In a recent poll conducted by the Pew Research Center, it was found that people in 34 countries have more confidence in President Joe Biden than his challenger in the November election, former President Donald Trump. The poll revealed that a median of 43% trust Biden to do the right thing in world affairs, compared to only 28% for Trump. While Biden received a positive assessment in 24 countries, Trump led in Hungary and Tunisia, with the two men being effectively tied in eight other countries. Despite this confidence in Biden, there is growing skepticism regarding United States democracy as a model for the world to follow.
Faith in U.S. democracy has been on the decline, with a median of 4 in 10 people across the surveyed nations expressing doubts that the U.S. democracy is a good example for other countries to follow. Only a median of 21% said U.S. democracy remains a good example, while an equal share of 22% said it never has been. The perception of the U.S. political system has been tainted by division and partisanship, leading to a decrease in positive views of U.S. democracy in several countries, particularly in Europe, since the spring of 2021.
Despite the overall decline in confidence in U.S. democracy, President Biden continues to receive higher ratings on the global stage than his predecessor, Donald Trump. Biden’s confidence ratings have dropped since his first year in office but still remain well above those of Trump. Biden’s handling of international conflicts, such as the Israel-Hamas war and the situation in Ukraine, have received mixed reviews, with higher approval ratings in European nations. Biden’s leadership on issues related to China also garnered about four in 10 people expressing confidence in his handling.
Among the five world leaders rated in the survey, French President Emmanuel Macron received the highest level of confidence, followed closely by President Biden. In contrast, Russian President Vladimir Putin received the lowest level of confidence. While confidence in Biden has decreased in countries across the globe, it still remains significantly higher than that of Trump. Trump’s lowest assessments were in Europe and Latin America, with a majority of adults in countries like France, Germany, and Sweden expressing no confidence in him. However, in Africa, where positive views of U.S. presidents are common, Trump received some of his best ratings.
In countries like Hungary and Tunisia, where Trump led in confidence ratings over Biden, the endorsement was not overwhelming. Despite Trump’s alliance with the autocratic prime minister of Hungary, Viktor Orbán, only 37% of adults in Hungary expressed confidence in him, compared to 24% for Biden. Overall, Trump’s confidence ratings in world affairs were only slightly higher than that of Chinese President Xi Jinping across the 34 surveyed countries. Despite the varying levels of confidence in U.S. leaders, the global perspective on U.S. democracy as a model for the world seems to be diminishing, reflecting a broader sense of skepticism towards American political institutions.
