|
BUSINESS
& POLITICS IN THE WORLD GLOBAL
OPINION REPORT NO.756 Week: August 15 –August 21,
2022 Presentation: August 26, 2022 Support
For Restart Of Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant In Japan Surges Sharply Online
Grocery Shopping Journey In Today's Economic Conditions In Turkey IRI’s
Most Recent Polling Found That 74% Of Iraq Is Distrust Political
Parties Nigerian
Women Face Persistent Disadvantages, Limited Support For Gender Equality Tanzanians
Overwhelmingly (77%) Endorse The Government’s Right To Collect Taxes Support
For Political Parties In South Africa, Two Years Before The Next National
Election Grocery
Price Inflation Hits New Peak As Brits Navigate £533 Annual Increase Two-Thirds
Say The Government Is Not Providing Enough Support On The Cost Of Living Nearly
Half Of Britons Agree That British Workers Need To Work Harder Gamescom
2022 – Digitalization And The Future Of Video Game Conventions Republicans
More Likely Than Democrats To See Politicians Without Government Experience
Positively Most
Republicans (64%) Say The Decision Of U S Military Exit From Afghanistan Was
Wrong Since
2011, 40% Or More Of U S Adults Have Identified As Political Independents In
Nearly Every Year 4
Out Of 10 Colombians Feel That They Lack Money At The End Of The Month CNC
Measured Support For The Names Of The Colombian President's Cabinet Canadians
Show Little Confidence In Hockey Canada Culture Change Amid Sex Abuse
Allegations Global
Consumer Confidence Continues Its Descent In August, A Survey Across 23
Countries INTRODUCTORY NOTE
756-43-23/Commentary:
51%
Of Muslim Indians Say Their Standard Of Living Is Getting Worse, Compared
With 39% Of Hindu Indians
Seventy-five years after India's independence and
its partition into a predominantly Hindu India and predominantly Muslim
Pakistan, Gallup surveys in India show the country's large remaining Muslim
minority and its Hindu majority are living in two Indias. Over the past several years, both Muslim Indians and
Hindu Indians have been struggling more economically, but their economic pain
has not been evenly distributed, and Muslim Indians are far more pessimistic
about their future prospects. In 2021, a slim majority of Muslim Indians
(51%) said their standard of living was getting worse, compared with 39% of
Hindu Indians.
Muslim Indians have been the target of
discrimination and prejudice since Indian independence, despite legal
protections for the group. Discrimination and bias targeting the Indian
Muslim population have reportedly intensified in recent years, making the
group more susceptible to negative impacts from economic issues. For both groups, perceptions that standards of
living were worsening shot up between 2018 and 2019, as the Indian economy
entered a deep slowdown. Among Muslim Indians, the percentage jumped to 45%
in 2019, up from 25% the previous year. And among Hindu Indians, the
percentage saying the same hit 37% in 2019, an increase of 19 percentage
points from 2018. For much of Gallup's trend, there was a relatively
small gap between the two groups in perceptions that their living standards
were worsening. Until 2019, this area had no more than an eight-point gap.
The current 12-percentage-point gap between Muslim and Hindu Indians in
perceptions that living standards were getting worse is the largest in
Gallup's trend. Muslim Indians Have
Tougher Time Making Ends Meet Clear majorities of both Muslim and Hindu Indians
say they are finding it difficult or very difficult to get by on their
present household incomes. However, Muslim Indians in 2021 were more likely
to say so than Hindu Indians, 71% vs. 64%. As with perceptions of the trajectory of standards
of living, views on household income have soured sharply since 2018. In 2018,
47% of Muslim Indians and 50% of Hindu Indians said they were finding it
difficult to get by; this jumped to 56% and 55%, respectively, in 2019 and
rose even more in 2021.
Muslim Indians Struggle
More to Afford Food In the face of rising inflation, sizable percentages
of Muslim Indians (55%) and Hindu Indians (48%) said there were times in the
past year that they did not have enough money to afford food, but Muslim
Indians were more likely to say so. As with the other two measures, Indians'
difficulties in this area have only intensified since the slowdown of India's
economy began in 2018 and the onset of the pandemic. In 2018, 43% of Muslim Indians and 39% of Hindu
Indians said they had lacked money for food at some point in the previous 12
months. This increased to 52% among Muslim adults and 53% among Hindu adults
in 2019. However, in 2021 there was a modest increase to 55% among Muslim
Indians and a decline to 48% for Hindu Indians.
Bottom Line The continued marginalization of Muslim Indians as
the country attempts to recover from the pandemic will likely impact the
country as a whole. There are roughly 200 million Indian Muslims, and failing
to address the economic pain they are disproportionately feeling may set the
stage for economic stagnation and political instability for years to come in
India. (Gallup) AUGUST 15, 2022 Source: https://news.gallup.com/poll/396887/economic-pain-uneven-india-muslim-hindu-populations.aspx SUMMARY
OF POLLS
ASIA
756-43-01/Polls Support For
Restart Of Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant In Japan Surges Sharply
Here’s a turnup for the
books. Instead of being fiercely opposed to plans to restart the Hamaoka
nuclear power plant in Omaezaki, Shizuoka Prefecture, a rapidly
rising number of residents of nearby cities now embrace the project,
according to surveys by the municipalities. Opponents long outnumbered
those in favor of a restart as a result of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear
disaster triggered by the magnitude-9.0 Great East Japan Earthquake and the
towering tsunami it spawned. But local sensibilities
have undergone a sea change over recent uncertainties about the ability of
electric utilities to maintain stable power supplies during peak periods such
as during the blazing heat of summer and the frigid winter months. The three cities of
Kakegawa, Makinohara and Kikugawa canvass the opinions of residents annually
over moves to resume operations at the facility operated by Chubu
Electric Power Co. The detailed questions and answer options are
different depending on municipalities. The results of Kakegawa’s
study, released July 11, show that 24 percent of respondents said the
“reactors should be decommissioned” while 12 percent thought they should “be
continuously suspended.” This brought the total of local residents who view a
restart in negative terms at 36 percent. However, 33 percent
said the reactors “should be brought back online if their safety can be
assured.” In last
year’s survey, 32 percent and 13 percent, respectively, called for the
reactors’ decommissioning and continual suspension. Both figures were down this
year. The rate of support for a
restart was 29 percent in the previous poll, but this time the percentage
exceeded that of those in favor of decommissioning for the first time. “More young people today
have little knowledge of the accident at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power
plant, which explains the higher ratio of supportive individuals,” noted
Kakegawa Mayor Takashi Kubota. “The outcome was also no doubt influenced by
rising energy prices and Chubu Electric’s campaign to foster greater
understanding over the issue of a restart.” Makinohara made its
findings publicly available in June, revealing that 36 percent of respondents
backed the plant’s restart while 32 percent opposed it. It was the first time
for supporters to outnumber objectors since the surveys started in 2011. In Makinohara’s first
survey, those against had a more than 30-point advantage over
the support rate. The disparity remained as high as 10 points last year,
but the support ratio has now surged dramatically. “Factors behind the trend
are apparently hikes in electricity rates stemming from the war in Ukraine,
the strained power supply and people’s anxiety over calls for saving
electricity,” said Makinohara Mayor Kikuo Sugimoto. Kikugawa announced in June
that pro and against rates both stood at 38 percent for the first-ever such
result. Naysayers far outnumbered
supporters in all the three cities in the aftermath of the Fukushima nuclear
crisis. Though the difference began to shrink in the years that followed, the
disagreement ratio was still considerably higher until 2021. The mayors of the three
cities are cautious about the resumption of the reactors’ operations,
and the citizen survey results have been cited as one of the reasons for
their stances. Their approach may change
in the future, but municipal heads are still wary. “The current situation,
where the plan for reactor restarts has yet to gain the full approval of
residents, has not changed,” Kubota said. (Asahi Shimbun) August 15, 2022 Source:
https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14687320 756-43-02/Polls 51% Of Muslim
Indians Say Their Standard Of Living Is Getting Worse, Compared With 39% Of
Hindu Indians
Seventy-five years after India's independence and
its partition into a predominantly Hindu India and predominantly Muslim
Pakistan, Gallup surveys in India show the country's large remaining Muslim
minority and its Hindu majority are living in two Indias. Over the past several years, both Muslim Indians and
Hindu Indians have been struggling more economically, but their economic pain
has not been evenly distributed, and Muslim Indians are far more pessimistic
about their future prospects. In 2021, a slim majority of Muslim Indians
(51%) said their standard of living was getting worse, compared with 39% of
Hindu Indians.
Muslim Indians have been the target of
discrimination and prejudice since Indian independence, despite legal
protections for the group. Discrimination and bias targeting the Indian
Muslim population have reportedly intensified in recent years, making the
group more susceptible to negative impacts from economic issues. For both groups, perceptions that standards of
living were worsening shot up between 2018 and 2019, as the Indian economy
entered a deep slowdown. Among Muslim Indians, the percentage jumped to 45%
in 2019, up from 25% the previous year. And among Hindu Indians, the
percentage saying the same hit 37% in 2019, an increase of 19 percentage
points from 2018. For much of Gallup's trend, there was a relatively
small gap between the two groups in perceptions that their living standards
were worsening. Until 2019, this area had no more than an eight-point gap.
The current 12-percentage-point gap between Muslim and Hindu Indians in
perceptions that living standards were getting worse is the largest in
Gallup's trend. Muslim Indians Have
Tougher Time Making Ends Meet Clear majorities of both Muslim and Hindu Indians
say they are finding it difficult or very difficult to get by on their
present household incomes. However, Muslim Indians in 2021 were more likely
to say so than Hindu Indians, 71% vs. 64%. As with perceptions of the trajectory of standards
of living, views on household income have soured sharply since 2018. In 2018,
47% of Muslim Indians and 50% of Hindu Indians said they were finding it
difficult to get by; this jumped to 56% and 55%, respectively, in 2019 and
rose even more in 2021.
Muslim Indians Struggle
More to Afford Food In the face of rising inflation, sizable percentages
of Muslim Indians (55%) and Hindu Indians (48%) said there were times in the
past year that they did not have enough money to afford food, but Muslim
Indians were more likely to say so. As with the other two measures, Indians'
difficulties in this area have only intensified since the slowdown of India's
economy began in 2018 and the onset of the pandemic. In 2018, 43% of Muslim Indians and 39% of Hindu
Indians said they had lacked money for food at some point in the previous 12
months. This increased to 52% among Muslim adults and 53% among Hindu adults
in 2019. However, in 2021 there was a modest increase to 55% among Muslim
Indians and a decline to 48% for Hindu Indians.
Bottom Line The continued marginalization of Muslim Indians as
the country attempts to recover from the pandemic will likely impact the
country as a whole. There are roughly 200 million Indian Muslims, and failing
to address the economic pain they are disproportionately feeling may set the
stage for economic stagnation and political instability for years to come in
India. (Gallup) AUGUST 15, 2022 Source: https://news.gallup.com/poll/396887/economic-pain-uneven-india-muslim-hindu-populations.aspx 756-43-03/Polls Online Grocery
Shopping Journey In Today's Economic Conditions In Turkey
According to the Ipsos
E-Commerce Panel April'21-March'22 data, online shoppers paid 210 TL for each
basket while shopping an average of 2 times a month. When we compare the
general online shopping behaviors with the previous 12-month period, we see
that the number of preferred channels has increased from 6 to 7 and the
number of categories from 12 to 17 recently. Online shoppers paid an
average of 92 TL to a shopping cart while shopping for FMCG approximately 1
time per month during the period April'21-March'22. When we compare FMCG
shopping behavior with the previous 12-month period, the number of categories
purchased increases from 7 to 10. In summary, online transformation manifests
itself not only with the increase in the number of shoppers, but also as a
diversity of channels and categories.
Online
shopping provides practicality and time saving, as well as supporting the
budget with campaigns specific to online sites. In the ranking of the most
important reasons for choosing online shopping, campaigns specific to online
sites are in the first place both last year and this year. Last year, the
"desire to shop for confidence in the pandemic" was immediately
followed by it, but this year, with the changing agenda, this need is not in
the top five.
Economic
impacts have recently shaped the shopping mission. Those who say that the
last online shopping mission is to benefit from a special discount and
campaign are increasingly one of the main motivations with the mission of
eliminating the deficiency. The mass shopping mission is lower this period. Shopping online to consume
instantly is a more common behavior among young people.
Peki
ne olursa online alışverişçiler fiziksel market yerine online
alışverişi daha çok kullanacaklarını
söylüyorlar? Online
alışverişçiler haftalık alışverişlerinin
içinde hala fiziksel market alışverişine de büyük yer
ayırıyorlar. Online kanal kullanımlarının 1,5
katı sıklıkta fiziksel kanallardan alışveriş
yapılıyor. Fiziksel alışveriş
sıklığını arttıranlar özellikle de
erkekler. Mevcuttan daha sık
online alışveriş yapmanın baş şartı daha
fazla indirim, daha uygun fiyatlar, daha fazla kampanya. Tüketiciler mevcut
ekonomik şartlarda online kanallardan bütçelerine daha fazla destek
bekliyor. Fiyat indirimi, kampanya, promosyon, indirim kuponu gibi ceplerini
etkileyen nedenleri dile getirenler online alışverişçilerin
toplamda %65’ini oluşturuyor.
Ipsos,
Turkey CEO Sidar Gedik made the following evaluations about the data; It's
been a long time since online shopping stopped being a question mark. Let's
not forget that the most valuable company in the world is Amazon. On the other hand, while
digitalization in the shopping world is advancing at its natural pace in its
own path, the Covid-19 outbreak and the quarantine practices it has brought
have suddenly caused a gear increase. During the "Stay at Home"
period, the last barriers in the minds of our country's consumers began to
break down and the proportion of online shoppers increased exponentially. As the months progressed,
we saw that this level of online shopping volume was not temporary, and we
did not abandon online shopping when we started to shop at home. In March 2020, 54% of
individuals using the internet were shopping online, and by 2022, this rate
has increased 1.5 times, and eight out of every ten internet users are now
shopping online. In the pre-pandemic
period, while online shoppers were more limited in the fast-moving consumer
goods category, we saw significant increases here with the pandemic. It
should be said that there is a stable picture in this category. Why is it that online
shopping continues to be popular even though the pandemic conditions are
over? When we examine the reasons for preference of consumers, we see that
promotions / campaigns stand out. One of the leading reasons is to be able to
shop more affordably thanks to the possibility of more convenient price
comparison during online shopping. Promotional, more affordable, affordable
shopping... From this point of view, we can state that online shopping is a
method of combating economic difficulties for consumers. Online retailers have
been, and continue to be, a lifeline to consumers, first in the pandemic and
then in the era of high inflation. (Ipsos Turkey) 15 August 2022 Source:
https://www.ipsos.com/tr-tr/gunumuz-ekonomik-sartlarinda-online-market-alisveris-yolculugu 756-43-04/Polls 39% Pakistanis
Are Hopeful That Their Household’s Financial Situation Will Improve In The Next 6 Months
According to
Dun&Bradstreet and Gallup Pakistan Consumer Confidence Index, 39%
Pakistanis are hopeful that their household’s financial situation will
improve in the next 6 month. A nationally representative sample of adult men
and women from across the four provinces was asked the following question,
“How is your household’s financial situation in comparison to last 6 months?”
In response to this question, 18% said ‘worse’, 33% said ‘better’, 28% said
‘same as before’, 6% said ‘much worse’ and 6% said ‘much better’. Gallup
Pakistan and D&B Consumer Confidence Index is a quarterly report tracking
the pulse of consumers in Pakistan. The report is produced since 2020 and all
8 reports are available on demand. Please write to Bilal I Gilani, Executive
Director Gallup Pakistan: bilal.gilani@gallup.com.pk The full report of
Gallup Pakistan and D&B Consumer Confidence Index Q1 2022 can be found on
this link: https://gallup.com.pk/post/33476 Question: “What do you expect
your household’s financial situation to be in next 6 months?
(Gallup Pakistan) August 19, 2022 Source:
https://gallup.com.pk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/August-19-english.pdf MENA
756-43-05/Polls IRI’s Most
Recent Polling Found That 74% Of Iraq Is Distrust Political Parties
Since 2003, Iraq has faced numerous challenges in
its democratic transition. Despite this, Iraqis have demonstrated remarkable
resilience and a commitment to democracy. This was clearly seen in the 2019
Tishreen (October) Movement, an unprecedented wave of demonstrations against
endemic corruption, sectarianism, lack of public services and jobs, and
malign foreign influence. The youth-led movement called for early elections
to bring an end to the dominate post-2003 political class. In response to pressure
from the streets, the Iraqi government enacted several reforms aimed at
placating protesters, including overhauling the country’s electoral system. This
new electoral framework moved Iraq to a single, nontransferable vote system
based on multi‐seat constituencies – a shift that created a window of
opportunity for independent candidates and could make members of Parliament
(MPs) more accountable. Despite the new framework,
there has been a gradual erosion of confidence in Iraq’s political parties
and an increase in anti-establishment sentiment as prominent parties have
demonstrated they are unwilling and unable to address basic citizen concerns.
The International Republican Institute’s (IRI) most
recent polling, which was fielded prior to the parliamentary
elections, found that 74% of Iraqis distrust political parties. This
repudiation of the political status quo coupled with electoral law changes
enabled political outsiders to present themselves as serious contenders in
the most recent elections on October 10, 2021. One of the noteworthy
results was the success of independent candidates who were active in the
Tishreen protests, and, despite some ideological differences, share many
common goals – chief among them, addressing citizen demands. Seven-hundred
eighty-four independent candidates ran in the elections, attaining over 1.6
million votes (19% of the total valid votes), and winning 43 seats in
Parliament. While not all 784 candidates can be considered truly independent,
as incumbent parties sought to exploit the electoral law changes and run
candidates that held secret political affiliations, the majority are
independent and mobilized voters largely because of their political
impartiality. In comparison, just three independents won parliamentary seats in
Iraq’s 2018 elections. Post-elections, Iraq’s
Council of Representatives now has a small, but significant contingent of
independents. In other contexts, the emergence of independent MPs can signify
a splintering of parliament, as strong, large parties are needed to form
majority governments and create an opposition/majority dynamic. However, in
Iraq, independent, reform-minded MPs represent a step toward rebuilding a
credible political process. While independent MPs do not have the resources
enjoyed by large parties, they can still serve as credible voices, amplifying
their constituents’ concerns and holding fellow MPs accountable. Though independent MPs are
considered more credible simply because they are anti-establishment, Iraqis
remain skeptical of politicians at large, and because many of these MPs are
“first-timers,” they do not yet have an established track record to draw upon
to deepen this credibility. Understanding this, IRI is working to bring civil
society organizations (CSOs) and independent, reform-minded MPs together to
identify key community issues and create a roadmap for solving them through
joint initiatives. A chairwoman of a local CSO, who attended an IRI
roundtable discussion with CSO representatives and newly elected MPs in
January 2022, said of the importance of civil society-government engagement,
“Our shared goal [with the MPs] of enhancing democracy and people’s
involvement in monitoring the government obligates us to work together to
mobilize public opinion and raise awareness regarding the issues we agree
need to be addressed [in our communities].” Nine months after the
elections, bitter disputes between entrenched political parties have
paralyzed Iraq’s government formation. Independent MPs now have an
opportunity to work with nascent, reform-minded parties to earn their
constituents’ trust by pushing through key citizen-centered legislation. As
their credibility grows, these MPs will diversify Iraq’s political sphere and
rebuild trust in political parties. IRI will continue to support civil
society as they engage with willing, reform-minded partners in government to
address citizen demands. If concerns are heard and good-faith efforts are
made to respond, Iraqis’ trust in the political process will improve, which
will increase voter turnout in future elections and strengthen reformers’
voices within Iraqi institutions. (International Republican Institute) August 19, 2022 Source:
https://www.iri.org/news/iraqs-parliament-how-independents-are-contributing-to-political-pluralism/ AFRICA
756-43-06/Polls Nigerian Women
Face Persistent Disadvantages, Limited Support For Gender Equality
The United Nations
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) describe gender equality as “not only a
fundamental human right, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful,
prosperous, and sustainable world” (United Nations, 2022). Highlighted as SDG
5, it is also a cross-cutting principle underlying most of the other goals in
pursuit of development whose benefits are enjoyed equally by women and men.
In Nigeria, gender equality remains a challenge despite some government
efforts to address it, including the Better Life for Rural Women Programme
and the creation of the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social
Development (National Population Commission, 2014). In addition to
traditional rules and practices that treat men preferentially (Adeosun &
Owolabi, 2021), the country’s male-dominated Parliament has repeatedly
rejected or failed to act upon proposed legislation to promote women’s
rights. Most recently, in March 2022, the National Assembly voted down five
bills aimed mostly at increasing women’s political leadership opportunities,
prompting public protests in several cities (Premium Times, 2022). The
Federal Executive Council approved a revised National Gender Policy in March
designed to promote gender equality, good governance, and accountability
across the country’s three tiers of government (Guardian, 2022), though it
awaits implementation. This dispatch reports on a special survey module
included in the Afrobarometer Round 9 (2021/2022) questionnaire to explore
Africans’ experiences and perceptions related to gender. (For findings on
gender-based violence, see Mbaegbu & Duntoye, 2022.) In Nigeria, survey
findings show that women remain at a disadvantage compared to men when it
comes to hiring, land ownership, control over key assets, and participation
in household financial decisions. Popular support for gender equality is
limited, especially among men. While most citizens say women should have the
same chance as men of being elected to public office, many also consider it
likely that female candidates will suffer criticism and harassment. Most
Nigerians say the government is doing a poor job of promoting women’s rights
and opportunities. Afrobarometer surveys Afrobarometer is a pan-African, nonpartisan
survey research network that provides reliable data on African experiences
and evaluations of democracy, governance, and quality of life. Eight rounds
of surveys have been completed in up to 39 countries since 1999. Round 9
surveys (2021/2022) are currently underway. Afrobarometer conducts
face-to-face interviews in the language of the respondent’s choice. The
Afrobarometer team in Nigeria, led by NOIPolls, interviewed a nationally
representative, random, stratified probability sample of 1,600 adult Nigerians
between 5 and 31 March 2022. A sample of this size
yields country-level results with a margin of error of +/-2.5 percentage
points at a 95% confidence level. Previous standard surveys were conducted in
Nigeria in 2000, 2003, 2005, 2008, 2013, 2015, 2017, and 2020. Key findings § Survey findings show significant gender imbalances in
Nigerian society: o Women are less likely than men to have post-secondary
education (17% vs. 29%) and more likely than men to have no formal schooling
(20% vs. 12%). o Women are less likely than men to own assets such as a
mobile phone (73% vs. 87%), a bank account (51% vs. 68%), and a motor vehicle
(14% vs. 40%). o Women are less than half as likely as men to say they have
control over how household money is spent (22% vs. 56%). § Slim majorities
say women should have the same rights as men to get a paying job (53%) and to
own and inherit land (51%). Men are far less likely than women to endorse
gender equality in hiring and land rights. § Fewer than half
of Nigerians say that in practice, women enjoy equal rights when it comes to
getting a job (43%) and owning/inheriting land (30%). § Six in 10
Nigerians (61%) say women should have the same chance as men of being elected
to public office. o But while about eight in 10 citizens (79%) think a woman
will gain standing in the community if she runs for office, almost half (47%)
say it’s likely she will be criticised or harassed, and 38% say she will
probably face problems with her family. § Only one-fourth
(26%) of citizens say the Nigerian government is performing “fairly well” or
“very well” in promoting equal rights and opportunities for women. More than
half (54%) say the government should do more to advance gender equality.
Education and control of assets While Nigerian women are just as likely as
men to have secondary schooling (44% of women vs. 43% of men) or primary
schooling (19% vs. 17%), they trail significantly when it comes to
post-secondary education. While three in 10 men (29%) have attained some
level of tertiary education, the same is true for just 17% of women (Figure
1). Women are more likely than men to lack formal education altogether (20%
vs. 12%). Women are also considerably less likely than men to claim personal
ownership of key household assets. Fewer women than men say they own a mobile
phone (73% vs. 87%), a bank account (51% vs. 68%), a radio (46% vs/ 76%), a
television (43% vs. 57%), a motor vehicle (14% vs. 40%), and a computer (9%
vs. 14%) (Figure 2). When it comes to who makes decisions about how household
money is spent, women are less than half as likely as men to say they make
the decisions themselves (22% vs. 56%) (Figure 3). More women than men report
that they make such decisions jointly with their spouse (30% vs. 20%) or
jointly with other family members (17% vs. 13%). Women are three times as
likely as men to say that the spouse or others make the decisions (31% vs.
10%), leaving them without a voice in household financial decisions.
Rights to a job and land Do Nigerians want gender
equality when it comes to jobs and land? And if so, how close to equality are they? More than four in 10
Nigerians (44%) say that men should be given priority over women in hiring when jobs are
scarce, while 53% reject this form of gender discrimination (Figure 4). Men (43%) trail women
(63%) in prioritising equality in hiring, as do Northerners (42%) compared to Southerners
(63%). Support for equality increases with respondents’ education level, ranging from 43% of
those with no formal schooling to 56% of those with post-secondary
qualifications.
Only a slim majority (51%)
of Nigerians think women should have the same rights as men to own and
inherit land. Here, too, men are much less likely than women to believe in
equality (39% vs. 64%) (Figure 5).
Given less-than-solid
support for gender equality in hiring and land ownership, it may not be
surprising that a majority of Nigerians report that in practice, women do not
enjoy the same rights as men. Only 43% of citizens say women have the same
chance as men to get a paying job, and even fewer (30%) see equality when it
comes to owning and inheriting land (Figure 6). Perceptions of gender
equality differ significantly by demographic group. Women are less likely
than men to report equal opportunities in hiring (39% vs. 47%), though they
are actually more likely than men to say they enjoy the same rights to land
ownership and inheritance (32% vs. 27%);. Similarly, Northerners are less
likely than Southerners to say women enjoy equal rights in hiring (38% vs.
49%) but more likely to see land rights as equal (34% vs. 25%). While rural
and urban residents differ little on these questions, younger adults are less
likely to perceive gender equality in hiring their elders. Respondents with
no formal education are most likely to perceive gender equality in land
ownership (42%) and least likely to see job opportunities as equal (34%).
Finally, poor citizens are less likely to think women enjoy equal
opportunities to get a job (40%- 42%) than their better-off counterparts
(51%-53%).
In our country today,
women and men have equal opportunities to get a job that pays a wage or
salary. In our country today, women and men have equal opportunities to own
and inherit land. (% who “agree” or “strongly agree”) Gender equality in
political participation Most strategies for achieving gender equality call
for more women in political leadership. In Nigeria, more than six in 10
citizens (61%) citizens say women should have the same chance as men to be elected
to public office, rejecting the idea that men make better political leaders
and should thus be given priority as candidates (Figure 7). But far fewer men
(50%) than women (73%) support gender equality in politics. And residents in
rural areas (58%) and the North (52%) trail their counterparts in cities
(66%) and the South (71%) in endorsing equal rights for female candidates.
Support for equality increases with respondents’ education level, ranging
from just 44% among citizens with no formal schooling to 67% among those with
post-secondary qualifications.
Even if she believes that
voters will give her the same consideration as a male candidate, a woman may
examine potential consequences before deciding to toss he hat in the ring.
Close to eight in 10 Nigerians (79%) say it is “somewhat likely” or “very likely”
that a woman and her family will gain standing in the community if she runs
for elected office (Figure 8). But findings are more mixed on other potential
consequences. Almost half (47%) of respondents consider it likely that others
in the community will criticise her, call her names, or harass her for
seeking public office, while 38% think she might face problems with her
family. The fact that slim majorities see it as unlikely that a woman will
face community criticism/harassment (51%) or family problems (59%) as a
result of running for office may or may not be enough to overcome some
women’s reservations about contesting.
Government performance in
promoting equal rights and opportunities Only one-fourth (26%) of Nigerians
say their government is doing a “fairly” or “very” good job of promoting
equal rights and opportunities for women (Figure 9), while 70% disapprove of
the government’s performance. Men (28%) are more likely than women (24%) to
give the government a passing grade on gender equality. Approval ratings are
higher in the North than in South (34% vs. 17%) and vary by respondents’
education and economic levels. Citizens with at least a secondary education
(19%-22%) are much less likely to be satisfied with the government’s efforts
than those with primary (32%) or no formal education (38%). On the other
hand, only 18% of citizens experiencing high levels of lived poverty approve
of the government’s efforts on gender equality, compared to 31%- 33% of
better-off respondents.
In line with their negative
ratings of the government’s performance, more than half (54%) of citizens
think the government could do “somewhat more” or “much more” to promote equal
rights and opportunities for women. About one in seven (15%) say the
government is doing about the right amount, while 29% say it should reduce
its gender-equality efforts. Women and men offer similar appraisals of the
government’s level of effort (Figure 10).
Conclusion Survey findings
show that in Nigeria, women remain at a distinct disadvantage when it comes
to education, control over assets, and financial decision-making. And while
slim majorities endorse gender equality in hiring and land ownership, most
Nigerians acknowledge that this is not the reality. Giving women a fair shot
at being elected to public office wins majority support, but at the same
time, a significant segment of the population think women may face problems
in the community and at home if they run for office. Citizens overwhelmingly
give the government a poor grade on its efforts to promote gender equality,
and a majority say more needs to be done. But that may require the engagement
of more citizens who support and demand equal rights and opportunities for
women in employment, land ownership, political leadership, and other fields. 16 August 2022 756-43-07/Polls Tanzanians
Overwhelmingly (77%) Endorse The Government’s Right To Collect Taxes
Paying
taxes is a fundamental civic duty meant to be exercised by citizens for their
welfare and
national development (Prichard, 2010). Tax revenues account for more than 85%
of Tanzania’s
domestic revenues and about 70% of government expenditures (Bank of Tanzania,
2021). The
government has initiated several measures to improve tax compliance,
including updating
tax-collection technology, enhancing outreach of tax services and education
to the
public, restructuring the Tanzania Revenue Authority, and strengthening
enforcement measures
(Mzalendo & Chimilila, 2020). The government recently introduced a tax on
mobile-money
transactions, whose proceeds are intended to support the improvement of social-services
delivery, including the construction of classrooms and health centres, particularly
in underserved areas (Mshomba, 2021). Afrobarometer survey findings show that most
Tanzanians see tax collection as legitimate and believe that the government uses tax
revenues for the well-being of its citizens. Yet a majority report that citizens “often” or
“always” avoid paying their taxes, and most say it is difficult to know what taxes and fees they
are supposed to pay and how government uses tax revenues. Tanzanias
are divided on whether they favour higher taxes to support more government services,
but a large majority say they would welcome higher taxes to fund programmes targeting
young people. Afrobarometer
surveys Afrobarometer
is a pan-African, nonpartisan survey research network that provides reliable data
on African experiences and evaluations of democracy, governance, and quality
of life. Eight
rounds of surveys have been completed in up to 39 countries since 1999. Round
9 surveys
(2021/2022) are currently underway. Afrobarometer conducts face-to-face
interviews in the
language of the respondent’s choice. The
Afrobarometer team in Tanzania, led by REPOA, interviewed a nationally
representative sample
of 2,398 adult Tanzanians in March 2021. A sample of this size yields
country-level results
with a margin of error of +/-2 percentage points at a 95% confidence level.
Previous surveys
were conducted in Tanzania in 2001, 2003, 2005, 2008, 2012, 2014, and 2017. Key
findings Tanzanians overwhelmingly (77%)
endorse the government’s right to collect taxes. Yet
almost half (46%) say people in the country “often” or “always” avoid paying
their taxes.
Two-thirds (65%) of Tanzanians say it is “difficult”
or “very difficult” to find out what taxes and fees they are supposed to pay.
And even more (70%) report that it is hard to find out how the government
uses the tax
revenues it collects. o Even
so, 76% of citizens say the government generally uses tax revenues for the well-being
of its citizens.
Strong majorities say it is fair to tax rich people at higher rates than
ordinary citizens (69%),
but also that small traders and others in the informal sector should be made
to pay
taxes on their businesses (68%).
More Tanzanians think that tax rates for both ordinary people and the rich
are “about right”
than say they are too low or too high.
Citizens are about evenly divided as to whether it would be better to pay
higher taxes
if it meant more government services (46%) or to pay lower taxes with fewer services
(49%).
But two-thirds (66%) endorse paying higher taxes to support programmes to
help young
people. Support
for taxationMore than three-quarters (77%) of Tanzanians “agree” or “strongly
agree” that tax authorities always have the right to collect taxes
(Figure 1).
Frequency of tax evasion Despite their
endorsement of taxation, almost half (46%) of Tanzanians say people “often”
or “always” avoid paying the taxes they owe the government. The same
proportion (46%) say this “never” or “rarely” happens (Figure 2). Respondents
with post-secondary education (63%) are more likely to believe that people
often evade their taxes than their less educated counterparts (42%-49%), as
are urban residents (55%) compared to rural residents (41%). Differences by
gender, age, and economic status are small (Figure 3).
Access to tax information Among potential
barriers to tax compliance may be uncertainty about which taxes and fees one
is supposed to pay and a lack of knowledge about how the government uses tax
revenues. Tanzanians pay a variety of taxes, both directly and indirectly.
These include income tax, corporate tax, pay-as-you-earn (PAYE) taxes, export
and import taxes, and value-added tax. Two-thirds (65%) of Tanzanians say it
is “difficult” or “very difficult” to find out what taxes and fees they are
supposed to pay to the government. Only 29% see it as easy, while 6% say they
“don’t know” (Figure 4). Rural residents (67%) and citizens with no formal
education (71%) or only primary schooling (68%) are particularly likely to
report difficulties in finding out what taxes and fees they owe (Figure 5). Young
and economically better-off respondents1 report fewer difficulties.
Similarly, seven in 10 respondents (70%) say it is “difficult” or “very
difficult” to find out how the government uses the tax revenues it collects
(Figure 6). Difficulties in determining how the government spends taxpayers’
money are especially common among rural residents (72%), citizens
experiencing moderate or high lived poverty (72%-75%), and those with primary
education or less (69%-72%) (Figure 7).
Despite
limited information about which taxes to pay and how the government uses its
tax revenues,
more than three-quarters (77%) of respondents believe that the government generally uses collected taxes for the
well-being of its citizens (Figure 8).
Views on levels of taxation In addition,
seven in 10 respondents (69%) “agree” or “strongly agree” that it is fair to
tax rich people at higher rates than ordinary citizens to help pay for
government programs to benefit the poor (Figure 9). Nonetheless, more than
two-thirds (68%) of respondents also say that the government should make sure
that small traders and other people working in the informal sector pay taxes
on their businesses.
Tanzanians are divided in their views on
taxation levels, but pluralities say ordinary citizens and rich people both
pay “about the right amount”of taxes (Figure 10). Only 33% think ordinary
people pay too much, and just 13% say wealthy people pay too little in taxes.
Tanzanians are also sharply divided as to
whether it would be better to pay higher taxes if it meant more services from
the government (46%) or to pay lower taxes with fewer services (49%) (Figure
11). Poor citizens (38%) and those with no formal education (36%) are least
likely to favour paying higher taxes in exchange for more government
services.
However, two-thirds (66%) of Tanzanians say
they would support paying higher taxes to support programmes to help young
people. Almost (47%) say they would “strongly support” such an initiative
(Figure 12). “Strong support” for higher taxes to fund youth programmes is
especially common among wealthy respondents (56%) and rural residents (48%)
(Figure 13).
If the
government could increase its spending on programmes to help young people, Tanzanians
say they would prioritise job-creation initiatives (cited by 37% of
respondents), followed
by education (22%), business loans (22%), job training (10%), and social
services for youth (9%). Conclusion Most
Tanzanians say the government has the right to collect taxes. But almost half
also report that
citizens frequently avoid paying their taxes, and a majority say it is
difficult to find out what
taxes they owe and how tax revenues are used. While stronger enforcement of
tax compliance may be one response, these findings also point to a need to
improve information flow to taxpayers and transparency by the government. Any
proposal to raise taxes appears likely to generate lively public debate
unless the purpose is to help young people – a priority on which a majority
of citizens agree 17
August 2022 756-43-08/Polls Support For
Political Parties In South Africa, Two Years Before The Next National
Election
When it comes to the
question “If there were national elections
tomorrow, which political party or organisation will you vote for?”,
the interviewer hands the electronic interviewing device to the respondent
who can then indicate his/her choice of political party on a page resembling
a ballot paper, in an imitation of a secret vote. We believe this aids
respondents to give honest answers, without influence from others, and it
empowers those in very traditional, prescriptive or paternalistic households
to express their own opinions. However, this long before
an election it can be very informative to look at one of the other questions
in the study. Ipsos asks all respondents to give an opinion on each of six
political parties. Seven different opinions
are put to respondents. These seven opinions encompass a spectrum of views,
from “I reject this party completely and
on principle” to “I will
definitely vote for this party” – with five other opinions
in-between. Respondents also have the opportunity to say that they do not
know the party and therefore they can’t express an opinion .
Looking at the combination
of the “definitely vote” and “perhaps vote” opinions, all political
parties, except the ANC, show a healthy potential support - more than that
received on the ballot papers. These results should be motivating to all
opposition parties in the sense that their messages potentially have a much
larger resonance with the electorate than shown by the straightforward “who
would you vote for” question. The question, however,
will be how to translate this latent support into actual votes. “As an opposition political party, you need to prove
you are a credible alternative without complaining about everything the
government does or does not do. Provide voters with other workable
alternatives and be another option – a political party needs to be a positive
force, this attracts support”, says Mari Harris, Ipsos SSA Knowledge
Director. 15 August 2022 Source:
https://www.ipsos.com/en-za/support-political-parties-two-years-next-national-election WEST
EUROPE
756-43-09/Polls Grocery Price Inflation
Hits New Peak As Brits Navigate £533 Annual Increase
16 August 2022 756-43-10/Polls Two-Thirds Say The
Government Is Not Providing Enough Support On The Cost Of Living
Slightly more Britons say they trust the Labour
party to manage Britain’s taxes and public spending than the Conservative
party, however both are trusted by minorities. While 44% say they trust
Labour to look after taxes and public spending (an increase from 35% last
month but in line with levels seen earlier in the year), 37% say the same for
the Conservatives. The gap is even wider when it comes to reducing people’s
cost of living. Forty-five per cent trust Labour to reduce their/their family’s
cost of living, while 3 in 10 (30%) say the same for the Conservatives. This
includes the majority (55%) of 2019 Conservative voters saying they do not
trust the Conservatives on the cost of living.
When it comes to perceptions of the economy,
people’s views are most likely to be influenced by news about levels of
inflation/whether prices are going up (66%, +5 since March) or interest rates
(55%, +7). Just under half are influenced by news about unemployment rates
(45%) but this has risen from nearer three in ten (31%) in March.
Trinh Tu, Managing
Director of Public Affairs at Ipsos in the UK, said: As the cost of living
continues to rise, it will come as no surprise to see high levels of the
public saying the government is not providing enough support.
What is notable is the rising levels of dissatisfaction with the
government among Conservative voters. The Labour party are now pulling ahead
as the party most trusted to reduce the cost of living and manage Britain’s
taxes and public spending, but still only by a minority, highlighting Keir
Starmer’s own challenges as he finally sets out Labour’s plans to relieve
cost of living pressures. 16 August 2022 Source: https://www.ipsos.com/en-uk/two-thirds-say-government-not-providing-enough-support-cost-living 756-43-11/Polls Two-Thirds Of Parents
Worry Exams And Assessments Won’t Reflect What Their Child Is Capable Of Due
To The Pandemic
Looking back over the pandemic, parents say their
children missed seeing their friends at school most (63%) while they also
missed learning in the classroom (45%) and subjects not easily done at home,
such as PE and Food Technology (36%). Around a third of parents said their
child(ren) missed extracurricular clubs at school (34%) or seeing their
teachers (32%). Few children missed school lunches/meals at school (17%),
according to their parents, while around a quarter missed getting outside at
break times and lunches (23%). Trinh Tu, Managing
Director of Public Affairs at Ipsos in the UK, said: Now that most aspects of
life seem to have returned to normal, at least as much as we could hope for,
it’s clear education still has a long way to go to catch up. With most
parents of school-age children worried, not only about their children
catching-up on missed schoolwork, but specifically on how their exam and
assessment results will reflect them, it is clear measures need to be taken
to make sure the pandemic does not continue to put students at a
disadvantage. 17 August 2022 756-43-12/Polls Nearly Half Of Britons
Agree That British Workers Need To Work Harder
The sentiment that British workers need to work
harder is shared more strongly by those who voted Conservative in the 2019
General Election than by those who voted Labour: 58% of Conservative voters
agree that British workers need to work harder compared to 30% of Labour
voters. Britons are further divided along political lines
when asked how they feel the British work ethic has evolved over the past 20
years: nearly 1 in 2 2019 Conservative voters (47%) feel the average working
person in Britain puts in less effort than in the past, compared to 23% of
2019 Labour voters. Despite this, Conservative voters are more likely
than Labour voters to agree that British people have the necessary skills to
compete in the global workforce (68% compared to 54% Labour voters), and that
there are enough jobs in Britain that allow workers to utilise their skills
(71% compared to 42% Labour voters). Amongst the British public overall,
agreement with these statements is 58% and 56%, respectively. How Britain compares to
its past, its peers and its foreign counterparts The British public is split on how the British work
ethic has evolved over the past 20 years: 1 in 3 say they think people put in
more effort today than 20 years ago (35%), with a similar proportion (33%)
saying they think people put in less effort today. Younger people are
more likely than older ones to say that more effort is being put in today
than in the past. Half of working Britons (52%) say they put “a lot of
effort” into their current job, with a further 31% saying they put in “a
moderate amount of effort.” When asked how they think the effort they put
into their current job compares to the average working person in Britain,
half (49%) think they put in more effort, with a further 4 in 10 (37%) saying
they put in about the same level of effort. Fewer than 1 in 10 (8%) say
they put in less effort than the average working person in Britain. When asked about how the British work ethic compares
to the work ethic of other nations, half (48%) agree that the average working
person in Britain has a worse work ethic than their equivalent in China, and
2 in 5 (40%) say a worse work ethic than a worker in India. Opinions are
mixed on how the British work ethic compares to those of workers in the US, EU,
and most other countries: Trinh Tu, Managing
Director of Public Affairs at Ipsos in the UK, said: Whilst many of us believe
that British workers have the skills to compete globally and the
opportunities to put these skills to use, we are visibly divided by political
party line and age when it comes to perceptions of whether British workers
are trying hard enough or putting in the same effort as in the past. However,
we do not have these doubts when it comes to our personal effort, with the
majority of us believing we work hard and half of us claiming we work harder
than our peers. 19 August 2022 Source: https://www.ipsos.com/en-uk/nearly-half-britons-agree-british-workers-need-work-harder 756-43-13/Polls Over A Quarter Of
Conservative Party Members (28%) Deem It Significant That The Next Party
Leader May Be Female
In just over two weeks, the country will know who
the next prime minister and Conservative leader is. Since the start of July when the Conservative
leadership race kicked off, the public have seen the potential list of
figures be whittled down to the final two candidates, Rishi Sunak and Liz
Truss. The initial eight candidates represented the most diverse
leadership contest of a major party in UK history, with four being women
and four individuals of ethnic minority. The most recent YouGov poll of Conservative party
members puts Truss 32 points ahead of Sunak, meaning the foreign secretary is
well on course for a promotion to being the third woman prime minister. But how significant do Tory party members consider
such a feat to be?
A further 67% of party members place little to no
significance on the likelihood of an ethnic minority leader.
With Sunak and Truss appearing in the regular churn
of TV debates, hustings and interviews over the past couple of months, nine
in ten (91%) party members say they have been following the campaign closely,
of which 41% say they have kept up with it ‘very closely’. Just 9% say that
they are not up-to-date with coverage. August 19, 2022 756-43-14/Polls Gamescom 2022 –
Digitalization And The Future Of Video Game Conventions
Ubisoft scores with
Gamescom participation The economic relevance of the video game market and
the e-sports sector has been increasing for years, and the number of gamers
and e-sports fans worldwide is growing rapidly. As we discussed in a previous article, gaming has
gained tremendous popularity in recent years. Companies can reach millions of
consumers in attractive target groups through marketing and collaboration.
Almost a quarter of Germans now identify as "gamers" and one in ten
consumers who consider themselves gamers regularly follow e-sports broadcasts
- and the trend is rising. The potential for companies at video game
conventions should therefore not be underestimated. Some of the most popular
gaming franchises for this audience include Nintendo, Ubisoft, EA, and Sony
Entertainment. Ubisoft is looking for a direct exchange with the community at
Gamescom and confirmed its participation months ago. The company can thus score points in the eyes of the
target group: Since the announcement of the participation at the end of June
2022, we have observed a significant increase in reputation and impression
values among German gamers in the BrandIndex. The show offers publishers,
franchises and hardware manufacturers direct access to their target audiences
and especially vendors, such as Prime Matter, who will be there for the first
time, and indie manufacturers will use the platform this year to present
themselves to a large audience. Large players are missing Although Gamescom will be back in presence for the
first time this year after the Corona forced break, it is striking that some of the biggest video-game players will not be there,
especially Nintendo and Sony Entertainment, but also EA and some hardware
companies have cancelled their participation. The reasons for the
cancellations can only be speculated. A possible reason for Nintendo, Sony
Entertainment and Co. is likely to be the digital marketing activities and
online showcases successfully expanded during the Corona forced breaks.
Compared to trade fairs, these represent a more cost-effective alternative,
tailored to the respective company and the target group. However, the
Gamescom organizers do not have to worry about the attractiveness of their
trade fair due to the lack of players: A look at the list of participants for this year as
well as the supporting program on the exhibition grounds and in Cologne's
inner city can expect an exciting and entertaining program – and a lot of
business. Gaming conventions as
important industry events Whether Gamescom or E3: Gaming conventions are an
important part of the gaming and e-sports industry, whether as a traditional
trade fair or hybrid models. Hybrid models in particular offer the
opportunity to reach the highly digital target group of gaming enthusiasts
and e-sports fans even more broadly. Especially here, the gaming conventions
with their diverse streaming offers could already score points before Corona,
as they were already hybrid in this sense, when direct transmissions were not
yet standard at other events. At the same time, fans are eagerly awaiting the
chance to experience the scene in person again after the corona-related
failures and restrictions and to exchange ideas with like-minded people. The
anticipation will also apply to the trade visitors. Because Gamescom is, even
if the outdoor appeal of the fair often comes from the audience, which puts
an entire city in video-game fever for a few days, a very important business
event for the industry. August 15, 2022 Source: https://yougov.de/news/2022/08/15/gamescom-2022-digitalisierung-und-die-zukunft-der-/ NORTH
AMERICA
756-43-15/Polls Republicans More Likely
Than Democrats To See Politicians Without Government Experience Positively
Early in the 2016 presidential campaign, Republicans
in the United States were more likely than Democrats to value experience and
a proven record in a presidential candidate. But that
changed with the rise of political newcomer Donald Trump.
How we did this Nearly half of Democrats (49%) hold negative views
of political leaders without previous government experience, including 24%
who dislike such leaders a lot.
Just 10% of Democrats say they like inexperienced political leaders, while
40% neither like nor dislike them. Republicans’ views are more divided. While 32% say
they like political leaders with no prior government experience, 22% dislike
them and 46% neither like nor dislike such leaders. Conservative Republicans are more likely than
moderate or liberal Republicans to favor leaders without prior government
experience. Among conservative Republicans, about twice as many say they like
leaders without previous government experience (37%) as say they dislike this
type of leader (18%). Among moderate and liberal Republicans, a larger share
say they dislike (30%) than like (22%) leaders without government experience. Nearly identical shares of liberal Democrats (9%)
and conservative or moderate Democrats (10%) say they like political leaders
without prior government experience. However, liberal Democrats are 8
percentage points more likely than conservative or moderate Democrats to say
they dislike this type of leader (54% vs. 46%). Younger adults and those with higher educational
attainment are more likely to have negative views of political leaders
without previous government experience than older adults and those with less
formal education.
Adults ages 18 to 49 are more than twice as likely
to say they dislike leaders without previous experience (39%) as they are to
say they like such leaders (18%). Among adults ages 50 and older, the
difference is smaller: 32% say they dislike and 22% say they like leaders
without prior government experience. And while adults at all levels of educational
experience are more likely to dislike than like leaders without prior
government experience, those with a postgraduate degree are especially likely
to say they dislike this type of leader. Nearly half of adults with a
postgraduate degree (46%) say they dislike such leaders, compared with 38% of
those with college degrees but no postgraduate experience. About three-in-ten
adults with a high school education or less (31%) and 36% of those with some
college education but no degree say the same. AUGUST 16, 2022 756-43-16/Polls Most Republicans (64%) Say
The Decision Of U S Military Exit From Afghanistan Was Wrong
In August 2021, the United States withdrew
the last of its troops from Afghanistan, ending its military presence
there after nearly 20 years. The U.S. exit from Afghanistan resulted in the
Taliban regaining control of the country and created a refugee crisis as
many Afghans fled. It also raised fears that terrorists might use Afghanistan
as a safe haven, as was the case with Ayman al-Zawahiri, the al-Qaida leader
who was discovered in the nation’s capital, Kabul, and killed
in a U.S. drone strike late last month. How we did this At the time of the military
evacuation, 54% of Americans said the decision to withdraw U.S. troops from
Afghanistan was the right one, according
to a
survey conducted in August 2021. Around
four-in-ten Americans (42%) said the decision was the wrong one. There was a
sharp partisan divide on this topic. While 70% of Democrats and
Democratic-leaning independents said the decision to withdraw troops was the
right decision, about half as many Republicans and GOP leaners (34%) shared
this view. Most Republicans (64%) instead said the decision was wrong.
In the same survey, 69% of U.S. adults said the
United States mostly failed in achieving its goals in Afghanistan. About a
quarter (27%) said the U.S. succeeded. There was partisan agreement on this
question: About seven-in-ten in both parties said the U.S. mostly failed to
achieve its goals. Americans harbored doubts about the war in
Afghanistan even before the withdrawal of U.S. troops. In a spring
2019 survey, 59% of U.S. adults said that considering the costs versus
the benefits to the United States, the war in Afghanistan was not worth
fighting, while 36% said it was. The balance of opinion was about the same
among U.S. military veterans. Both during and after the
troop withdrawal, large majorities of Americans expressed negative views of
the Biden administration’s handling of the situation in Afghanistan. In
both August and September 2021, about seven-in-ten or more said that the
administration had done an only fair or poor job dealing with the situation
there, with around four-in-ten or more saying it had done poorly. In both
surveys, fewer Americans said the administration had done an excellent or
good job. In the September survey, for instance, only 24% said this.
A large majority of Republicans (82%) said in
September 2021 that the administration had done a poor job handling the
situation in Afghanistan. Conservative Republicans were 21 percentage points
more likely than moderate and liberal Republicans to say this (89% vs. 68%). One-in-five Democrats also said the Biden
administration had done a poor job dealing with the Afghanistan situation.
About twice as many said the administration had done an only fair job (38%)
or an excellent or good job (40%). Veterans and non-veterans were
also divided on this question. While similar shares of veterans (76%) and
non-veterans (74%) said in September 2021 that the Biden administration had
done an only fair or poor job dealing with the situation in Afghanistan,
veterans were more likely than non-veterans to say the administration handled
it poorly (60% vs. 47%). Only about a quarter or fewer in either group said
the administration had done an excellent or good job, with very few giving it
an excellent rating (4% of veterans and 5% of non-veterans). As is the case
with the general public, veterans’ views on these issues are deeply divided
along party lines. Last September, a majority
of Americans (56%) said they favored admitting thousands of Afghan refugees
into the U.S., according
to the same survey, which was conducted after the U.S. evacuated
thousands of Afghans from the country. About four-in-ten (42%) opposed
this move.
These views were deeply divided by partisanship. At
the time, 63% of Republicans either strongly (29%) or somewhat (34%) opposed
the U.S. admitting thousands of refugees from Afghanistan into the country.
About a third (35%) said they favored admitting these refugees. By contrast, three-quarters of Democrats were in
favor of admitting refugees, including a third who strongly favored it.
Liberal Democrats (87%) were more likely than conservative and moderate
Democrats (66%) to support this. About half of liberal Democrats (49%) said
they strongly favored admitting refugees from Afghanistan. Despite majority support for admitting refugees,
Americans were divided on whether the government was conducting adequate
security screenings for those arriving in the U.S. from Afghanistan. About
four-in-ten Americans (43%) said they were very or somewhat confident that
the government was conducting adequate security screenings, while 55% were
not too confident or not at all confident. Democrats were more likely than
Republicans to express confidence in the government’s security
screenings. In a spring
2022 survey of 18 countries, people
viewed the U.S. decision to withdraw all troops from Afghanistan as
the right one, but many said the withdrawal itself was not handled
well. A median of 52% across the surveyed countries said the
troop pullout was the right choice, compared with a median of 39% who said it
was the wrong choice. Public opinion in these countries
was more negative when it came to how the U.S. exit from Afghanistan was handled.
A median of 56% said it was not handled well, while a median of 33% said it
was. In only two surveyed countries, Poland and Malaysia, did half or more of
adults approve of the way the situation in Afghanistan was handled. Most Americans said in
August 2021 that Taliban
control of Afghanistan is a threat to
the security of the United States. Nearly half (46%) said
Taliban control represented a major threat to the U.S., and another 44% saw
it as a minor threat. Republicans (61%) were far more likely than Democrats
(33%) to view a Taliban-controlled Afghanistan as a major security threat.
In a
January 2022 survey, 55% of Americans
said that defending against terrorism should be a top priority for the president and Congress to
address this year. Of the 18 issues asked about, defending
against terrorism was among the top priorities identified. The survey
preceded the U.S. military’s drone strike on al-Qaida leader Ayman
al-Zawahiri in Kabul in July. Americans tend to prioritize the
terrorism issue differently based on factors including age and partisanship.
About three-quarters of adults ages 65 and older (76%) said that defending
against terrorism should be a top priority for the president and Congress, compared with
32% of those under 30. And roughly two-thirds of Republicans (65%) said
it should be a top priority, compared with 48% of Democrats. AUGUST 17, 2022 756-43-17/Polls Since 2011, 40% Or More Of
U S Adults Have Identified As Political Independents In Nearly Every Year
Historically, Americans have had weak attachments to
the two major U.S. political parties in young adulthood, but as they get
older, they usually became more likely to identify as a Republican or a
Democrat. That historical pattern, evident in the Silent and baby boom
generations, appears to be changing. Generation X and millennials, who are
now middle aged or approaching it, have maintained or even expanded their
identification as political independents in recent decades.
Members of Generation Z who have reached adulthood
match millennials in the percentage of political independents, at 52%. The data also reveal that each younger generation
has had a greater proportion of independents throughout their lives than the
prior generation did, even at similar stages in their life. For example, the
44% of Generation X (now aged 42 to 57) that currently identifies as independent
is 10 points higher than the 34% of baby boomers who said they were
independents in 2002 (when they were aged 38 to 56). These emerging generational patterns of party
identification help explain why independent
identification has reached levels in the past decade never seen before in
Gallup polling. Since 2011,
40% or more of U.S. adults have identified
as political independents in nearly every year. Before that year,
that level had never been reached. Independent Identification
Varies Inversely With Republican Identification Whereas younger generations tend to
be more politically independent than older generations, older Americans are
much more likely to identify as Republicans. In fact, Republican identification is most common
among the oldest generation of Americans -- the Silent Generation, at 39% --
and is less common at each lower rung on the generational ladder, down to 17%
among Generation Z. Democratic Party identification is more uniform
across the five generational groupings, ranging between 27% and 35%.
These results are based on aggregated data from 2022
Gallup surveys to date, encompassing more than 6,000 interviews with U.S.
adults and at least 500 in each generation. The results for 2022 are similar
to those for 2021, which are based on even larger samples. Gallup also analyzed its 1992, 2002 and 2012 data to
show how party identification has changed among the generations over time.
The most notable changes in recent decades are that the Silent Generation has
become increasingly Republican and less independent, while independent
identification among Generation X and millennials has held steady or
increased, compared with when the groups first entered adulthood. The following sections show the trends in party
identification for each generation over the past 30 years. There are no trend
data for Generation Z because no one in that generation had reached adulthood
until 2015. Silent Generation Members of the Silent Generation
were born between 1928 and 1945 and, therefore, are primarily between the
ages of 77 and 94
today. The group has been less likely to identify as independents than other
generations over the past 30 years and is even less likely to do so today. Since 1992, the percentage of Silent Generation
members who identify as political independents has decreased from 35% to 26%,
which has been accompanied by an equal increase in Republican identification. Over the past 30 years, the proportion of Silent
Generation people who identify as Democrats has been relatively stable.
Baby-Boom Generation The pattern in party identification among baby boomers, born
between 1946 and 1964 and aged 58 to 76 today, is largely similar to that for
the Silent Generation. Fewer baby boomers today (33%) than in 1992 (40%)
identify as political independents, with most of that change offset by an
increase in Republican identification, from 29% to 35%. The 32% of baby
boomers who identify as Democrats is largely unchanged over the past 30
years. Baby boomers' party preferences have been evenly
split over the past three decades.
Generation X Generation X, whose members were
born between 1965 and 1980 and are aged 42 to 57 today, has a higher
proportion of independents than preceding generations and, unlike those
generations, that percentage has not shrunk over time. In 1992, when only about half of Gen X had reached
adulthood, 44% identified as independents. Ten years later, when all
generation members were at least 22 years old, a slightly smaller percentage,
39%, said they were independent. But in both 2012 and 2022, the proportion of
Generation X members who are independent has returned to the mid-40% range. The adult members of Generation X in 1992 were more
likely to identify as Republicans than Democrats, 32% to 24%. This group came
of age when Republicans held the White House for 12 years between 1981 and
1992. Over time, and as more of Generation X reached adulthood, Republicans
and Democrats have claimed roughly equal proportions of the generation,
including 30% of the former and 27% of the latter this year.
Millennial Generation Millennials, born between 1981 and
1996 and aged 26 to 41 today, have become increasingly independent since
2002, when the oldest members of the generation were first turning 18. That
year, 42% of adult millennials were independent. Ten years later, when all but the youngest millennials
were adults, 47% identified as independent. Now, a 52% majority of the group
does. Millennials have been more likely to identify as
Democrats than Republicans over the past 20 years, but fewer align with either
party than did 10 and 20 years ago.
Bottom Line Younger generations of U.S. adults
are much more likely than older generations to identify as independents and,
to this point, Generation X and millennials have become no less likely to do
so as they have
gotten older, in contrast to the generations that preceded them. The youngest adults, those in Generation Z, are as
likely as millennials to think of themselves as independents. In fact, like
millennials, more describe themselves this way than identify with either
political party. These population trends appear at odds with the
political parties' actions, as they have seemingly tried to appeal more to
their own bases than to the larger group of unaffiliated voters. This
disconnect may explain low
levels of trust in government and poor
views of both parties in general. While Republican messaging in
recent decades may have increased the party's support among older generations
of Americans in recent decades, it may have cost the party support among
younger generations, with only about one in five adults younger than 41
identifying as Republican. The trends to date for Generation X and millennials
do not preclude their showing declining political independence as they
continue to age. However, even if those generations become less likely to
identify as independents in the future, they will still likely have higher
proportions of independents than members of their preceding generations had
at similar points in their lives. AUGUST 18, 2022 Source: https://news.gallup.com/poll/397241/millennials-gen-clinging-independent-party.aspx 756-43-18/Polls 4 Out Of 10 Colombians
Feel That They Lack Money At The End Of The Month
Banca de las Oportunidades revealed the latest
results of the Financial Well-being Index, calculated based on data from the
2022 Financial Inclusion Demand Survey. This indicator reflects the level of
satisfaction of adults with respect to their economic obligations, control of
their finances and their ability to make decisions around money. The survey, applied by the Centro Nacional de Consultoría -CNC-, collected information from 5,513 people
over 18 years of age from all regions, on 10 statements associated with their
financial situation. “Although challenges persist to improve the levels
of financial well-being of Colombians living in rural areas and those over 65
years of age, the data confirms that the country continues on the path of
economic recovery that began in 2021. Continuing with these measurements will
strengthen the development of the financial inclusion policy”, highlighted
Freddy Castro, director of Banca de las Oportunidades. COLOMBIANS: CONCERNED WITH
THEIR FINANCIAL FUTURE The study showed that six out of ten Colombians
frequently think about their income, expenses and debts. This figure grew
significantly, compared to the 2020 measurement, carried out with information
from the CNC Digital Appropriation Survey, at that time only two out of ten
Colombians did the same. From the Survey it is derived that 51% are convinced
that they can enjoy life in the way they manage their money, while 25.6% are
not. In fact, only 36.7% of those surveyed indicated that
with their current finances they could face an important expense or
unforeseen event. In 2020 that percentage was 25.0%. For their part, 45.7% say they are ensuring their
financial future to a small extent; likewise, 19.7.8% consider that due to
their current state they will never have the things they want in life. 39.6% of the Colombians required in the survey indicated
that they lacked money at the end of the month and 38.6% worry that their
savings will not last compared to 38.9% who feel calm about this issue. “It is important to continue working to promote
financial well-being, the ultimate goal of financial inclusion. The
development of capacities that allow better decision-making around money is a
way to achieve this goal”, concluded Daniela Londoño, head of economic
analysis at Banca de las Oportunidades. WELL-BEING AND
SATISFACTION The survey indicates that those adults who have at
least one deposit or credit product have a higher indicator of financial
well-being than those who do not. Likewise, consumers who have a digital
wallet versus those who do. On the other hand, men perceive greater well-being
than women. Likewise, older adults - over 65 years of age - report a lower
level of satisfaction than young people between 18 and 25 years of age. The
region in which its inhabitants have the greatest well-being is the Central
East and the region with the least Caribbean. By level of rurality, the study revealed that in
cities and agglomerations, the adults surveyed feel more satisfied with their
finances, followed by rural and scattered rural areas. On the other hand, the
intermediate populations are located as those with the lowest well-being. August 17, 2022 756-43-19/Polls CNC Measured Support For
The Names Of The Colombian President's Cabinet
A survey by the Centro Nacional de Consultoría for the CM&
newscast measured for the first time the opinion of Colombians about
President Gustavo Petro's ministerial team. Four hundred Colombians were consulted by telephone
in the main cities of the country. The percentage corresponding to "does not know-does
not answer" was 13%. By cities, Bogotá gave the highest approval, with
55%, followed by Barranquilla, with 52%. Then there are Cali, with 51%,
Medellín, with 40% and Bucaramanga, which accounted for 31%. The city with the highest level of disapproval was
Barranquilla, with 13%, followed by Bucaramanga, stronghold of former
presidential candidate Rodolfo Hernández, with 9%, a percentage identical to
that of Medellín. Bogotá and Cali accounted for 6 and 4 percent,
respectively. By gender, the percentages of support are very
similar: 47% men and 46% women. The sample from the Centro
Nacional de Consultoría reveals that young people between 18 and 25 years
old are the population group that most supports Petro's appointments, with 67
percent.
August 16, 2022 Source: https://www.centronacionaldeconsultoria.com/en/post/survey-what-colombians-think-of-petro-s-cabinet 756-43-20/Polls Canadians Show Little
Confidence In Hockey Canada Culture Change Amid Sex Abuse Allegations
A rare summer edition of the World Junior Hockey
Championship began with
a whimper last week. The tournament, usually played over the
Christmas and New Year holidays, has been overshadowed not only by summer
weather but also an ongoing reckoning at Hockey Canada, believed to
be pushing some would-be fans away from the rink. The national organization that governs hockey has
come under intense scrutiny for issues involving
allegations of sexual assault by former players and the use of
organizational money to settle lawsuits against
them. As Canadians, their government, and the national
hockey organization plot a path forward, most are supportive of action
announced so far, but uncertain of its effectiveness in addressing the
problematic roots of the culture. Four-in-five say they support the federal
government’s decision to freeze Hockey Canada’s funding until changes are
made. That said, when asked about that organization’s new “Action
Plan” to address these issues, which includes a review of training of
coaches, players, and staff, just one-quarter of Canadians (27%) are
confident that the environment will improve for women around the game. Hockey Canada board chair Michael Brind’Amour resigned from
his position on Aug. 5, just three months before the end of his term. Many,
including Canada’s federal
minister for sport, have continued to call for a change in senior
leadership to begin a new era for the embattled organization. Canadians
agree. Fully three-in-five (63%) say a change in senior leadership is needed,
while just eight per cent disagree. Others say they aren’t sure what should
be done (27%).
More Key Findings:
August 17, 2022 Source: https://angusreid.org/hockey-canada-sexual-misconduct/ AUSTRALIA
756-43-21/Polls Australian Alcohol Consumption Declines From
Pandemic Highs Of 2021, But Consumption Of RTDs At A Record High
New data from Roy Morgan’s Alcohol Consumption Report shows the proportion of Australians
who drink alcohol dropped by 1.8% points to 67.9% in the 12 months to
June 2022 as the country emerged from the pandemic and multiple lockdowns in
2020-21.
Proportion of Australians
aged 18+ who consume alcohol in an average four-week period
“The last two years have
been tumultuous ones for all of us as the COVID-19 pandemic, which struck
Australia in March 2020, led to rolling lockdowns around the country
including six lockdowns totaling around 9 months in Melbourne. “The extensive disruption
to people’s day-to-day lives, and the restrictions on travel for most of this
time, led to several changes of behaviour. One of the most prominent was the
increasing consumption of alcohol during the pandemic years of 2020-21. “This short-term pandemic
related trend has now come to an end though with overall consumption of
alcohol declining from a high of 69.7% of Australian adults a year ago to
67.9% in the latest figures from June 2022. This is a decline of 1.8% points
(-305,000) from a year ago. “The ‘shock’ of the
pandemic disrupted a longer-term trend of declining alcohol consumption
amongst the Australian population which is now reasserting itself. In the
year to June 2006 nearly three-quarters of Australian adults, 73.5%, drunk an
alcoholic beverage in an average four weeks. “Although the ‘big three’
alcohol types of wine, beer and spirits are all down on a year ago the
consumption of wine and spirits is still well above pre-pandemic levels. Wine
remains the most popular alcoholic drink with 44.6% of Australians adults
drinking wine in an average four weeks. By age, those most likely to be
drinking wine are aged 65-79 (51.1%), however only people aged 50-64 have
increased their wine consumption from a year ago, up by 1.2% points. “The standout performer of
the last few years has been RTDs (Ready-to-drinks) which have kept increasing
despite the ending of lockdowns and almost all pandemic-related restrictions.
A record high 16.7% of Australians, up 3.2% points (+680,000) from a year
ago, now drink RTDs in an average four weeks. “A deeper look into the
RTDs market shows the increasing popularity of seltzers over the last few
years is continuing to drive the increasing consumption of RTDs generally.
‘Hard seltzers’ began to hit the Australian market in significant numbers in
2019, just before the pandemic struck, and these newer alcoholic products are
still attracting an increasing array of customers. “Although beer did enjoy
an increase in consumption during the last two years only 33.3% of Australian
adults now drink beer in an average four weeks. The decline in beer drinking
since 2005 has been more sustained than any other type of alcohol and the
early signs are that the short-term pandemic impact on beer drinking has not
been enough to halt the long-term trend. “Roy Morgan will be
keeping a close eye on the post-pandemic trends we are already seeing in the
alcohol market during 2022. The emerging trends suggest consumption of wine
and spirits looks set to return to pre-pandemic levels while RTDs, and ‘hard
seltzers in particular’ rise in significance and beer consumption continues
its long-term decline.” August 16 2022 Source: https://www.roymorgan.com/findings/9054-alcohol-consumption-june-2022-202208160500 MULTICOUNTRY
STUDIES
756-43-22/Polls Global Consumer Confidence
Continues Its Descent In August, A Survey Across 23 Countries
The Global Consumer Confidence Index is the average
of all surveyed countries’ National Indices. This month’s installment is
based on a monthly survey of more than 17,000 adults under the age of 75 from
23 countries conducted on Ipsos’ Global Advisor online platform. This survey
was fielded between July 22 and August 5, 2022. While the majority of countries show a
month-over-month drop in their National Index too small to be significant (at
least 1.5 points at the country level), global sentiment continues its
downward path due to ongoing inflationary pressures, the war in Ukraine, and
COVID-19. Compared to three months ago, 13 of the 23 countries show a
National Index score that is significantly lower, while China is the only
country where it is significantly higher. Lastly, four of the world’s six
largest advanced economies—the United States, Germany, Great Britain, and
Italy—continue to sit at their lowest consumer confidence levels in more than
a year. Eight countries show a significant drop since last
month in their Investment Index, indicative of consumers’ purchasing and
investment confidence and their financial situation and outlook. In addition,
five countries show a significant drop in their Expectations Index,
indicative of consumers’ outlook about their future financial situation,
local economy, and jobs environment. France is the only country to show a
significant gain in these respective indices. Finally, four countries
(Hungary, Argentina, Israel, and Saudi Arabia) show significant declines in
their Jobs Confidence Index, while no country sees a significant gain in its
job sentiment. National Index Trends This month, China has the highest National Index
score (71.1), returning to the top spot it held for much of the last five
years. Saudi Arabia, which had the highest National Index score for the last
four months, joins China in being the only countries with a National Index
score above 70. Five other countries show a National Index above the
50-point mark: India (63.8), Sweden (53.3), Australia (52.8), the United
States (50.9), and Canada (50.3). Seven countries now show a National Index below 40:
Italy (39.9), Japan (38.2), Poland (37.7), South Africa (37.1), Argentina
(33.4), Hungary (31.4), and Turkey (26.8). For Italy, this is the first time
its national index score has dipped below the 40-point mark since May 2021,
and it has now declined every month since the start of the war in
Ukraine. Just four countries have a National Index score that
is significantly higher than in January 2020, pre-pandemic: Saudi Arabia
(+6.4), India (+4.3), Australia (+2.2), and France (+2.0). In contrast, it is
significantly lower than pre-pandemic in 14 countries: Hungary (-13.0), the
U.S. (-11.6), Poland (-9.8), Turkey (-7.2), Argentina (-6.9), Israel (-6.4),
Germany (-6.3), Great Britain (-5.6), Belgium (-4.2), Brazil (-3.7), South
Africa (-3.3), Sweden (-2.6), Japan (-2.3), and Canada (-2.0).
Jobs, Expectations, and Investment Index Trends Among 23 countries: • Five
countries show a significant drop (at least 1.5 points) in their Expectations
Index, indicative of consumers’ financial, economic, and employment outlook:
Hungary, South Korea, Argentina, Australia, and Germany. France is the only
country to show a significant gain. • Eight
countries (Argentina, Hungary, Israel, Sweden, South Korea, Mexico, South
Africa, and the U.S.) show significant losses in their Investment Index,
indicative of consumers’ purchasing and investment confidence and their
financial situation and outlook. Similar to the Expectations Index, France is
the only country to show a significant gain. • Hungary,
Argentina, Israel, and Saudi Arabia all show a significant drop in their Jobs
Index. No country showed a significant month-to-month gain. 19 August 2022 Source:
https://www.ipsos.com/en/global-consumer-confidence-index-august-2022 756-43-22/Polls Russia Is In The Top Three
In Assessing The Smiling Nature Of The Staff In The World Ranking Across 30
Countries
Communication with customers was evaluated by
three main indicators - the smile of the staff, the greeting and the offer of
related goods and services. A smile is an incredibly simple, but very
powerful sales tool. An employee's smile can lift the mood of consumers and
increase the attractiveness of the brand. Therefore, mystery shoppers pay
special attention to it. The leading countries in this indicator are
Paraguay (98.8%), Cyprus (96.8%) and the Russian Federation (94.1%). The
lowest smile index was recorded in Serbia (70%), Germany (72.6%) and Hong
Kong (74.4%). If we talk about the service sector, the
most smiling was the staff of the Health and Beauty industry with 89.3%. This
is followed by transport (89%) and the sphere of sale and service of cars
(87.8%). The category "Leisure" showed the lowest result - 81.6%.
An important factor in the good mood of the
buyer is a greeting. It can both instantly raise the location of a person,
and spoil it. A good relationship with a client begins with a friendly
greeting. A sincere greeting makes customers feel welcome. Employees in Greece (98%) received the
highest rating for the quality of the greeting, followed by the USA (97.9%)
and Paraguay (96.9%). The least welcoming staff were in the Netherlands
(47.5%) and Serbia (67.3%). Transportation (95.3 percent) and health
and beauty (93.5 percent) were the industries with the highest welcome
ratings. The lowest result was shown by the B2B sector - 79%.
From the company's point of view, it is
important how appropriately and correctly the employee offers related
products and services. Therefore, additional sales are evaluated as carefully
as a smile and a greeting. They also serve as an indicator of employee
activity and engagement. Additional sales can help the seller establish a
better relationship with the buyer and adapt the offer to his needs. The best results in additional sales were
shown by the Russian Federation (82.8%), Hong Kong (76.3%) and Hungary
(70.2%). At the end of the ranking were Cyprus (11.6%), the Netherlands
(16.4%) and Greece (28%). According to this indicator, the automotive
industry is the leader with the highest score of 76.6%, followed by the
leisure sector (75.3%). The industries with the lowest rates in additional
sales are retail (41.7%) and "health and beauty" (43.5%).
2022-08-15 Source: https://romir.ru/studies/romir-rossiya-v-troyke-liderov-po-ocenke-ulybchivosti-personala-v-mirovom-reytinge |
