In . – 03/01/2023 05:00 (act. 03/01/2023 05:00)
According to a Gallup poll, people around the world are more pessimistic about the future. ©pixabay.com (subject)
There is less and less confidence around the world about the future. This shows a survey by the Gallup Institute. According to a year-end poll by the Gallup Institute of 34 countries, global sentiment is at its lowest level since the crisis year of 2008.
According to a year-end poll of 34 countries by Gallup, global sentiment is at its lowest level since the crisis year of 2008. In an international comparison, Austrians are above average pessimistic.
People around the world have less confidence in the future
According to the survey, a third (34%) of respondents worldwide believe that the new year will be worse than the previous one. Twelve months ago, the proportion of pessimists was 28%.
People in the Global South and East are the most confident
Measured by the hope index (balance between optimists and pessimists), people in countries in the Global South and East are more confident about the future, especially Nigeria, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Philippines and India. Europe, on the other hand, stands out for its predominantly pessimistic attitude. Expectations for the next twelve months are particularly negative in Poland, the Czech Republic, Serbia, France and Italy.
49% of Austrians are pessimistic, 18% optimistic
Austria is also not very optimistic in an international comparison: 49% of the pessimists are opposed to only 18% of the optimists (2021: 33% against 27%). Concern about the economy is also above average in Austria. Nearly three-quarters (73%) of the population expect the economic situation to deteriorate in the new year, compared to a global average of 48%. A year ago, fear of growing economic hardship was much lower in the world (41%) and in Germany (55%).
Poland, Serbia, Germany and England are particularly pessimistic
In addition to Austria, Poland, Serbia, Germany, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Czech Republic and the United Kingdom are particularly pessimistic about their economic development. Alongside Azerbaijan and Kenya, the countries with the highest level of economic optimism again include Nigeria, Pakistan and Kazakhstan. In the US and Russia, 47% of respondents expect a negative economic trend in the coming months.
38 percent of people worldwide see a high risk of nuclear use
According to the survey, 38% of people worldwide currently see a high risk and another 38% a medium risk for the use of nuclear weapons. Only 14 percent are not worried about it. 23% of Austrians take a high risk and 57% a medium risk. 13% see no nuclear threat at this time.
In private life, the feeling of happiness will still predominate in 2023
Despite the dwindling hope of a better year in 2023, the feeling of happiness still prevails in private life – albeit at a lower level since 2020 than before the corona pandemic. The slight majority (54 percent) of people in different countries around the world consider themselves happy or even very happy (2021: 56 percent). Only 13% describe themselves as unhappy or very unhappy. Similar to the previous year, Austria is slightly below the global average in terms of happiness.
Countries with the highest happiness index in the south and east
The countries with the highest happiness rates are again in the east and south: Philippines, Mexico, Malaysia, Afghanistan, Ecuador, Japan and Kazakhstan. The unhappiest countries, on the other hand, are spread across the globe: Armenia, Kenya, Hong Kong, Argentina, Turkey and Moldova.
35,664 people in 34 countries worldwide surveyed for the survey
From October to December 2022, a total of 35,664 people aged 15 and over in 34 countries worldwide were interviewed for the survey (in person, over the phone and online with approximately 1,000 people per country). The results are representative of the total population of each country.