Governance

Afghans' Approval of Their Leadership Falls to 33%

Majority disapprove of Karzai for the first time

July 27, 2010

Afghans' approval of their country's leadership fell to a record-low 33% in April. Approval of Afghan President Hamid Karzai is also down, to 44%. More Afghans now approve of U.S. leadership than they do their own.More ...

Fewer Afghans See Corruption Increasing in Their Country

Most still perceive corruption as widespread in government, business

March 4, 2010

Gallup surveys document some positive momentum in Afghans' views about the level of corruption in their country following the country's election in August 2009. The number of Afghans saying corruption levels were higher than they were five years ago continued to decline, dropping below 50% for the first time.More ...

Global Perceptions of U.S. Leadership Improve in 2009

A world median of 51% approves of the leadership of the U.S.

February 10, 2010

The U.S.-Global Leadership Project, a partnership between the Meridian International Center and Gallup, finds median global approval of the performance of U.S. leadership at 51% in 2009, a 17-percentage-point increase from 2008.More ...

Karzai Faces Steep Climb to Curb Perceptions of Corruption

Pre-election surveys show Afghans perceive widespread government corruption

November 10, 2009

With newly re-elected Afghan President Hamid Karzai promising to fight corruption in his country, Gallup surveys underscore the extent of the challenge he faces. Before the marred election season, 81% of Afghans said corruption was widespread and 69% said their government wasn’t doing enough to fight it.More ...

Yemenis’ Attitudes Toward Gov’t Split North/South

Residents in the South less confident in institutions, job creation

September 17, 2009

Nearly 20 years after Yemen’s unification, Gallup finds distinct differences in attitudes along North-South lines. Yemenis in the South are less likely than those in the North to express faith in nearly every institution asked about and to be satisfied with efforts to deal with the poor and create quality jobs.More ...

Few Voting-Age Afghans Confident Election Will Be Fair

Half still say voting is effective way to bring about positive change

August 18, 2009

As Afghans head to the polls Thursday to vote in the second presidential election in the young democracy’s history, a Gallup Poll shows 50% of voting-age Afghans believe in elections, but fewer than one in four (24%) are confident that this one will be fair.More ...

Religion, Secularism Working in Tandem in Bangladesh

Secular governance not reducing importance citizens place on religion

July 30, 2009

Despite a landslide victory by the secular Awami League in the December 2008 election, Bangladeshis remain strongly religious in their personal lives, showing a movement toward separation of religion and politics.More ...

Afghans Name Karzai, “No One” as Most Trusted

More than half believe a new government should run the country

June 26, 2009

With Afghanistan’s second democratic presidential election scheduled for Aug. 20, Gallup reviews polling conducted in December 2008, which found 25% of Afghans calling President Karzai their country’s most trusted figure. At the time, only 10% thought the present government should be in charge of the country.More ...

Even Before Dispute, Iranians Split on Honesty of Elections

Urban Iranians far less likely than rural Iranians to express trust

June 16, 2009

A Gallup Poll conducted in Iran in 2008 found Iranians divided on the honesty of their elections before last week’s disputed presidential election, with 50% saying they were confident and 40% saying they were not. Rural Iranians (66%) were nearly twice as likely as urban Iranians (36%) to express trust.More ...

Iran’s Election Brings Desire for Women’s Rights Into Focus

Men and women agreed in 2007 that women should have certain freedoms

June 11, 2009

Long before women’s rights emerged as one of many salient issues in Iran’s presidential election Friday, Gallup Polls found majorities of Iranians in favor of the government guaranteeing women certain rights.More ...