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Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Global perceptions of US fall below China, survey says
COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Global perceptions of the United States have deteriorated across the world over the past year and are now worse than views of China, according to an annual study of perceptions of democracy published on Monday. The survey did not go into details on the criteria used, but the Alliance of Democracies Foundation which commissioned it says its aim is to defend and advance democratic values. When asked why perceptions of the U.S. had slipped, Alliance founder and former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said: "President Trump has triggered a trade war, scolded Ukraine's president in the Oval Office, left allies feeling vulnerable and enemies emboldened." "It's no surprise that opinions have slipped even among people like me who spent their lives admiring the United States and what it stood for," he added. Trump has said he is pushing for a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine and on Thursday called for a 30-day unconditional ceasefire between the two countries. He has also said that tariffs are defending the U.S. economy against what his administration sees as unfair trade conditions. The conclusions in the Democracy Perception Index survey, conducted between April 9 and 23 with polling firm Nira Data, were based on more than 111,000 respondents worldwide, the Alliance said. The perception of Trump was negative in 82 of the 100 countries surveyed, higher than Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, who were viewed negatively in 61 and 44 countries, respectively. The survey also ranked the perception of countries from -100% to +100%. The net perception rating of the United States fell to -5% from +22% last year, indicating a greater number of respondents with a negative view of the country compared with those with a positive view. The share of countries with a positive image of the U.S. dropped to 45% from 76% last year, the survey showed. For China, the net perception rose to +14% this year from +5% last year, the survey found. The report was published ahead of the Copenhagen Democracy Summit, which takes place on May 13-14.
Reuters
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
Global perceptions of US fall below China, survey says
COPENHAGEN, May 12 (Reuters) - Global perceptions of the United States have deteriorated across the world over the past year and are now worse than views of China, according to an annual study of perceptions of democracy published on Monday. The survey did not go into details on the criteria used, but the Alliance of Democracies Foundation which commissioned it says its aim is to defend and advance democratic values. When asked why perceptions of the U.S. had slipped, Alliance founder and former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said: "President Trump has triggered a trade war, scolded Ukraine's president in the Oval Office, left allies feeling vulnerable and enemies emboldened." "It's no surprise that opinions have slipped even among people like me who spent their lives admiring the United States and what it stood for," he added. Trump has said he is pushing for a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine and on Thursday called for a 30-day unconditional ceasefire between the two countries. He has also said that tariffs are defending the U.S. economy against what his administration sees as unfair trade conditions. The conclusions in the Democracy Perception Index survey, conducted between April 9 and 23 with polling firm Nira Data, were based on more than 111,000 respondents worldwide, the Alliance said. The perception of Trump was negative in 82 of the 100 countries surveyed, higher than Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, who were viewed negatively in 61 and 44 countries, respectively. The survey also ranked the perception of countries from -100% to +100%. The net perception rating of the United States fell to -5% from +22% last year, indicating a greater number of respondents with a negative view of the country compared with those with a positive view. The share of countries with a positive image of the U.S. dropped to 45% from 76% last year, the survey showed. For China, the net perception rose to +14% this year from +5% last year, the survey found. The report was published ahead of the Copenhagen Democracy Summit, which takes place on May 13-14.
Indian Express
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Opinion A lesson for South Korea: Impeachment hasn't deepened democracy
Han Duck-soo, the interim president of South Korea, resigned on May 2, citing his desire to prepare for a more significant role. Choi Sang-mok, the deputy prime minister and next in line to become interim president of South Korea, also resigned. The political crisis that erupted after Yoon Suk yeol was impeached at the beginning of this year is clearly yet to be resolved. Yoon Suk yeol was the second South Korean president to be impeached, following Park Geun-hye. Yoon's impeachment is viewed as a democratic triumph for the country. The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), a branch of the Economist Group which creates the Democracy Index, ranks South Korea 16th out of 167 countries. South Korea's democracy with its frequent changes in government, free and fair elections, and citizen participation are acknowledged across the world. But the current crisis has tarnished that reputation. Accusing the opposition of having North Korean sympathies, Yoon implemented martial law with ease, underscoring the dangers of excessive securitisation and the deterioration of democratic standards. Moon Jae-in's previous administration, too, was widely criticised for sabotaging institutions and abusing power. This democratic regression can be attributed to a number of reasons. First, securitisation, which is the process of taking an issue that is not a security threat and framing it as an existential danger, has been used to support a variety of undemocratic practices, including citizen surveillance and limitations on free expression. This pattern began underSyngman Rhee's administration, when authoritarian practices were justified by framing North Korea as a danger. Every president since has employed the 1948 National Security Law to quell opposition, even though it violates South Korea's international human rights commitments. Second, the concentration of executive authority in South Korea also encourages democratic backsliding. While the National Assembly and other independent entities have little ability to monitor the presidency, the South Korean president has considerable authority over intelligence services, the Supreme Prosecutor's Office, and the bureaucracy. The system of checks and balances is weakened by the executive's centralisation of powers Then there is the weak party system. Despite South Korea's claims to be a multiparty democracy, its political landscape is dominated by two major parties. Others who hold different opinions find it more difficult to be represented as a result. As a result, the political system in South Korea cannot accurately represent people with varied views, and because of its limited intellectual scope, some political ideas are excluded from the conversation. In December 2014, the South Korean government banned the Unified Progressive Party, because it had questioned the government's election practices, but under the pretext of supporting North Korea. There are also significant limitations on the nation's media environment. According to the Press Freedom Index, South Korea is ranked 42nd, and since 2011, the press has been regarded only as partially free. Critics claim that a 'fake news bill' that was approved by the government in 2021 was intended to stifle independent journalism. Additionally, the independence of the judiciary has also been under pressure. Therefore, instead of viewing Yoon's impeachment as a win, academics and decision-makers ought to concentrate on diversifying South Korean politics. Preventing future political crises requires addressing the nation's democratic shortcomings and reforming national laws. In the absence of such changes, more and more people would start viewing martial law as a necessary step towards political stability.
Economic Times
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Economic Times
India evaluates 28 global indices, finds metrics in some flawed
Image for representation Synopsis India is scrutinising the methodologies of 28 global indices, including the Democracy Index and Global Hunger Index, due to concerns over flawed assessments. The Ministry of Statistics is analysing sample sizes and models used in cross-country comparisons. Preliminary findings reveal issues with scoring systems, prompting the government to send inputs to relevant departments. India is closely looking at the methodologies used by 28 global indices such as the Democracy Index, Network Readiness Index, Global Hunger Index to track its performance vis-a-vis other countries, a government official told ET. ADVERTISEMENT New Delhi has termed the methodology followed in some of these indices, including the Global Hunger Index, as flawed. "We are looking at these indices to identify any imperfections or drawbacks," the official said. The ministry of statistics and programme implementation (MoSPI) is analysing the methodologies used by international bodies that conduct cross-country comparisons, including sample sizes and indices under review are the Democracy Index by the Economist Intelligence Unit, the Network Readiness Index by the Portulans Institute, the Global Hunger Index (GHI) by Concern Worldwide and Welthungerhilfe, and the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) by Germanwatch, the NewClimate Institute, and Climate Action Network official said preliminary findings have highlighted issues around scoring system and methodology. The MOSPI has already sent inputs to the concerned departments and ministries, the official added. ADVERTISEMENT A paper co-authored by Sanjiv Sanyal, member, Economic Advisory Council to PM, had in 2023 highlighted that India's poor performance on specific international indicators despite rising per capita income was due to methodological another working paper the Prime Minister's economic advisory council said there were serious problems with the methodology used in these perception-based indices-Freedom in World Index, V-DEM indices, and EIU Democracy Index. ADVERTISEMENT Indices under scannerFor instance, in 2024, India was placed 41 out of 167 countries and categorised as a 'flawed democracy' on the Democracy Index. In the 2024 edition, India was ranked 105 out of 127 countries on the GHI and classified under the 'serious' hunger category. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel) (Catch all the Business News, Breaking News, Budget 2025 Events and Latest News Updates on The Economic Times.) Subscribe to The Economic Times Prime and read the ET ePaper online. NEXT STORY
Time of India
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
India evaluates 28 global indices, finds metrics in some flawed
India is closely looking at the methodologies used by 28 global indices such as the Democracy Index , Network Readiness Index , Global Hunger Index to track its performance vis-a-vis other countries, a government official told ET. New Delhi has termed the methodology followed in some of these indices, including the Global Hunger Index, as flawed. "We are looking at these indices to identify any imperfections or drawbacks," the official said. The ministry of statistics and programme implementation (MoSPI) is analysing the methodologies used by international bodies that conduct cross-country comparisons, including sample sizes and models. The indices under review are the Democracy Index by the Economist Intelligence Unit, the Network Readiness Index by the Portulans Institute, the Global Hunger Index (GHI) by Concern Worldwide and Welthungerhilfe, and the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) by Germanwatch, the NewClimate Institute, and Climate Action Network International. The official said preliminary findings have highlighted issues around scoring system and methodology. The MOSPI has already sent inputs to the concerned departments and ministries, the official added. A paper co-authored by Sanjiv Sanyal, member, Economic Advisory Council to PM, had in 2023 highlighted that India's poor performance on specific international indicators despite rising per capita income was due to methodological issues. In another working paper the Prime Minister's economic advisory council said there were serious problems with the methodology used in these perception-based indices-Freedom in World Index, V-DEM indices, and EIU Democracy Index. Indices under scanner For instance, in 2024, India was placed 41 out of 167 countries and categorised as a 'flawed democracy' on the Democracy Index. In the 2024 edition, India was ranked 105 out of 127 countries on the GHI and classified under the 'serious' hunger category.
