on gas (71%) are major reasons why they would seriously consider purchasing an electric car. Those considering an electric car are far less likely to say keeping up with the latest trends in vehicles is a major reason they would be likely to purchase an electric vehicle (10%).

Chart shows saving money on gas is a major factor for prospective electric vehicle buyers among both major parties

Among those who say they would seriously consider purchasing an electric vehicle, most Democrats (82%) say helping the environment is a major reason they would consider doing this; 17% say this is a minor reason and just 1% say this is not a reason. Among Republicans, a far smaller share of those interested in electric vehicles (46%) say helping the environment is a major reason why they would buy an electric vehicle, 41% say this is a minor reason and 13% say this is not a reason.

However, Republicans and Democrats agree that saving money on gas is a major reason to buy an electric car. Among those who would seriously consider purchasing an electric car, 73% of Republicans and 70% of Democrats say saving money on gas is a major reason why.

Younger Republicans more open to federal action, policy proposals to address climate change than older Republicans

Chart shows younger Republicans particularly likely to say federal government is doing too little on the environment

Across a range of questions about climate, energy and the environment, younger Republicans tend to be more supportive of federal government action and policy measures in these areas than older Republicans.

Republican adults under 30 are far more likely than older Republicans, ages 50 and older, to say the federal government is doing too little on key aspects of the environment. The age divide is widest when it comes to how much the government is doing on climate change: 47% of Republicans ages 18 to 29 say the federal government is doing too little to reduce the effects of climate change, compared with just 18% of Republicans 65 and older.

Republicans under 30 are also about twice as likely as Republicans 65 and older to say the federal government is doing too little to protect air quality (47% vs. 23%).

In addition, younger Republicans are more likely than older Republicans to support a range of policies aimed at reducing the effects of climate change. A 58% majority of Republicans ages 18 to 29 say they favor providing incentives to increase the use of hybrid and electric vehicles, compared with 35% of Republicans 65 and older. And younger Republicans are 22 points more likely than older Republicans to say they support requiring power companies to use more energy from renewable sources (64% vs. 42%).

Similarly, there are large age differences among Republicans over energy priorities. A majority of Republicans under 30 say that developing alternative energy sources such as wind, solar and hydrogen technology should be the more important priority for addressing Americas energy supply; a majority of Republicans 65 and older instead say that expanding exploration and production of oil, coal and natural gas should be the more important priority. (PEW)
JULY 14, 2022

Source: https://www.pewresearch.org/science/2022/07/14/americans-divided-over-direction-of-bidens-climate-change-policies/

750-751-43-22/Polls

Americans' Views On Federalism As States Take On More Power

The U.S. Supreme Court concluded its recent ruling overturning Roe v. Wade by saying that decisions on abortion would now be returned "to the people and their elected representatives." This raises the question of which elected representatives. It is possible that the voice of the people and their elected representatives could be heard through abortion laws passed at the national level -- either allowing or banning abortion. But with a divided Congress, such national laws appear unlikely at this juncture.

Instead, the focus has mainly been on the 50 states of the union. Long active in passing abortion legislation, many states have accelerated that activity in anticipation of the Supreme Court decision. This seems to have been the assumption of the court, who in the penultimate paragraphs of the Dobbs decision say, "The Constitution does not prohibit the citizens of each state from regulating or prohibiting abortion."

Are States Becoming More Powerful?

Certainly, the states are where the action is today on a number of key policy and values issues -- including not only abortion, but also gun control, marijuana, healthcare, and most recently the way in which schools teach about racism, gender theory and sexual orientation. The Supreme Court's recent decisions would appear likely to increase the focus on the power of the states versus the power of the federal government. The recent court decision limiting the power of the Environmental Protection Agency to make sweeping regulations on emissions serves as another example of the shifting foundations on which federal power is based.

The issue of state and federal power was, of course, the crux of debates at the founding of our nation. The U.S. Constitution was a compromise in federalism that gave states baseline power but granted the federal government overriding power in certain areas. In the 234 years since, the nation has continually been beset by arguments over exactly how this federalism should play out -- arguments that led to the Civil War and that have remained at the center of policy debate ever since.

The American Public Weighs In on State vs. Federal Power

There is some evidence speaking to Americans' preference for state versus federal control of government. In 2016, Gallup asked Americans, "Which theory of government do you favor: concentration of power in the state government or concentration of power in the federal government?" This was an update of a question included in one of Gallup's earliest surveys in 1936. At that point, in the middle of the Great Depression and President Franklin Roosevelt's massive mobilization of the federal government in the New Deal program, 56% of those interviewed favored the federal government approach. By the time Gallup asked the question again in 1981, in Ronald Reagan's first year in office, the public had flipped, favoring the state power alternative by 56% to 28%. The most recent results from 2016 showed a similar response, with 55% choosing the state government alternative and 37% choosing the federal government.

Political identity is highly related to preferences for state versus federal power. Remarkably, this partisan difference has persisted over the past eight decades. In 1936, 72% of Democrats favored the federal government theory of government, compared with 35% of Republicans. In 2016, 80 years later, 62% of Democrats favored the federal government, compared with 17% of Republicans.

More generally, a good deal of data show that the American public is more confident in their state government than in the federal government. This reflects the truism that Americans are, in general, more positive about government the more local it is. State governments routinely inspire more confidence than the federal government. And local governments inspire more confidence than state governments. As a September 2021 Deloitte Insights review pointed out, "Distant government tends to be distrusted government."

A Pew Research survey conducted April 25-May 1 of this year showed similarly that 32% of Americans have a favorable opinion of the "federal government in Washington," 54% have a favorable opinion of "your state government" and 66% a favorable opinion of "your local government." Last August, as another example, a Gallup survey showed that Americans gave the federal government the lowest positive image rating of any of 25 business and industry sectors tested.

In summary, we have a situation as far as public opinion is concerned in which Americans have for decades been more positive about their state government than the federal government, in which Americans hold the federal government in very low regard, and in which, when asked, Americans appear to tilt toward the idea that states should have more power than the federal government.

Implications of an Accelerating Devolution of Power to the States

There are several possible consequences if the states continue to gain power and control over key issues and policies and if the federal government becomes less relevant.

The most general implication of an expansion of state power is the potential to sharpen the line between the current red state/blue state divide.

If state legislatures have more and more power over policies and laws, red states' policies could become more conservative and blue states' more liberal. This, in turn, means people may increasingly "vote with their feet" in an effort to locate in a politically compatible environment. This seems more likely in an era of remote work wherein employees have more latitude about where they live and work.

People, of course, move from state to state for many reasons, including economic opportunity, family, taxes, climate and quality of life. In a 2013 survey, Gallup found few mentions of desire to move to a new state for political compatibility. But the political position of a given state may become more of a salient factor in the years ahead. We could see an acceleration of polarization as conservative states become more conservative with more conservatives moving in and liberals moving out, and liberal states become more liberal as liberals and conservatives make their moves.

Companies and businesses may also begin to pay more attention to the politics of a state before making relocation decisions. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, for example, recently sent out letters to nearly 60 companies urging them to move to New Jersey because it is "a state where they can be confident that the rights of women, the LGBTQIA+ community and voters will always be protected."
If the federal government has less power and states more power, the emphasis on elections for state legislatures may rise in importance vis-a-vis the importance of U.S. House and Senate elections. Republicans appear to have been quite sensitive to this trend over the past four decades, undertaking successful efforts, often under the national media's radar, to take over state legislatures. Republicans now control 30 state legislatures, while Democrats control only 18.
Presidential candidates themselves may become somewhat less focused on domestic policy issues -- or at the least become less lofty in their campaign rhetoric. Presidential candidates have traditionally created very broad platforms touching on all aspects of American life, domestic and international. If the federal government has less influence over certain policies in the future, presidential candidates' attention could divert to other matters (such as national security) where their powers are preserved. A presidential candidate's positions on specific domestic issues may be less significant if decisions on that front are being made mainly at the state level.
There is also the possibility that the process of the devolution of power could extend below the state level. Many states have significantly different constituents at the county level, just as the nation has significantly different constituents at the state level. There could be increasing conflict in situations where those living in local jurisdictions have different views than the state taken as a whole. State constitutions differ in terms of prescribing what power the state has versus the power of local government entities, of course, and states don't have the explicit focus on state versus federal powers of government entities embodied in the U.S. Constitution. But there is the potential for disputations along these lines.

Texas, for example, has 254 counties. The Texas Legislature has been very Republican and very conservative in its policies. But the state's large urban counties -- Harris (Houston), Dallas, Travis (Austin), El Paso and Bexar (San Antonio) -- vote Democratic and, in theory, could seek out ways to implement policies for their constituents that differ from what is set at the state level. The same situation holds true for a number of other states like Pennsylvania, where Philadelphia and Allegheny (Pittsburgh) are more Democratic than outstate counties, and Minnesota, where Hennepin (Minneapolis) and Ramsey (St. Paul) are more Democratic than outstate counties.

An extreme example of this would be an effort for certain counties to secede and form a new state. As has been widely publicized, counties in Northern California and Southern Oregon view themselves as so different from the big metropolitan areas of their states that they have attempted to secede and form their own "State of Jefferson." Similarly, counties in Eastern Oregon feel highly distant from the more liberal metropolitan areas to the west, and have talked about forming their own state or seceding and becoming part of Idaho. This is not likely to happen, of course, and is only relevant in situations in which the counties involved are geographically contiguous. But these examples highlight the potential for within-state controversies over the states' legislation and policies in the years ahead.

(Gallup)

JULY 15, 2022

Source: https://news.gallup.com/opinion/polling-matters/394823/americans-views-federalism-states-power.aspx

750-751-43-23/Polls

Six In Ten (58%) Canadians Avoiding Airports Until Situation Improves As Seven In Ten (70%) Call Situation A National Embarrassment

While just one in twenty (5%) strongly agree that theyve personally been delayed while traveling through a Canadian airport recently (another 18% somewhat agree), the problem has become untenable enough that most (70%) Canadians agree (26% strongly/44% somewhat) that the situation at Canadian airports is an embarrassment to Canada. Moreover, only 43% agree (6% strongly/36% somewhat) that Canada is doing a better job than most other countries in dealing with airport travel issues, leaving a majority (57%) disagreeing (16% strongly/41% somewhat) that Canada is outperforming its peers.

Relatively few agree that the federal government (37% -- 7% strongly/30% somewhat) is doing enough to address flight delays and cancellations at Canadian airports, and a similar proportion (35% -- 4% strongly/32% somewhat) says the same about airlines. Although half (52%) of Canadians agree (11% strongly/41% somewhat) that the quick rebound in travel demand couldnt have been predicted, and so its understandable that airports are having a hard time keeping up right now, Canadians are still pointing a figure at various culprits.

Who is to Blame for Delays?

Canadians say there is lots of blame to go around. In fact, four in ten (39%) say that the federal government, airports, airlines and Canadian travellers themselves equally share in the blame for travel delays overall. But some point the finger at a single entity, with the federal government (22%) being assigned a slightly larger share of the blame than the airlines (18%), airports (13%) or Canadians themselves for being out of practice (8%).

Different types of travel delays have all been contributing to the overall tardiness of the flying experience, and it seems that different delays have different culprits in the eyes of Canadians. The chart below itemizes the type of delay and who Canadians say is most to blame for it.

Who is most to blame for Delays?

	Fed Gov	Airlines	Airports	Canadian Travellers	All of them
Delays, overall	22%	18%	13%	8%	39%
Delays at check-in counters	13%	31%	24%	8%	24%
Delays at security checkpoints	23%	11%	33%	8%	25%
Flight delays or cancellations	14%	44%	14%	4%	25%
Delays with baggage delivery or last baggage	9%	34%	33%	5%	19%
Delays at customs upon arrival in Canada	34%	9%	23%	6%	29%

Delays at check-in counters are largely the responsibility of the airlines, say Canadians, along with flight delays/cancelations. Canadians believe the airports are largely to blame for security checkpoint delays, while the federal government has been assigned blame for customs delays. Canadian say that airlines and airports have a roughly equal share of the blame when it comes to baggage woes.

Regardless of who is to blame, Canadians are split on whether these challenges are temporary or longer-term. A slim majority (55%) agrees (9% strongly/46% somewhat) that the airport travel issue is a temporary glitch and that they expect everything to be back to normally by September. Conversely, nearly half (45%) disagree (12% strongly/33% somewhat) and foresee these issues lasting beyond the summer months.

Some are worried that this is just the tip of the iceberg and yet another example of how things appear to be breaking down in our post-COVID environment: two in three (66%) agree (17% strongly/49% somewhat) that theyre worried that the airport travel issue is just the start of a bunch of problems with the delivery of basic public services. Further, a similar proportion (67%) agree (19% strongly/49% somewhat) that basic services like making sure our airports work have been neglected by our governments which have been focused on the wrong issues for too long.

(Ipsos Canada)

15 July 2022

Source: https://www.ipsos.com/en-ca/news-polls/six-in-ten-canadians-avoiding-airports-until-situation-improves-as-seven-in-ten-call-situation-a-national-embarrassment

AUSTRALIA

750-751-43-24/Polls

Australian Unemployment Drops To 7.8% In June Equal Lowest Since The Pandemic Began

Unemployment in June fell 44,000 to 1.13 million Australians (7.8% of the workforce) while under-employment was down slightly by 13,000 to 1.23 million (8.5% of the workforce). Overall unemployment and under-employment fell 57,000 to 2.35 million (16.3% of the workforce).

The workforce was up 78,000 in June driven by increasing employment:
The workforce in June was 14,491,000 (up 78,000 from May) comprised of 13,366,000 employed Australians (up 122,000) and 1,125,000 unemployed Australians looking for work (down 44,000).

Rise in employment driven by increase in full-time employment:
Australian employment increased by 122,000 to 13,366,000 in June driven by an increase in full-time employment, up 363,000 to 8,876,000. This represents a new all-time high for full-time employment during the first full month of the new Albanese Government. In contrast, part-time employment fell by 241,000 to 4,490,000 in June, falling back near to its level in April prior to the spike caused by the Federal Election during May.

The strong rise in full-time employment led to the decline in unemployment in June:
1,125,000 Australians were unemployed (7.8% of the workforce), a decrease of 44,000 from May with fewer people looking for full-time work, down 68,000 to 409,000, while in contrast there was a small rise in those looking for part-time work, up 24,000 to 716,000.

Under-employment was virtually unchanged down slightly in June at 1,226,000:
In addition to the unemployed, 1,226,000 Australians (8.5% of the workforce) were under-employed working part-time but looking for more work, down just 13,000 from May.
In total 2,351,000 Australians (16.3% of the workforce) were either unemployed or under-employed in June, down 57,000 on May.

Compared to early March 2020, before the nation-wide lockdown, in June 2022 there were almost 200,000 more Australians either unemployed or under-employed (+0.7% points) even though overall employment (13,366,000) is almost 500,000 higher than it was pre-COVID-19 (12,872,000).

Roy Morgans unemployment figure of 7.8% for June is double the ABS estimate for May 2022 of 3.9%. However, the ABS figure for May show there were 780,500 workers who worked fewer hours than usual due to illness, personal injury or sick leave compared to an average of 407,540 for the month of May over the five years from May 2017 May 2021.

This difference, which can be put down to the Omicron variant of COVID-19, equates to a difference of 372,960 in May 2022 above the average for the month of May for the previous five years. If these workers are added to the 548,100 classified as unemployed this creates a total of 921,060 equivalent to 6.6% of the workforce. In addition, the ABS classifies 5.7% of the workforce (approximately 808,000 workers) as under-employed. Combining these figures adds to 1.73 million workers, around 12.3% of the workforce.

Roy Morgan Unemployment & Under-employment (2019-2022)

Source: Roy Morgan Single Source January 2019 June 2022. Average monthly interviews 5,000.
Note: Roy Morgan unemployment estimates are actual data while the ABS estimates are seasonally adjusted.

Michele Levine, CEO Roy Morgan, says unemployment the news was goof on the employment front for the new ALP Government in June with full-time employment hitting a new record high and driving unemployment to its lowest since October 2019:

The latest Roy Morgan employment estimates for June show full-time employment up 363,000 to 8,876,000 in June a new record high. The increase in full-time employment drove overall employment up by 122,000 to 13,366,000 even as part-time employment fell in June following the temporary spike seen in May due to the Federal Election.

The strong employment result drove unemployment down to 1,125,000 (7.8% of the workforce) the lowest level of unemployment since October 2019 well before the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there are an additional 1,226,000 Australians (8.5% of the workforce) now under-employed which means there are still a large cohort of 2.35 million Australians now unemployed or under-employed.

Although the news on the employment front is positive in the first month of the new ALP Government there are clearly several challenges facing policymakers over the next few months including rising inflationary pressures, the RBA increasing interest rates to quell inflation and the reliability (and cost) of the Australian energy market particularly along the east coast.

These challenges are all inter-related and can all lead to an increasing level of unemployment in the future if they arent dealt with. For the foreseeable future the global prices of energy and food are set to continue to increase due to the conflict in Ukraine as well as domestic factors such as the recent floods in Queensland and NSW.

On the domestic front the wild weather seen in many parts of Australia will hopefully abate over the next few months allowing food prices to normalise but a key priority for the Government must be to bring certainty to the domestic energy market.

By stabilising the domestic gas and electricity market the Government can reduce upward price pressure on these key energy inputs which will lower inflation pressures and allow the RBA to end its interest rate increasing cycle sooner than some may expect.

If the Albanese Government allows Australias energy situation to deteriorate further over the next few months, and years, they will end up causing persistently higher inflation in the economy which will most certainly put their re-election in three years time at risk.

Roy Morgan Unemployed and Under-employed* Estimates

	Unemployed or Under-employed*		Unemployed		Unemployed looking for		Under-employed*
	Unemployed or Under-employed*		Unemployed		Full-time	Part-time	Under-employed*
2021	000	%	000	%	000	000	000	%
Jan-Mar 2021	2,971	20.6	1,750	12.1	717	1,033	1,222	8.5
Apr-Jun 2021	2,688	18.3	1,398	9.5	574	824	1,290	8.8
Jul-Sep 2021	2,573	17.7	1,350	9.3	547	803	1,224	8.4
Oct-Dec 2021	2,586	17.8	1,301	9.0	537	764	1,286	8.9
2022
Jan-Mar 2022	2,380	16.4	1,187	8.2	438	749	1,193	8.2
Apr-Jun 2022	2,467	17.0	1,235	8.5	482	753	1,232	8.5
Months
May 2021	2,749	18.9	1,493	10.3	558	935	1,256	8.6
June 2021	2,651	17.9	1,394	9.4	570	824	1,257	8.5
July 2021	2,756	18.8	1,422	9.7	619	803	1,334	9.1
August 2021	2,537	17.7	1,362	9.5	492	870	1,175	8.2
September 2021	2,428	16.7	1,265	8.7	530	735	1,163	8.0
October 2021	2,547	17.8	1,320	9.2	471	849	1,227	8.6
November 2021	2,536	17.5	1,330	9.2	583	748	1,206	8.3
December 2021	2,676	18.2	1,252	8.5	557	695	1,424	9.7
January 2022	2,427	16.6	1,201	8.2	464	737	1,226	8.4
February 2022	2,357	16.3	1,227	8.5	463	764	1,130	7.8
March 2022	2,356	16.2	1,133	7.8	387	746	1,223	8.4
April 2022	2,641	18.1	1,411	9.7	559	852	1,230	8.4
May 2022	2,408	16.7	1,169	8.1	477	692	1,239	8.6
June 2022	2,351	16.3	1,125	7.8	409	716	1,226	8.5

*Workforce includes those employed and those looking for work the unemployed.

This Roy Morgan survey on Australias unemployment and under-employed* is based on weekly interviews of 839,202 Australians aged 14 and over between January 2007 and June 2022 and includes 5,913 telephone and online interviews in June 2022. *The under-employed are those people who are in part-time work or freelancers who are looking for more work.

Contact Roy Morgan to learn more about Australias unemployed and under-employed; who and where they are, and the challenges they face as they search for employment opportunities.

Visit the Roy Morgan Online Store to purchase employment profiles, including for Australians who are employed, unemployed, under-employed, employed part-time, employed full-time, retired, studying and many more.

Roy Morgan Research cf. ABS Unemployment Estimates

Source: Roy Morgan Single Source October 2006 June 2022. Average monthly interviews 4,000.
Note: Roy Morgan unemployment estimates are actual data while the ABS estimates are seasonally adjusted.

Roy Morgan Research cf. ABS Unemployment Estimates

Source: Roy Morgan Single Source January 2000 June 2022. Average monthly interviews 4,000.
Note: Roy Morgan unemployment estimates are actual data while the ABS estimates are seasonally adjusted.

Source: Roy Morgan Single Source April 1995 June 2022. Average monthly interviews 4,000.
Note: Roy Morgan unemployment estimates are actual data while the ABS estimates are seasonally adjusted.

(Roy Morgan)

July 05 2022

Source: https://www.roymorgan.com/findings/9004-roy-morgan-australian-unemployment-estimates-june-2022-202207041609

750-751-43-25/Polls

Inflation Expectations Jump 0.4% Points To 5.7% In June As Energy (Petrol, Gas & Electricity) And Food Prices Increase Rapidly

In June 2022 Australians expected inflation of 5.7% annually over the next two years, up 0.4% points from May 2022 and near the recent high of 5.8% reached in March 2022.

Inflation Expectations are highest for Australians aged 50-64 at 6.3%

This key measure of sentiment towards prices in the economy has jumped significantly since hitting a record low in June 2020 and especially for Australians aged 50-64. People in this age group have Inflation Expectations of 6.3% in June, nearly doubling, and up 3.1% points, from two years ago.

Inflation Expectations are just above the national average in the two age groups on either side at 5.8% for people aged both 35-49 and 65+. Inflation Expectations for people in both age groups is up a significant 2.6% points from the record low in June 2020.

In contrast Inflation Expectations are below the national average for younger people aged under 35.

For people aged 25-34 Inflation Expectations are now 5.4%, an increase of 2.5% points from two years ago, and are lowest of all for people aged under 25 at just 4.8%, representing an increase of just 1.3% points since the low-point of June 2020 when the measure was higher for this age group than any other.

Inflation Expectations by age group: June 2020 cf. June 2022

Source: Roy Morgan Single Source: June 2020, n=5,767; June 2022, n=5,945. Base: Australians 14+.

Inflation Expectations are highest in NSW & Tasmania and lowest in Victoria

On a State-based level Inflation Expectations were highest in NSW in June at 6.1%, the highest level theyve been all year in Australias largest State. Next highest is Tasmania at 5.9%.

Inflation Expectations in Queensland were in line with the national average at 5.7% while the measure was slightly lower than this in South Australia (5.5%), Western Australia (5.5%) and lowest of all in Victoria at 5.4%.

Inflation Expectations Index long-term trend Expected Annual Inflation in next 2 years

Source: Roy Morgan Single Source: Interviewing an average of 4,700 Australians aged 14+ per month (April 2010-June 2022).

See below for a comprehensive list of RBA interest rate changes during the time-period charted above.

Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine says Inflation Expectations increased rapidly in June, up 0.4% points to 5.7%, as an energy crisis and soaring petrol prices increased price pressures throughout the economy:

Inflation Expectations increased 0.4% points to 5.7% in June and are now just below the decade high of 5.8% reached in March before the petrol excise was cut in half (a cut of about 25 cents per litre) by former Treasurer Josh Frydenberg.

The cut to the petrol excise led to a decline in Inflation Expectations during April and May but over the last six weeks Inflation Expectations have increased rapidly as petrol prices have again surged. Together with rising food and energy prices the level of inflation throughout the economy has clearly been increasing.

In addition to these pressures the Fair Work Commission also announced an increase to the national minimum wage of 5.2% to $21.38 per hour which came into force on Thursday July 1.

The level of inflation has now led the Reserve Bank of Australia to increase interest rates at three consecutive meetings by a total of +1.25%. This is the largest three month rise in official interest rates for nearly three decades since the RBA lifted rates by 2% from October December 1994.

The RBA has also indicated there are further increases to interest rate rises to come in the next few months as inflation is not expected to peak until later this year before reducing gradually during 2023.

The inflation throughout the economy is proving more challenging for some than others. A look at Inflation Expectations by age group shows that it is Australians aged 50-64 who are expecting the highest level of inflation. The Inflation Expectations of people in this age group in June were at 6.3% - well above the national average and nearly double the level from two years ago.

Interestingly, there is a clear contrast with younger Australians. Two years ago, during the early stages of the pandemic, people aged under 25 had Inflation Expectations of 3.5% - higher than any other age group at the time. However, two years later this age group has the lowest Inflation Expectations at only 4.8% - well below the national average.

One possible reason for this is that people in this younger age group as the least likely to have taken out a large mortgage loan and wont be as directly impacted by rising interest rates as those in older age groups.

When we look at Consumer Confidence by housing ownership status we see the biggest hit to confidence has been amongst Australians who are currently paying off their home loans down by over 20pts since the RBA began its interest rate rising cycle. In contrast, Consumer Confidence for renters (a large portion of the under 25 age group) has been virtually unchanged during this entire period.

The data for the Inflation Expectations series is drawn from the Roy Morgan Single Source which has interviewed an average of 4,700 Australians aged 14+ per month over the last decade from April 2010 June 2022 and includes interviews with 5,945 Australians aged 14+ in June 2022.

The questions used to calculate the Monthly Roy Morgan Inflation Expectations Index.

1) Prices: During the next 2 years, do you think that prices in general will go up, or go down, or stay where they are now?

2a) If stay where they are now: Do you mean that prices will go up at the same rate as now or that prices in general will not go up during the next 2 years?

2b) If go up or go down: By about what per cent per year do you expect prices to (go up/ go down) on average during the next 2 years?

3) Would that be (x%) per year, or is that the total for prices over the next 2 years?

The Roy Morgan Inflation Expectations Index is a forward-looking indicator unlike the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and is based on continuous (weekly) measurement, and monthly reporting. The Roy Morgan Inflation Expectations Index is current and relevant.

Monthly Roy Morgan Inflation Expectations Index (2010 2022)
Year	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Yearly Average
2010	n/a	n/a	n/a	5.9	5.8	5.5	5.6	5.4	5.5	5.8	5.6	5.8	5.7
2011	6.6	6.4	6.4	6.2	6.1	6.2	6.1	5.8	5.7	5.8	5.5	5.5	6.0
2012	5.4	5.5	5.9	5.9	6.0	6.2	5.9	5.9	5.8	5.7	5.6	5.4	5.8
2013	5.2	5.1	5.3	4.9	5.2	4.9	5.3	5.0	4.8	4.9	4.8	5.0	5.0
2014	5.1	5.2	5.2	5.1	5.1	5.3	5.0	4.8	5.0	4.8	4.9	4.4	5.0
2015	4.4	4.3	4.5	4.5	4.2	4.4	4.4	4.5	4.5	4.2	4.4	4.5	4.5
2016	4.3	4.2	4.2	4.2	4.0	4.0	4.1	3.9	4.1	4.1	3.9	4.2	4.1
2017	4.5	4.4	4.4	4.4	4.3	4.2	4.3	4.5	4.4	4.5	4.5	4.5	4.4
2018	4.5	4.4	4.3	4.5	4.3	4.5	4.3	4.3	4.3	4.5	4.3	4.2	4.4
2019	4.2	4.0	4.0	3.7	4.1	3.8	4.1	3.9	4.0	4.1	3.9	4.0	4.0
2020	3.9	4.0	4.0	3.6	3.3	3.2	3.4	3.2	3.3	3.5	3.4	3.6	3.5
2021	3.6	3.7	3.8	3.7	3.7	4.0	4.1	4.3	4.5	4.8	4.9	4.8	4.2
2022	4.9	5.1	5.8	5.5	5.3	5.7							5.4
Monthly Average	4.7	4.7	4.8	4.8	4.7	4.8	4.7	4.6	4.7	4.7	4.6	4.7	4.8
Overall Roy Morgan Inflation Expectations Average: 4.7

(Roy Morgan)

July 05 2022

Source: https://www.roymorgan.com/findings/9012-australian-inflation-expectations-june-2022-202207050428

750-751-43-26/Polls

Over Two In Five Australians Turn To Their Family And Friends For Investing Advice

In March 2022, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) published an information sheet warning that social media influencers who offer investment advice without a financial license could face up to five years in jail or fines of more than $1 million.

This follows growing concerns that unlicensed financial influencers or finfluencers are promoting investment products on platforms such as Instagram and TikTok, in unscrupulous pump and dump schemes or in return for cash or stock compensations from various companies.

But what proportion of Australians consult finfluencers when investing and to what extent does social media content influence their investment decisions?

What information sources do Australians turn to when investing?

Latest RealTime Omnibus research by YouGov reveals that more than a third of Australians who currently use an investing app say they turn to both social media/finfluencers and online communities/forums to research and learn about investing (both 35%) making them the joint second-most popular information sources.

Meanwhile, friends and family (44%) are the most popular source over two in five say they turn to their loved ones for investing advice.

Among official information sources, the Australian Securities & Investments Commissions (ASIC) MoneySmart website is most popular (33%), followed by the Australian Securities Exchange Ltds ASX website (27%), then the Australian Taxation Offices ATO website (22%).

Notably, just over a quarter of Australians who currently use an investing app say they engage a professional financial planner/advisor (26%) to learn more about investing. Offline sources of information are the least popular, with less than a quarter saying they refer to newspapers and magazines (24%) and books (23%) for investing advice.

Do finfluencers alter the investing behaviour of their followers?

Among Australian investment app users who use social media to research and learn about investing, a large majority say social media content on investing has shaped their choice of investment platforms (83%) as well as particular investment decisions they made (79%) to at least some extent.

How do users of various investment apps and ages compare in their use of social media to research/learn about investing?

When analysed by age, Millennials (born 1981-1996) make up close to three-fifths of Australian investment app users who research and learn about investing through social media (58%). Gen X (born 1965-1980) and Gen Z (born 1997-2009) contribute about one-fifth each (21% and 18% respectively), while Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964) make up the remaining 3%.

Among users of the top five investment apps (by usage), Millennials make up the clear majority of Spaceship, Superhero, Raiz and Swftyx users who turn to social media for investing advice (61-69%). But among CommSec Pocket users, Millennials make up less than half of social media consulters (44%) as Gen Z users take a relatively larger proportion of one-third (34%) compared to the other major platforms.

Of the five investment apps, Gen Zs share of users who consult social media for investing advice is smallest for Superhero (4%), while Baby Boomers make up a noticeable proportion of social media consulters only for Swftyx (8%).

Gen Xs share of users who consult social media for investing advice is largest for Raiz (31%), and the smallest for Swftyx (17%).

Which social media platforms are most popularly used as sources of investing information?

Among Australians who use investment apps and follow social media content on investing, around five in seven use Metas Instagram (72%) and Googles YouTube (70%) to research and learn about investing, compared to over two-thirds for Metas Facebook platform (68%) and just under half for ByteDances TikTok (49%).

(YouGov Australia)
July 12, 2022

Source: https://au.yougov.com/news/2022/07/12/australia-finfluencer-financial-influencer-impact/

MULTICOUNTRY STUDIES

750-751-43-27/Polls

One In Three People Believe Their Own Country Is One Of The Three Countries In The World Hosting The Greatest Number Of Refugees, A 28 Country Survey

One-third think their own country is one of the three countries hosting the most refugees worldwide in most cases overstating its true position. Few correctly identify the countries which really do host the most refugees.
The majority in most countries surveyed support allowing more refugees from Ukraine into their country.
One-third say all countries should have responsibility for helping refugees, regardless of where they are or how wealthy they are, and three in ten say the wealthiest countries should have the greatest responsibility for helping refugees.

One in three people believe their own country is one of the three countries in the world hosting the greatest number of refugees

Many of those surveyed by Ipsos across 28 countries overstate their countrys contribution to hosting refugees, with one-third (a global country average of 33%) thinking their own country is one of the top three taking in the most refugees worldwide. Excluding Turkey, Colombia, and the United States, who are the actual top 3, this means that three in 10 in the other 25 countries surveyed incorrectly overstate the true position of their country, according to data from the UNHCR for 2021.

When asked to select the three countries that hosted the most refugees in 2021, few correctly identified Turkey, Colombia, or the United States, which collectively host 25% of the worlds internationally displaced people (considering refugees, asylum-seekers, and Venezuelans displaced abroad). The survey, which was conducted online between 22 April and 6 May 2022 with 20,505 adults aged under 74 in 28 countries, shows that:

Misperceptions are most prevalent in Sweden (49% of Swedes think their countr is among the three hosting the most refugees, but its true rank is 26th), Italy (48% of Italians think it is in the top 3, true rank 35th), and Canada (46% of Canadians think it is in the top 3, true rank 34th).
While three-quarters (77%) of those in Turkey know that Turkey is one of the top 3 , less than half in Colombia (45%) and the US (42%) selected their respective country. Nearly half of Germans (47%) think their country is in the top 3, while its actual rank is 5th.
On average globally, only one in seven (15%)know that Turkey is in the top 3. In 2021, Turkey hosted 14% of internationally displaced people, despite being home to only 1% of the worlds population. Only 5% globally picked Colombia, which is second, although 26% correctly chose the United States (ranked third).
Overall, a global country average of 40% correctly chose one of the top 3 countries. Outside of Turkey, Colombia, and the US itself, people in Mexico (59%), Peru (54%), and Saudi Arabia (53%) were most likely to correctly pick at least one of the countries, while those in Spain (22%), Japan (23%), and Belgium (25%) were least likely to be able to identify even one.

A majority in most countries support allowing more refugees from Ukraine into their country

With UNHCR recording 4.9 million Ukrainian refugees across Europe since the conflict began in February this year (as of 13th June), the majority of people in most of the 28 countries surveyed (a global country average of 54%) support allowing more refugees from Ukraine into their country, with only one in seven (15%) opposed.

The three countries where support for allowing more refugees from Ukraine is highest are Sweden (73%), Brazil (69%), and the US (67%).
In only eight of the 28 countries do less than half support allowing more refugees from Ukraine into their country: Japan (48%), South Africa (48%), Saudi Arabia (44%), Hungary (43%), South Korea (40%), Turkey (31%), China (26%), and Malaysia (18%).
However, in Turkey, which currently hosts more internationally displaced persons than any other country in the world, only three in ten (31%) support allowing more refugees from Ukraine. Nonetheless, this exceeds support in Turkey for allowing more refugees from other countries.

This support for refugees from Ukraine has been accompanied by a positive shift in attitudes toward refugees in general in most of the countries surveyed since last year, with over three quarters (78%) agreeing in principle that people should be able to take refuge in other countries, including in their own country.

However, there are lower levels of support for refugees from other countries

Levels of support for accepting refugees from other countries are lower than support for those from Ukraine, suggesting that while the war in Ukraine may have softened attitudes toward refugees, this is not unconditional, and other issues may be affecting views towards refugees from other countries.

In all but two of the countries surveyed, more participants support allowing refugees from Ukraine than from any other country; the exceptions are Saudi Arabia and Malaysia, where support for Syrian refugees is higher (59% and 24%, respectively, support allowing more refugees from Syria).
On average globally, only around one-third support accepting more refugees from Syria (32%), and a similar proportion oppose more refugees from Syria (30%). Countries where majorities support allowing more refugees from Syria are Saudi Arabia (59%) and Brazil (58%).
Three in ten support accepting more refugees from Myanmar (31%, vs 25% oppose).
Three in ten support accepting more refugees from Venezuela (30%, vs 28% oppose), with three in five in Brazil (60%) and just over half in Argentina (51%) supporting it. In Colombia, which hosts more Venezuelans displaced abroad than any other country in the world, 34% support allowing more refugees from Venezuela.
Three in ten support accepting more refugees from Afghanistan (30%, vs 32% oppose).
Just over one-quarter support accepting more refugees from South Sudan (27%, vs 30% oppose).
When asked if they support more refugees from any part of the world where there are refugees, however, support stands at 36% (22% oppose). The greatest levels of support for this are in Brazil (64%), Saudi Arabia (52%), Argentina (52%), and Mexico (50%).

There is widespread agreement with the principle of international responsibility to support refugees, but views differ as to which countries should be most responsible

Views differ as to which countries should be most responsible for hosting refugees. A third (global country average of 33%) say all countries should have the greatest responsibility for helping refugees, regardless of where they are or how wealthy they are, but another three in ten (30%) think the wealthiest countries should have the greatest responsibility for helping refugees.

Mexico (41%), South Africa (39%), and the US and Brazil (both 38%) are most likely to agree that all countries should be responsible.
Colombia (42%), Turkey (41%), and Italy (41%), on the other hand, are most likely to agree that the wealthiest countries should be responsible; notably, Turkey and Colombia hosted the largest populations of internationally displaced people in the world in 2021.
A minority (16%) think countries in the same part of the world should bear the greatest responsibility. This view is most prevalent in the Netherlands (30%), China (29%), and Sweden (29%), and is least so in Turkey (7%).
Few (6%) think that no countries should be responsible for helping refugees. This opinion is most common in South Korea (15%), Japan (12%), and Turkey (12%).

(Ipsos South Africa)

6 July 2022

Source: https://www.ipsos.com/en-za/one-three-incorrectly-believe-their-country-one-biggest-hosts-refugees-globally

750-751-43-28/Polls

39% Of Consumers From 43 Countries Agree That They Would Never Buy Second-Hand Clothes Or Accessories

Globally, 39% of consumers agree that they would never buy second-hand clothes or accessories a figure driven up by 35-54 year olds (42%).

Thanks to YouGov Global Profiles, we can also compare the opinions and attitudes of people in 43 countries.

Thus, we observe that the countries most resistant to this mode of consumption are Saudi Arabia (60%), India (57%) and Egypt (54%).

European countries all record scores below the global average: 36% in Italy, 35% in Germany, 29% in Spain, 25% in France and 21% in Belgium.

(YouGov France)
July 6, 2022

Source: https://fr.yougov.com/news/2022/07/06/vetements-et-accessoires-seconde-main/

750-751-43-29/Polls

Yougovs Eurotrack Shows Varying Support For The Introduction Of A Universal Basic Income Across Seven European Countries

A universal basic income (UBI) is a fixed payment, paid equally by the government to every citizen of a country, regardless of whether they are in work. The pandemic saw the advent of payments similar to a UBI stimulus checks in the US, for example and some countries have conducted experiments with basic income programmes.

People in favour of a universal basic income argue that all citizens deserve a decent standard of living and propose that a UBI could radically reduce poverty. A universal basic income is not means-tested. While this means that recipients are not required to jump through hoops or face the stress and uncertainty of a non-guaranteed benefit, it has also been argued that it is unfair as its paid equally to everyone, including wealthy people who do not need it.

Do Europeans support introducing a universal basic income, and what level should it be set at?

Great Britain, Germany, Spain and Italy are all more in favour of a basic income than against it, with Sweden split, and France and Denmark more opposed.

For those who support the introduction of a UBI, the question then becomes what level the payment should be set at. Finlands universal basic income experiment, conducted in 2017-18, set the level at 560 (#490) a month, but the main debate centres on whether a person should be able to survive wholly on a universal basic income, or whether it should be supplemented by other forms of income.

Supporters of the scheme in European countries differ on what level the payment should be set at. Six in 10 Germans who support a basic income say a UBI should be set at a level that is at least enough to pay for a persons basic living costs (62%), even if they have no other form of income. This view is shared by 59% of Italians and 54% of Britons and Swedes who support introducing UBI.

In Spain, 37% of supporters of a UBI favour this basic costs-level, but the majority (59%) would set it lower than this: at a level that is enough to cover some basic living costs, but is expected to be supplemented by other income from employment or benefits. French and Danish supporters of a UBI are split.

Can governments afford the cost of a universal basic income?

A major argument against the introduction of a universal basic income is the cost of the scheme. In the UK, estimates of the cost of a UBI range from #67 billion a year (the cost of the Covid-19 furlough scheme) to #427 billion a year. For a basic income that every individual can survive on, money could be raised from axing benefits entirely, but the scheme would nevertheless be exceptionally expensive in order to give a liveable wage to every citizen.

Despite high levels of support for the policy itself in some of the countries, all nations polled (except Germany) felt that their governments could not afford to give citizens a basic income. On average, 48% of Europeans felt that a UBI was too expensive, with Spain most emphatic 57% say the Spanish government could not afford to give its citizens a basic income, with 30% saying they could afford it.

How would a universal basic income impact quality of life, poverty, work, and economic growth?

From existing pilot schemes, there is evidence that introducing a universal basic income would improve quality of life and well-being, radically reduce poverty and actually improve employment levels. Opponents of the scheme argue that a UBI undermines incentives to participate in work, and the Institute for Policy Research states that it is impossible to design a UBI that controls cost, meets needs and maintains work incentives.

All countries polled in our survey were more likely to say a UBI would improve quality of life than worsen it, with Spain (57%), Italy (53%) and Germany (52%) most convinced. Between 13% and 22% of Europeans in our survey say a UBI would worsen quality of life, while 15-26% think it would make no difference to quality of life.

Similarly, between 34% and 52% of Europeans say a UBI would reduce poverty, while 8-16% say it would increase poverty and 26-31% say it would not make much difference. People in Denmark, which has lower support for the policy in general, are least convinced that a basic income would improve quality of life (34%) or reduce poverty (34%).

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On the subject of work and economic growth, Europeans are less sure. Spaniards (40%) and Italians (40%) are most likely to say that a basic income would increase economic growth, while Danes (21%) and Swedes (23%) are least likely to have this view. However, there is more consensus in these countries that a UBI would not make much difference to economic growth (30% in Denmark, 29% in Sweden) than reduce growth (21% and 23%).

All countries polled did not think that a universal basic income would lead to more people in work, with most saying it would lead to about the same number of people in work, or fewer people in work.

For people who remain in work, Europeans tend to think they will do the same number of hours, with between Germans (52%) most likely to have this view. Few think that workers would take on more hours, while 25-36% think that people who remain in work would do fewer hours if a UBI was introduced.

(YouGov UK)

July 06, 2022

Source: https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/articles-reports/2022/07/06/eurotrack-would-europeans-support-universal-basic-

750-751-43-30/Polls

Great Concern About Inflation And Poverty Across 27 Countries

Concerns of Germans over time

Fear of military conflict is diminishing

Inflation and poverty thus displace concerns about a military conflict from the top of the worry scale in Germany. Only just under one in three Germans (31%) cites fear of armed conflict as one of the main concerns, compared to 41 percent who expressed this concern in June.

COVID employs only a few

Meanwhile, the Corona pandemic is worrying an ever-shrinking part of the German population. For half a year, the proportion of those who cite COVID-19 as one of the biggest concerns has been steadily declining. While in December 2021 it was still one in two (51%), in the current survey it is not even one in five (18%) who were concerned about the coronavirus. However, this still puts Germany above the global average. Worldwide, the worry value among the respondents is only 12 percent (-4). Japan leads the COVID worry ranking with 33 percent. With only 3 percent of respondents worried about Corona, Hungary is at the bottom of the list.

(Ipsos Germany)

6 July 2022

Source: https://www.ipsos.com/de-de/grosse-sorge-vor-inflation-und-armut

750-751-43-31/Polls

71% Of Europeans Will Be Traveling This Summer, Study Conducted In 15 Countries

72% of Europeans feel really excited to travel or happy to travel this year; overall, with 71% of Europeans intending to travel during the summer, which represents a +14pts increase compared to 2021.
Holidaymakers are spending more money this summer: they report a higher travel budget this year than they did in 2021, with average levels increasing around +20%. This remains lower than pre-pandemics levels.
This leads to return to a number of pre-Covid travel habits, such as:

Appeal of travel abroad increasing significantly: 48% (+13pts) of Europeans, 36% (+11pts) of Americans and 56% (+7pts) of Thais intend to travel abroad this summer. Nevertheless, domestic travel remains at higher level than 2019 in almost all the countries.
City adventures are popular again: they appear as the most popular type of destination for North Americans. Hotels continue to be the preferred choice for accommodation (52% of holidaymakers in US, 46% / +9pts in Europe) while vacation rentals remain attractive (30% in Europe, 20% in USA).
Air travel is back: Europeans will use their car less than last year (55%, -9pts) and favor air travel (33%, +11pts). Same goes for Americans, in more balanced proportions (48%, -7pts vs 43%, +5pts).
People are back to planning vacation ahead of time, rather than leaving it till last minute: only 22% of Europeans have not yet decided on their destination (-10pts vs last year).

Covid-19 is no longer the first concern for European and North American travelers, overpassed by both inflation and personal / family reasons concerns.
Concerns about inflation and price increases are much present in peoples mind: financial considerations are mentioned as one of the main reasons not to travel by 41% of Europeans who wont be going on a trip this summer (+14pts vs 2021), 45% of Americans (+9pts) and 34% of Thais (+10pts).
With an ever-growing awareness of travel-related cancellations and health concerns, Covid-19 has transformed travel insurance purchases into a durable trend that should continue well beyond the pandemic period.

Travel expectations are increasing significantly compared to last year, with levels often higher than in 2019

After two years of restrictions, international holidaymakers show strong enthusiasm to travel this summer: 72% of Europeans feel really excited to travel or happy to travel this year. Austrians, Swiss and Spaniards are the ones who show the most excitement (around 4 out of 10 who says they are even very excited).

Overall, 71% of Europeans intend to travel during the summer, which represents a 14 point increase compared to 2021. The most important changes are observed in Spain (78%, +20 pts), Germany (61%, +19 pts), Belgium (71%, +18 pts) and in the United Kingdom (68%, +18 pts).

Travel intentions for 2022

The proportion of holidaymakers in Europe is even higher than pre-pandemic (around 63%-64% in 2017, 2018 and 2019, +8/9 pts), except for Germany. The evolutions are particularly impressive in Portugal, Spain, Italy, Poland and Switzerland.

More Europeans expect to take trips than North Americans (60% in the US, +10pts; 61% in Canada) or Thais (69%, +25pts).

Average summer holiday budget should be higher than in 2021, but this increase is limited by inflation

Holidaymakers will have a bigger travel budget this year than they did in 2021: Americans intend to spend an additional $440, for a total budget of around $2,760 (+19% vs 2021). In Europe, the expected holiday budget is around 1,800 (+220, +14% vs 2021). The budget increase compared to 2021 is particularly important in Spain (+20%), Germany, Portugal and Belgium (+15%).

However, the average holiday budget remains lower in most countries than it did in 2019: around 400 lower in France, 300 in Spain and 340 in Germany for instance.

Holiday budget for 2022

Concerns about inflation and price increases are impacting holidaymakers and their desire to travel: it is the case for 69% of Europeans, 62% of Americans, 70% of Canadians, 63% of Australians and 77% of Thais. Furthermore, financial considerations are mentioned as one of the main reasons not to travel by the 41% of Europeans who wont be going on a trip this summer (+14pts vs 2021), 45% of Americans (+9%) and 34% of Thais (+10pts).

While COVID-19 is still a consideration for travelers, it has receded as a concern

The global level of concern regarding all COVID-19 related topics has strongly decreased compared to last year, especially for travel and leisure plans. The level of caution decreased significantly when it comes to considering avoiding crowded places (-18pts in Europe, -16pts in USA) or airports during a trip.

This decrease in COVID-19 related concerns led to a boost for cities, which are now the most popular type of destination for North Americans (44%, +9pts). In Europe, cities remain far behind the seaside (26% vs 60%) but come ahead of the countryside and mountains as a travel destination.

This decrease also boosts the demand in hotels in Northern America and Europe, as the part of holidaymakers mostly planning to stay in this kind of accommodation raises by +9pts in Europe (46%) and by +4pts in USA (52%). Hotels remain the preferred type of accommodation for holidays in these two areas. The part of vacation rentals remains stable.

COVID-19 and travel

That said, 53% of Europeans and 46% of Americans said that COVID-19 has had an impact on their enthusiasm for travel. It is particularly high among the Canadians or the Australians (60%) and even more among the Thai population (81%). People around the world share that they will probably avoid travelling in certain countries (63% of the Europeans for instance), favor close destinations (54%) or that they will avoid flying and going to airports (38%).

In almost all countries observed, the average level of early booking rose, with far more people booking their holidays sooner than last year.

COVID-19 may also have impacted long-term travel insurance habits, as greater protection with travel insurance is the travel habit that appears to be the most durable in almost all countries surveyed. These levels are particularly high in Asia Pacific (Thailand 75%, Australia 54%), in UK (49%) or in Southern Europe (Spain 50%, Italy and Portugal 45%).

A Boost in International Travel

Compared to last year, holidaymakers are less undecided when it comes to their summer trip destination with only 22% of Europeans having not yet decided (-10pts vs last year).

Above all, a return to international travel is observed in all the countries: 48% (+13pts) of Europeans, 36% (+11pts) of Americans and 56% (+7pts) of Thais intend to travel abroad this summer. It is particularly the case in the countries where holidaymakers are more used to travel abroad: British (+24 pts abroad), Swiss (+7pts) and Belgians (+7pts) will leave home and head abroad.

A return to international travel

In some countries, the proportion of holidaymakers that will stay in their own country remains stable compared to last year: populations that traditionally stay within their borders will be maintaining this trend. It will be the case for 65% of Italians, 59% of Spaniards, 56% of French and 54% of Portuguese. While domestic travel in UK (-10pts), Switzerland (-8pts) and Belgium (-5pts) decreased.

As international travel increases, holidaymakers will adjust their mode of transportation. Overall, the two favorite means remain the car and the plane. However, Europeans will use their car less than last year (55%, -9pts) and favor air travel (33%, +11pts). The same applies for Americans, in more balanced proportions (48%, -7pts vs 43%, +5pts). Train or bus are still used by a minority of the population: less than 15% of the Europeans and less than 10% in other continents.

Back to normal?

When asked about the return to normal conditions of travel, perceptions vary considerably from one country to another. Thais, Australians and Austrians are the most pessimistic, with half of the population thinking situation will come back to normal only in 2024, with some respondents indicating it may be later, or even never. On the contrary, Poles, Czech and Swiss are the most optimistic, with nearly 4 out of 10 saying a return to normal travel is already possible.

But COVID-19 may have changed habits for the working population. Around a quarter to one third of the active population declare that they will be working from a holiday location during the summer aka a workation. It is particularly true among Portuguese (39%), Americans (32%), Poles (32%) and Australians (31%).

(Ipsos Denmark)

6 July 2022

Source: https://www.ipsos.com/en-dk/holiday-barometer-2022

750-751-43-32/Polls

Desire To Travel Has Increased By 30% In Year-On-Year Terms In 4 Main Countries That Emit Tourism To Spain

There is a desire to travel!

"2022 has been considered as the year of the definitive recovery of tourism and, if inflation allows it, everything seems to indicate that it will be so," says Eva Aranda, Social Intelligence Analytics Country Leader and also, our expert in tourism.

The first thing that the data reveals to us is that there is a desire to travel, the conversation on this matter in our tourism issuing countries has increased by 30% in year-on-year terms.

Menciones_Viajes_Ipsos

But do they think of Spain when they talk about holidays?

Eva Aranda highlights that "more than 500,000 people have mentioned our country in a conversation about tourism. Social listening allows us to analyze this large volume of testimonials from potential tourists, and deepen their motivations and barriers, for example, design or improve marketing strategies"

If we analyze the conversations about travel and vacations in these countries we see that in many of them Spain does appear as a tourist destination. It is Italy where they quote him the most, in 8% of his conversation we find the mention of Spain, followed by Germany.

Compared to 2021, Spain's presence in the talks is increasing. In absolute terms, the English are the ones who most mention Spain as a holiday destination, and this figure also increases compared to last year. In Italy there is less talk than last year, but it is still the second country where it is most mentioned due to the sharp decline in Germany.

Menciones_absolutos_Ipsos

"An in-depth analysis of the conversations would allow us to explain the reasons for these fluctuations, and the joint analysis of the real data with the social data will be of great interest for the estimation of future behaviors and links between both indicators," says Eva.

A clichi: Spain, sun and beach destination

If we go a step further, and analyze if in the conversations about travel and holidays in which our tourism issuing countries mention Spain, there is more talk of mountain or beach, we see how 68% of the mentions include beach, nautical activities or summer sports at sea. "And this is just the beginning, we can delve into the specific destinations in which the greatest interest is shown within both categories, and detect possible levers to mobilize to turn the conversion into a real visit", explains Eva.

What are the most cited destinations?

Madrid, Catalonia, Andalusia and the Valencian Community are the most cited Spanish destinations in the conversations of the network of our issuing countries.

The Balearic Islands are the next most cited with more than 46,000 mentions, followed very far by the Canary Islands, with almost 17,000 fewer mentions.

Something that allows us to do Synthesio, our Social Intelligence platform, is to know the location and location of the mentions. That is, taking the example of the United Kingdom, as the country that most mentions Spain in its conversations about travel for this 2022, and within these, the mentions they make to the destination of Catalonia, from what part of the country do they do it? Well, users of the Kingdom who talk about Catalonia as a holiday destination, do so mainly from London, Manchester and Glasgow.

Desde_donde_hablan_Ipsos

The plane, the transport par excellence for tourists from these countries

Although in general, when they talk about their travels and Spain, the means of transport par excellence is the plane, there is some difference by country:

Transporte_Ipsos

The French first cite the car.
The Germans, although they cite the car first, are the ones who mention the train the most, probably related to the energy saving measures implemented by the German Government to promote its use.

And once in Spain, where do they stay?

The hotel, the big winner. When it comes to where to stay during your vacation or your travels, not all accommodations are commented on equally. The hotel sector is in the spotlight: users often comment and share experiences in the network mainly of hotels and resorts.

In third place we find the campsite, as the most cited accommodation in the conversations about travel of the issuing countries.

Eva Aranda highlights that "the type of accommodation is an important topic of conversation in networks, and shows important opportunities for the analysis of customer satisfaction, as in the case of the intelligent evaluation of reviews and scores"

(Ipsos Spain)

8 July 2022

Source: https://www.ipsos.com/es-es/nuestros-principales-mercados-emisores-alemania-italia-francia-y-reino-unido-estan-deseando-viajar

750-751-43-33/Polls

A Majority Of Adults In Both Israel And The United States Have Favorable Views Of Each Other

As President Joe Biden embarks on his first visit to Israel as president, he does so against an amicable backdrop: A majority of adults in both Israel and the United States have favorable views of the other country and the current state of bilateral relations. But Israeli views of the relationship are somewhat rosier than American ones. And, with Biden in the White House, the intensity of positive sentiment in Israel toward the U.S. has diminished, with Israelis offering mixed reviews of the presidents leadership relative to his predecessor, Donald Trump. Israelis were also divided on former Prime Minister Naftali Bennetts handling of the U.S. relationship in this survey, which was fielded prior to the June collapse of the government and Yair Lapids ascension as caretaker prime minister.

Timing of the Israel survey and how we analyze party differences in Israel

The Israeli survey took place from March 16 to May 1, 2022 over a month before the June 20 announcement that the governing coalition was collapsing, elections were being called for the fall and Yair Lapid would replace Naftali Bennett as prime minister until the results of the elections were clear.

Because of the large number of parties in the Israeli political system and the size of the survey, we do not have sufficient sample sizes to analyze the opinions of the supporters of any single political party other than Likud and Yesh Atid (There is a Future). For this reason, we focus our political analysis on those who supported any of the eight parties that were part of the Bennett-Lapid coalition at the time the survey was fielded, compared with those who did not support those parties. Because the Bennett-Lapid coalition was composed of leaders from across the political spectrum and included Arab as well as Jewish parties, we also analyze survey questions using each respondents ideological self-placement on the left, right or center of the political spectrum.

Israel stood out as one of the only countries (among 37 surveyed worldwide) where marks for Trump were higher than for former President Barack Obama in 2017, and Israelis confidence in Trump actually grew during his presidency. Today, 60% of Israelis say they have a great deal or some confidence in Biden to do the right thing regarding world affairs, down 11 percentage points from assessments of Trump in 2019. The share of Israelis who express a lot of confidence in Biden is also about half the share who said the same of Trump (16% vs. 30%, respectively).

When asked about the U.S. presidents specific qualities, Israelis are less likely to attach the positive descriptions of strong leader and charismatic to Biden in 2022 than they were to describe Trump that way in 2017. (Roughly equal shares of the Israeli public described both U.S. presidents as well-qualified and as caring about ordinary people.)

On the other hand, Israelis are much less likely to describe Biden as dangerous than they were to view Trump that way (21% for Biden vs. 42% for Trump), and only around three-in-ten see Biden as arrogant or intolerant, whereas majorities described Trump in those negative terms.

Israelis are also divided in their assessments of Bidens policies in the region: Around a third think Biden favors the Israelis too much (31%), roughly a quarter say he favors the Palestinians too much (26%) and 34% think hes striking about the right balance.

Americans have limited awareness of whether Biden is favoring the Israelis, favoring the Palestinians or striking the right balance: 62% say they do not know (in the U.S., a not sure option was made explicit; in Israel, people had to voluntarily skip the question). A minority of U.S. adults express an opinion, with 16% saying hes striking the right balance, 13% saying he favors the Palestinians and 8% saying he favors the Israelis.

Israeli opinion on this topic is divided along ideological lines. Those who place themselves on the ideological left (59%) are much more likely than those in the center (35%) or on the right (18%) to say Biden favors the Israelis too much. The opposite is true when it comes to perceptions that he favors the Palestinians too much: 47% on the right believe this, compared with 6% in the center and 1% on the left. Those who place themselves in the center (50%) are the most likely to say hes striking the right balance (35% of the left and 26% of the right agree).

Those on the ideological left are also more likely to describe Biden in positive terms like charismatic, less likely to ascribe the negative adjective of dangerous to him and more likely to say current U.S.-Israel relations are in good shape. They are also more likely to have a lot of confidence in his handling of world affairs, but they see the U.S. in a less favorable light than those on the ideological right.

Israelis are also divided along partisan, ethnic and religious lines. Israelis who supported the Bennett-Lapid governing coalition tend to have more confidence in Biden, and to approve more of his policies, than those who opposed the governing coalition (for more on the changes in the governing coalition, see Appendix).

Israeli Jews and Israeli Arabs diverge sharply in their assessments, as well. Jews (65%) are much more likely than Arabs (34%) to express confidence in Biden and to think he strikes the right balance between Israelis and Palestinians (though Jews are also more likely to say he favors the Palestinians too much). And Jewish Israelis are more than twice as likely as Arab Israelis to report favorable views of the U.S. (93% vs 38%).

These differences between Jews and Arabs in Israel somewhat obfuscate the enormous divisions within the Jewish community. Most notably, Jews who describe themselves as Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) or Dati (religious) tend to have much less confidence in Biden and more negative views of his policies than those who describe themselves as Masorti (traditional) or Hiloni (secular).

Jewish religious groups in Israel: Haredim, Datiim, Masortim and Hilonim

Nearly all Israeli Jews identify with one of four categories: Haredi (commonly translated as ultra-Orthodox), Dati (religious), Masorti (traditional) or Hiloni (secular). The spectrum of religious observance in Israel on which Haredim are generally the most religious and Hilonim the least does not always line up perfectly with Israels political spectrum. On some issues, including those pertaining to religion in public life, there is a clear overlap: Haredim are furthest to the right, and Hilonim are furthest to the left, with Datiim and Masortim in between. But on other political issues, including those related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and views of the U.S., differences between religious groups do not always mirror those between people at different points on the ideological spectrum. Because of sample size considerations, in this report we combine Haredim and Datiim for analysis.

For more information on the different views of these religious groups, see the Centers 2016 deep dive on the topic, Israels Religiously Divided Society.

Most Americans and Israelis agree the bilateral relationship is in positive shape

Biden took office seeking to rebalance U.S. policy toward Israel, and former Prime Minister Bennett said he wanted to inject a new spirit of cooperation into the relationship. Although the Bennett-Lapid coalition has called new elections for the fall, Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid, who is welcoming Biden on his state visit, does so against a positive backdrop: 89% of Israelis and 74% of Americans think bilateral relations are in good shape.

Arab Israelis are more intensely positive in how they see relations compared with Jews, but generally speaking, nearly all Israelis see U.S.-Israel relations in positive terms.

In the U.S., too, there is bipartisan agreement: A majority of both Republicans and Democrats describe Israel-U.S. relations as good.

When people in each country are asked about their views toward the other country, however, the results are more lopsided: 83% of Israelis say they have favorable views of the U.S., compared with just 55% of Americans who say the same about Israel.

While overall favorable views of the U.S. are unchanged since 2019, the share of Israelis who have very favorable views of the U.S. has fallen 9 percentage points over the same period, from 40% to 31%. And while nearly nine-in-ten Israelis think bilateral relations are in good shape, this is nonetheless a decline from the 98% who said relations with the U.S. were positive under Trump in 2019. Moreover, 39% of Israelis say relations in 2022 are very good a significant decline from the 63% who said the same three years ago.

Republicans, older Americans have more positive views of Israel

In the U.S., views of Israel differ substantially across partisan lines and among age groups. Around seven-in-ten Republicans and independents who lean toward the Republican Party have positive views of Israel, compared with 44% of Democrats and independents who lean toward the Democratic Party. Conservative Republicans are even more favorable toward Israel than are liberal and moderate Republicans, and the same is true of conservative and moderate Democrats relative to liberal Democrats. Republicans also have more favorable views of the Israeli people and Israeli government than Democrats.

Opinions of Israel also differ substantially across U.S. age groups. While 69% of those ages 65 and older and 60% of those ages 50 to 64 have positive views of Israel, opinion among younger age groups is more mixed. Among U.S. adults under 30, 56% have an unfavorable view of Israel.

This youngest age group also stands apart for expressing cooler views of the Israeli people and warmer views of the Palestinian people than older Americans. Whereas older Americans express more positive feelings toward the Israeli people than toward the Palestinian people, this is not the case for U.S. adults under 30, who view the Palestinian people at least as warmly (61% very or somewhat favorable) as the Israeli people (56%). Younger Americans also rate the Palestinian government as favorably (35%) as the Israeli government (34%), while older Americans express more favorable views of the Israeli government than of the Palestinian government. (The survey did not define Palestinian government for respondents. Much of the West Bank continues to be administered by the Palestinian Authority, under the leadership of Mahmoud Abbas, while Gaza has been governed by Hamas since 2007.)

These are among the key findings of two Pew Research Center surveys. In the U.S., the survey was conducted on the Centers nationally representative American Trends Panel, among 3,581 adults from March 21 to 27, 2022. In Israel, a nationally representative survey was conducted via in-person interviews from March 16 to May 1, 2022, among 1,000 Israelis. Other key findings in the report include:

In the U.S., while we have not asked whether Americans hold favorable or unfavorable views of Israel since 2013 (when 61% expressed a favorable view of the country), other recent survey data from the Centers American Trends Panel shows that Americans have become modestly more positive toward both the Israeli people and the Israeli government. (For more on how views of the country are related to views of the people or the government, see When Americans think about Israel, what do they have in mind?)

Nearly half of Israelis say that economic and cultural boycotts of Israel are a major threat to the country, and an additional 36% say they are a minor threat. Still, more describe infectious disease, cyberattacks and the condition of the global economy as major threats to Israel than say the same of boycotts.

Americans, for their part, have very limited awareness of the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel: Only 3% of Americans have heard a lot about BDS, and an additional 12% say they have heard some about it.

A majority of Israelis (55%) also disapprove of Bidens plans to reopen the U.S. Consulate in East Jerusalem.

(PEW)

JULY 11, 2022

Source: https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2022/07/11/most-israelis-express-confidence-in-biden-but-his-ratings-are-down-from-trumps/

750-751-43-34/Polls

54% Of Young Adults See Improving Living Standards Across 23 Sub-Saharan African States

Like their counterparts around the world, younger generations in sub-Saharan Africa are typically more hopeful than older generations about a lot of things.

More Than Half of Young Sub-Saharan Africans Saw Living Standards Improving

Local Economic Outlook Still Strongest Among Younger Sub-Saharan Africans

The youngest adults have been more buoyant than other age groups on their local economy throughout much of Gallup's trend. The current 40%, however, is well off their all-time high of 50% in 2018.

Bottom Line

(Gallup)

JULY 11, 2022

Source: https://news.gallup.com/poll/394586/young-people-sub-saharan-africa-stay-optimistic.aspx

750-751-43-35/Polls

Internet Access Rose Substantially In Five Sub-Saharan African Countries During Pandemic

Sub-Saharan Africa remains one of the least connected places on the planet when it comes to internet access. Gallup surveys show five countries in the region are more connected today than they were before the COVID-19 pandemic, with internet access growing substantially, by 10 percentage points or more, between 2019 and 2021.

The largest increase in internet access occurred in South Africa, one of the region's biggest economies. Internet access in South Africa grew from 52% in 2019 to 66% in 2021. In the same period, there were 10-point increases in Senegal, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Nigeria.

Notably, in Nigeria, the largest economy and most populated country on the subcontinent, the 10-point increase translates into over 13 million more adult internet users.

Access Up Most Among Older, Employed and Female South Africans

Internet access rose among all key demographic groups in South Africa from 2019 to 2021. However, the greatest increases -- 20 points or more -- were among those aged 30 and older, women, and South Africans who were employed for an employer.

Notably, the 20-point increase among South Africans in the 30 to 49 age group now puts their access on par with the youngest South Africans. The oldest South Africans saw a similar increase in their internet access, but they remain the least connected age group, at 38%.

The increase in access for women -- to 65% -- now puts them near parity with men (67%) for the first time in Gallup's trend for this country.

Table. Internet access in South Africa, 2019 and 2021 surveys, by key demographic group, including by gender, age, urbanicity and employment status. Overall access grew from 52% to 66%. The biggest increases in access by group -- at least 20 percentage points -- between 2019 and 2021 in South Africa came among women, those 30 years old and older, and those working full time for an employer. Women in 2021 reached near parity with men in internet access (with about two in three having access), as did those aged 30 to 49 with those 15 to 29 (with about three in four having access).

Internet Access Rises Most for Men and Youth in Nigeria

Increases in internet access have been more uneven among key groups in sub-Saharan Africa's largest economy and most populous country, Nigeria. Young people in the 15 to 29 age group saw the biggest jump, with access up 17 points to 47% in 2021.

Access rose almost as much among Nigerian men, increasing 14 points from 31% to 45% in 2021. There is a substantial gap in access to the internet between Nigerian men and women, 45% versus 27%. For women, the increase of seven points during the period was half that of men.

Table. Internet access in Nigeria, 2019 and 2021 surveys, by key demographic group, including by gender, age, urbanicity and employment status. Overall access grew from 26% to 36% during those two years, with the biggest increases coming among men (from 31% to 45% access) and those aged 15 to 29 (from 30% to 47% access). There are disparities in access in all four demographic group categories.

Bottom Line

The increased internet access in these five countries may reflect increased investment in telecommunications infrastructure from the public and private sectors.

The World Bank in particular invested $250 million in internet infrastructure across sub-Saharan Africa, with emphasis on South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya in 2021. Other public entities invested in specifically increasing access among underserved communities. And private industry invested $1 billion in increasing access across the continent.

While investment in telecommunications infrastructure has clearly brought dividends in increased internet access for some in the region, there is still substantial room for growth, particularly among key groups where there are still glaring disparities.

(Gallup)

JULY 14, 2022

Source: https://news.gallup.com/poll/394811/africa-online-internet-access-spreads-during-pandemic.aspx

750-751-43-36/Polls

Data Across 18 International Markets Reveals Key Insights For Seasonal Fmcg And Retail Marketers

Characterised by steep, must-grab discounts and offers, seasonal shopping events have undeniably disrupted traditional holiday shopping. YouGovs latest report for the FMCG and retail sector which explores the dynamics of seasonal shopping and consumer purchasing process reveals that appetite for such events is high in Singapore, with the proportion of those who participate in Singles Day (22%) and Thanksgiving (32%) sales being the second and third highest among the 18 markets surveyed.

In all markets, except for China where Singles Day takes a clear lead, consumers are more likely to shop for Thanksgiving sales than Alibaba-introduced Singles Day. Looking specifically at the shopping behaviour of those in Singapore, one in three say they participate in Black Friday or Cyber Monday sales (32%), falling behind only Spain (41%) and Italy (40%). Another one in five shop during Singles Day, accounting for the second largest proportion of shoppers after China (33%), where the occasion originated.

Even as Singles Day evolves as a global shopping festival, participation from Asian markets still supersedes that of the West, with less than 5% of consumers in Spain, Germany, Italy, and France saying they shopped for Singles Day.

Diving into the demographics of these seasonal shoppers in Singapore, adults aged 25-34 are most likely to shop for both Black Friday or Cyber Monday (47%) and Singles Day (34%), followed by those aged 35-44 (40% for Black Friday or Cyber Monday; 30% for Singles Day).

Those above 55 are least likely to be interested in these shopping events, with only one in five (19%) and one in ten (10%) shopping Thanksgiving and Singles Day sales respectively.

The report, The Path to Purchase for Global Seasonal Events, also sheds light on how seasonal shopping behaviours differs across events, to aid FMCG brands and retailers in the planning of their seasonal marketing and advertising campaigns. When it comes to purchase planning around consumer shopping days, most global shoppers plan their purchases at most a week in advance (68% each).

Consumers are most likely to plan their Black Friday or Cyber Monday sales 2-3 days in advance, with slightly fewer only deciding what to purchase on the day of or day before sales (23%). One in eight will plan as early as 2-3 weeks in advance (13%), and fewer than one in ten would plan a month (7%) or more (4%) in advance.

Similar trends are observed for Singles Day, although more say they start planning their purchases a week in advance (24% for Singles Day vs 21% for Black Friday or Cyber Monday).

(YouGov Singapore)

July 14, 2022

Source: https://sg.yougov.com/en-sg/news/2022/07/14/spore-shoppers-within-top-three-country-spenders-s/

750-751-43-37/Commentary: 54% Of Young Adults See Improving Living Standards Across 23 Sub-Saharan African States

Three In Four Britons Expect The Economy To Worsen In The Next 12 Months

2 In 3 Lack Confidence In The Governments Ability To Run The Country Properly, Competently And Seriously, Or With Integrity

2 In 3 Lack Confidence In The Governments Ability To Run The Country Properly, Competently And Seriously, Or With Integrity