Which countries are the ‘most admired in the world’ – and why?
Annual poll puts Germany in top spot ahead of US and China
Germany has topped a poll of the world’s “most admired countries”, leaving the US a distant second ahead of China and Russia.
The annual poll by Gallup found Germany topped the list for the third year running, leading the US by 10 percentage points, The Guardian says.
The European nation had an approval rating of 44%, while the US clocked in at 33%. China was one point behind the US, on 32%, while Russia lagged behind America by three points.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The survey of a thousand adults in 135 countries was taken in 2019, before the coronavirus struck. However, Germany’s successful battle with the pandemic is likely to have only strengthened its image as a reliable global power.
“Longtime German chancellor Angela Merkel, loved or hated, has been one of the most predictable leaders in highly uncertain times in both Europe and the global order,” said Gallup’s editor-in-chief, Mohamed Younis.
The US’s global rating will “cast doubt” on claims made by the country’s Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who last week told Reuters the country was “perfectly positioned” to lead the free world in opposition to the Chinese Communist Party.
During the Obama administration, the US topped the Gallup poll every year bar one, but its international popularity has plummeted by 18% since Trump took office.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
And the president’s handling of the pandemic, which has so far hit the US harder than any other country in terms of deaths, could further harm the country’s standing.
Trump’s protectionist economic policies and withdrawal from some international treaties and organisations may also be a factor in the large drop in the country’s ratings, Gallup said.
Approval for the US is lowest among its traditional allies in Europe, where 61% disapprove of its leadership and 24% approve. The three countries on the continent that gave the US a positive approval rating were Kosovo, Albania and Poland.
China led the US in 2018, but has faced criticism for its increasingly “aggressive diplomacy”, The New York Times reports. Relations with the UK have continued to sour as rows over the involvement of Huawei in Britain’s 5G network and the diplomatic crackdown in Hong Kong intensify, the Financial Times adds.
-
Will California’s Proposition 50 kill gerrymandering reform?Talking Points Or is opposing Trump the greater priority for voters?
-
‘The trickle of shutdowns could soon become a flood’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Wikipedia: Is ‘neutrality’ still possible?Feature Wikipedia struggles to stay neutral as conservatives accuse the site of being left-leaning
-
Will California’s Proposition 50 kill gerrymandering reform?Talking Points Or is opposing Trump the greater priority for voters?
-
‘The trickle of shutdowns could soon become a flood’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Trump demands millions from his administrationSpeed Read The president has requested $230 million in compensation from the Justice Department for previous federal investigations
-
Bailouts: Why Trump is rescuing ArgentinaFeature The White House approved a $20 billion currency swap with Argentina
-
Judge halts firings during government shutdownFeature A federal judge blocked President Trump’s plan to cut jobs tied to “Democrat programs,” ruling that his administration violated layoff laws during the shutdown
-
Trump nominee in limbo after racist texts leakSpeed Read Paul Ingrassia lost Republican support following the exposure of past racist text messages
-
‘France may well be in store for a less than rocambolesque future’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Trump begins East Wing demolition for ballroomspeed read The president’s new construction will cost $250 million