St. Nicholas Day is just around the corner, and our shoes will be filled with goodies and small gifts on Sunday night. This day is the first occasion in the (pre-) Christmas season to give away chocolate Santa Clauses or chocolate Santa Clauses. 37 percent of Germans plan to do that this year. From the group of Germans giving gifts, a quarter (24 percent) said they should make sure that the chocolate is a Fairtrade product when buying it. 39 percent of Swiss donors say this, and 35 percent of Austrian donors. When it comes to giving organic Santa Clauses, the Austrians are in the lead: 18 percent of the donors say they pay attention to the organic origin of the chocolate when buying them. Among the Swiss who want to give away chocolate Santa Clauses this year, this is what 16 percent say and 8 percent among Germans. These are the results of a current YouGov survey among Germans, Austrians and Swiss.

Fairtrade is most relevant for the Swiss.

BRAND AND PRICE ARE RELEVANT FOR ALMOST ALL DONORS WHEN BUYING

For the German respondents, the brand is decisive for buying a chocolate Santa Claus. Two out of five of the donors (41 percent) pay attention to the brand of the product when buying, among Austrians 42 percent say this, among Swiss 31 percent of the donors. The Swiss say most often to pay attention to both the price and the brand (46 percent).

Brand and price relevant to almost all donors.

WHICH BRANDS ARE THE MOST POPULAR?

Milka is the most popular brand with 60 percent of the Germans who want to give away chocolate Santa Clauses this year. Close behind, with 58 percent, is Lindt. One third of German donors (34 percent) reach for Ferrero (children) on the candy shelf. Women in particular prefer this brand to men (40 percent vs. 26 percent of men).

Among Austrians, Milka (77 percent) and Lindt (70 percent) are also ahead in terms of popularity. Lindt (71 percent) ranks first among the Swiss. Cailler is the second most popular with 45 percent, followed by Migros with 31 percent of Swiss donors.

Milka is most popular in Germany and Austria, and Lindt in Switzerland.

GERMANS PREFER TO GIVE AWAY WITHIN THE FAMILY

If you want to give away a chocolate Santa Claus, it is mainly to your own children or within the family. Around three quarters (73 percent) of the donors surveyed in Germany said this. Respondents aged 45 and over particularly want to give away the chocolate figures to their loved ones (45-54 year olds: 80 percent and respondents aged 55 and over: 79 percent). Almost two out of five of those giving gifts (38 percent) want to give a chocolate Santa Claus to friends and acquaintances.

(YouGov)

December 04, 2020

Source: https://yougov.de/news/2020/12/04/schweizer-kaufen-haufiger-fair-gehandelte-schoko-w/

SUMMARY OF POLLS

ASIA

(India)

Half of urban Indians are planning a domestic holiday over the next 12 months

In the face of the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, many urban Indians are looking ahead to travelling over the coming year, new research from YouGov reveals. The data, collected by YouGov’s Global Travel Profiles tool from across 25 countries, shows that half (51%) of urbanites in India plan to holiday domestically in the next 12 months. Despite this local wanderlust, far fewer (20%) plan to holiday abroad next year. (YouGov)

December 08, 2020

(Japan)

Quick measures needed for students facing financial woes

Shizuka Iwasaki, who heads the FREE students group, announces the results of a survey about the impact of the pandemic on students at a news conference in Tokyo in April. (Asahi Shimbun file photo) Due to financial difficulties caused by the pandemic, at least 190 Japanese universities are expecting an increase in the number of students who quit or take a leave of absence at the end of the academic year in March. (The Asahi Shimbun)

December 04, 2020

AFRICA

(South Africa)

Citizens in Southern African Customs Union states hold mixed views on free trade and open borders

Citizens of the five Southern African Customs Union (SACU) member states hold decidedly mixed views on the union’s goals of achieving economic integration and ease of trade and movement across the region, Afrobarometer surveys show. Findings in Botswana, eSwatini, Lesotho, Namibia, and South Africa show that attitudes toward free cross-border movement range from massive support in Lesotho to equally solid rejection in Botswana, while South Africans are more likely to ban than welcome foreign workers. (Afrobarometer)

December 09, 2020

EUROPE

(Denmark)

The Danes' attitude to Black Friday 2020

A new YouGov survey shows that 52% of Danes have shopped for Black Friday this year. This is a small increase compared to last year, when 49% took advantage of a Black Friday offer. It is especially people under the age of 50 who have taken advantage of a Black Friday offer on the shopping day (64%). Among the population over the age of 60, only 37% have taken advantage of an offer. (YouGov)

December 01, 2020

(Finland)

The corona pandemic has increased Finns' confidence in corporate social responsibility

YouGov has been researching Finns' attitudes towards corporate social responsibility every year since 2012. In December 2020, the survey mapped CSR in seven different areas of CSR for 11 industries for the ninth time. The Corona Year has changed Finns' views on the social responsibility of industries in a positive direction. Throughout the history of research, Finns' confidence in the social responsibility of industries has not been as high as it is now, and it has never improved as much in a year as now. (YouGov)

December 09, 2020

(Switzerland)

The Swiss buy fair trade chocolate Santa Clauses more often than Austrians and Germans

December 04, 2020

(UK)

Study reveals why one in four have found rules harder in second lockdown

One in four people (26%) say they’ve found it harder to follow the rules during England’s second national lockdown than they did during the first, with bad weather, a feeling of being worn out by the crisis, and a belief that the restrictions are not being applied fairly among the reasons, according to a new study. (Ipsos MORI)

December 01, 2020

(UK)

How democratic is the UK?

The UK is widely considered one of the leading democracies in the world, but the YouGov Democracy study finds that the British public thinks that certain elements of what enables such a society are in danger. Three quarters (75%) of the public describe the UK as a democratic country. This is slightly higher than when we asked the same question in 2012, when two-thirds (67%) felt the same. (YouGov)

December 04, 2020

(UK)

How do Britons want the future of the Royal family to look?

Following our recent update to our Royal Family favourability trackers, YouGov also asked the British public whether the monarchy should continue, and what they think the future of the family should look like. Two thirds of Britons (67%, +4 since March) say that Britain should keep its monarchy, while only 21% would prefer that the country have an elected head of state. (YouGov)

December 03, 2020

(UK)

Many more plan to mix households at Christmas following government relaxation of rules

One in three Britons say they will now meet up with people from other homes, more than double the number who had planned to do so before the rules change was announced. Earlier in the month, the government made a curious decision to relax coronavirus restrictions over the Christmas period, allowing up to three different households to mix between 23-27 December. (YouGov)

December 03, 2020

NORTH AMERICA

Willingness to Get COVID-19 Vaccine Ticks Up to 63% in U.S.

With two COVID-19 vaccines now in the final stages of approval for use in the U.S., 63% of Americans say they are willing to be immunized against the disease. The public's willingness to receive a COVID-19 vaccination approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has nearly rebounded to the previous high of 66% after hitting a 50% low point in September. (Gallup USA)

December 08, 2020

Views of U.S. Pandemic Worsen Amid Rising COVID-19 Cases

As the U.S. continues to set records for coronavirus cases, hospitalizations and deaths, Americans' perceptions that the situation is worsening have risen to match the previous high point of 73%, even as the U.S. is on the verge of approving COVID-19 vaccines. Findings from Gallup's Nov. 16-29 COVID-19 tracking survey also include an increase in the public's concern about the availability of hospital supplies, services and treatment, from 33% to 50%. (Gallup USA)

December 10, 2020

Americans' Mental Health Ratings Sink to New Low

Americans' assessment of their mental health as excellent and excellent/good since 2001. The latest data shows nine-point drops in each since 2019. Each year since 2001, Gallup has asked Americans as part of its November Health and Healthcare survey to say whether their own mental or emotional wellbeing is excellent, good, only fair or poor. The reading for those rating their mental health as excellent or good ranged from 81% to 89% until this year's 76%. (Gallup USA)

December 07, 2020

Democrats more optimistic than Republicans that partisan relations in Washington will improve in 2021

With the delayed transition to a Biden administration now underway, Americans have only modest expectations that the partisanship that has dominated Washington in recent years will ease in 2021. However, Democrats are much more optimistic than Republicans that relations between the two parties will improve. Just 21% of Americans say relations between Republicans and Democrats will get better in the coming year. Far more (37%) expect relations to worsen, while 41% say they will stay about the same. (PEW)

December 01, 2020

AUSTRALIA

Unemployment down sharply to 11.9% in November as lockdown finally ends in Victoria – lowest since early March

Latest Roy Morgan employment series data shows 1.68 million (down 130,000) Australians unemployed (down 0.9% to 11.9% of the workforce). The workforce in November was 14,119,000 – comprised of 12,439,000 employed Australians and 1,680,000 unemployed Australians looking for work. The workforce was down by 39,000 as some people who were unemployed left the workforce but there was also strong employment growth during the month. (Roy Morgan)

December 02, 2020

MULTICOUNTRY STUDIES

International study: How has coronavirus affected people’s personal lives?

With COVID-19 having ravaged the planet for the past nine months or so, the toll the disease has taken in terms of lives and money is well-reported. But what is less well known is how the pandemic has affected people’s personal lives. A new YouGov survey, conducted in 14 countries and regions, reveals the damage done to people’s personal lives across the world. (YouGov)

December 04, 2020

Brazilians and Chinese people are most likely to say social togetherness has improved

The COVID-19 pandemic has put people under pressure the world over, and this has had the effect of bringing them together in some places but pushing them apart in others. Data from the YouGov-Cambridge Globalism Project shows that two thirds of Chinese people (68%) say that the overall sense of social togetherness in their country has increased since the coronavirus pandemic began, the highest rate for any country. Brazilians are not far behind, on 64%. (YouGov)

December 04, 2020

How has COVID-19 affected people's privacy?

It is in the United Arab Emirates that the impact of the pandemic on love life is the most negative: 24% of those questioned say that their story has ended or has been weakened due to COVID-19. 1 in 10 French people make the same observation (12%). Danes are the least likely to have been affected in love (7%). If the love life of the Danes seems to have been slightly affected, family relationships have been more affected. Almost half of Danes (48%) say that some family ties have been severed or strained due to illness. (YouGov)

December 10, 2020

ASIA

667-43-01/Poll

Half of urban Indians are planning a domestic holiday over the next 12 months

Data from Global Travel Profiles tracks consumer sentiment and attitudes every day across the largest travel and tourism markets

In the face of the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, many urban Indians are looking ahead to travelling over the coming year, new research from YouGov reveals.

The data, collected by YouGov’s Global Travel Profiles tool from across 25 countries, shows that half (51%) of urbanites in India plan to holiday domestically in the next 12 months. Despite this local wanderlust, far fewer (20%) plan to holiday abroad next year.

Some (15%) do not intend to travel at all in the next 12 months.

Even though there is an intention to travel in the future, YouGov’s data shows that many urban Indians currently feel they face twin barriers to making such trips. Over half (53%) think the health risks of travelling are a barrier, while nearing four in ten (38%) believe the travel restrictions they face are a hindrance to holidaying.

The data comes from Global Travel Profiles, a new research tool which tracks global consumer sentiment and attitudes every day across the largest travel and tourism markets. It is created so that those in the tourism industry can analyse how to best target their audiences for growth – identifying who is ready to travel when, and what kind of travel they are planning.

Fully customisable by geography, subscribers can discover emerging trends on intended travel habits and behaviours for the forthcoming 12 months. It provides a holistic view of the travel market, including granular consumer insights on preferred locations, booking methods, accommodation and transportation preferences.

YouGov Global Travel Profiles is connected to YouGov’s market-leading depth and breadth of consumer data meaning it provides a much wider dataset than just isolated travel attitudes. It is an extension to YouGov’s connected data solutions and is complementary to YouGov DestinationIndex.

Talking about the Global Travel Profiles, Eva Stewart of YouGov said, “YouGov Global Travel Profiles is vital to industry insiders looking to understand traveller expectations in the current climate as the tourism industry readies itself to step into the post-COVID world. It is the perfect, cost-effective resource for strategic, operational and marketing activities, delivering the most up-to-date, robust data on changing attitudes to travel.”

(YouGov)

December 08, 2020

Source: https://in.yougov.com/en-hi/news/2020/12/08/half-urban-indians-are-planning-domestic-holiday-o/

667-43-02/Poll

Quick measures needed for students facing financial woes

Shizuka Iwasaki, who heads the FREE students group, announces the results of a survey about the impact of the pandemic on students at a news conference in Tokyo in April. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

Due to financial difficulties caused by the pandemic, at least 190 Japanese universities are expecting an increase in the number of students who quit or take a leave of absence at the end of the academic year in March.

That grim number is according to a survey by The Asahi Shimbun and the Kawaijuku Educational Institution.

Officials at the universities believe many students will not be able to afford tuition as their family finances have taken a hit from the novel coronavirus.

The prospects for these students are worryingly uncertain because the employment picture remains dismal, which means they will likely have a hard time earning a living once they leave school.

An increase in the number of young people with no vocational qualifications who have little chance of working in careers of their choice would destabilize society and cast a dark shadow over the future of the nation.

It is urgent for the government to consider additional measures to support students facing financial woes.

Universities have taken steps to bail out students, such as reducing or exempting tuition, allowing delayed payments and providing emergency scholarships. They have financed these measures mainly through donations and savings from postponing capital outlays.

However, they are running out of such financial resources while facing additional needs due to spending to enhance their telecommunication systems for online classes and prevent the spread of infections. Many universities said they are at risk of falling into financial straits.

Since this spring, the government has provided 100,000 yen to 200,000 yen ($960 to $1,920) in emergency financial aid to students who have seen a drop in their incomes from part-time jobs.

It has also ensured that the program to offer tuition cuts and exemptions for low-income families will be applied as soon as it becomes clear that students will soon become eligible because their family incomes are affected by the pandemic.

Presumably due to these measures taken by universities and the government, the number of university students who dropped out during the April-August period fell from a year earlier to about 11,000, or 0.4 percent of the total, according to an education ministry survey.

However, no end is in sight for the public health crisis, and its social and economic effects are growing even more serious. The data offer no reason for optimism.

The economic impact on students is not the only challenge for higher education. As the nation has become gripped by a fresh wave of COVID-19 cases, some universities, mainly in urban areas, have reintroduced tight restrictions on access to their campuses and extracurricular activities.

The joint Asahi-Kawaijuku survey found many universities concerned about the mental effects on students during the pandemic.

Some respondents said they are unable to provide sufficient care for students because of difficulty in having face-to-face counseling sessions. Others said many students are suffering from accumulated stress as they have been unable to meet up with their friends.

Universities need to make greater efforts to assess the overall state of individual students, while the government should seek related information from the universities to provide better policy support.

It is vital to ensure that the systems and procedures will be user-friendly and solidly oriented to the needs of students seeking help.

One idea that merits serious consideration would be to temporarily expand the scope of the financial support program for low-income families to cover students of middle-class families as well.

Another would be to ease the conditions for forgiving the student loans offered by the Japan Student Services Organization, which are widely used. It would also help to simplify the paperwork for applying for such programs.

The government should also consider providing fresh emergency financial aid for students whose income from part-time jobs has declined.

There is not much time left until March, when most notifications of temporary or permanent withdrawal from school are submitted.

We all should ask ourselves what should be done to help as many students as possible to keep learning.

While the government’s fiscal crunch is also worsening, we cannot expect to have a bright future for our society if we fail to make vital investments in its future.

(The Asahi Shimbun)

December 04, 2020

Source: http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/13988451

AFRICA

667-43-03/Poll

Citizens in Southern African Customs Union states hold mixed views on free trade and open borders

Findings in Botswana, eSwatini, Lesotho, Namibia, and South Africa show that attitudes toward free cross-border movement range from massive support in Lesotho to equally solid rejection in Botswana, while South Africans are more likely to ban than welcome foreign workers. Support is high, but variable across countries, for protecting domestic businesses from foreign competition.

The member countries come closer to consensus on two issues: that it is difficult to cross international borders and that foreign traders should be allowed to do business to ensure a good selection of low-cost consumer goods.

All SACU member states have signed on to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in hopes that it will unlock new economic growth opportunities – especially critical for a post- COVID-19 recovery – after its launch on 1 January 2021. But the Afrobarometer findings suggest that the concepts of free trade and cross-border movement that the customs union and AfCFTA promote do not have as solid a popular foundation as leaders might like.

(Afrobarometer)

December 09, 2020

Source: https://www.afrobarometer.org/press/approaching-afcfta-launch-citizens-southern-african-customs-union-states-hold-mixed-views-free

EUROPE

667-43-04/Poll

The Danes' attitude to Black Friday 2020

More than half of Danish consumers took advantage of a Black Friday offer this year. The majority have shopped online.

A new YouGov survey shows that 52% of Danes have shopped for Black Friday this year. This is a small increase compared to last year, when 49% took advantage of a Black Friday offer.

It is especially people under the age of 50 who have taken advantage of a Black Friday offer on the shopping day (64%). Among the population over the age of 60, only 37% have taken advantage of an offer.

The majority have also shopped online in connection with Black Friday (39%).

YouGov has also examined the Danes' attitude to the shopping day, and it turns out that the Black Friday concept divides the Danes.

28% think that Black Friday is a good way to save money. It is especially the 18-39-year-olds who are of this opinion (39% compared to 24% of the rest of the population). More than a third of Danes also believe that Black Friday is a good opportunity to buy Christmas presents (36%).

31% answer that they do not like Black Friday. Opposition to the concept is greatest among consumers over 60 (43%).

One third (33%) believe that Black Friday contributes to general overconsumption. It is especially young people under the age of 30 who share this view. While half of Danes aged 18-29 believe that Black Friday contributes to general overconsumption (48%), the figure is 32% among the population over 30 years.

(YouGov)

December 01, 2020

Source: https://yougov.dk/news/2020/12/01/danskernes-holdning-til-black-friday-2020/

667-43-05/Poll

The corona pandemic has increased Finns' confidence in corporate social responsibility

The Corona Year has changed Finns' views on the social responsibility of industries in a positive direction. Throughout the history of research, Finns' confidence in the social responsibility of industries has not been as high as it is now, and it has never improved as much in a year as now.

Confidence has risen the most in terms of employment responsibility, where the responsibility rating received by all but one industry has risen since last year.

- It is great to note that Finns feel that the companies that operated in almost all industries during the corona crisis were even more responsible for maintaining jobs than in previous years , says Ville Haikola, who was responsible for conducting the study.

However, there are quite large differences between industries. According to Finns, the grocery trade has the best employment responsibility and the food industry the second best. In these industries, the rating has also clearly risen the most since last year.

Another area of corporate social responsibility, which is clearly perceived to be better managed, is responsibility for the environment and the climate. Also in this area of corporate social responsibility, ratings have risen in all but one industry. Here, too, the grocery trade is the number one and also the industry that has improved its rating the most. The food industry, the forest industry, the construction industry and the Technology industry have also significantly raised their responsibility ratings in this area of responsibility.

Occupational well-being responsibility is the only area of corporate social responsibility that has not been improved compared to last year. Its overall assessment has remained unchanged.

CSR is generally considered to be best achieved in product and service quality, and weakest in well-being at work.

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY	INDEX*
1. Responsibility for product / service quality	34
2. Responsibility for the environment and climate	24
3. Responsibility for employment	23
4. Responsibility for fair tax payment	23
5. Responsibility for investment in the national economy	21
6. Responsibility for gender equality	18
7. Responsibility for well-being at work	16

* 11 industry average

According to the average index calculated as the average of all seven areas of responsibility, the three sectors that take care of corporate social responsibility in the opinion of Finns are:

Grocery stores
food industry
Pharmacies

The grocery trade and the food industry are also the sectors that improved their index the most, while the transport sector improved its third most.

The corporate social responsibility survey has been carried out at a similar time in the past and with a corresponding sample in 2012–2019. Questionnaires were interviewed for 30.11-2.12.2020 electronic form, a total of 1000 full-old Finnish age (18 years +), gender, place of residence, the representative sample of the YouGov Finland consumer panel. The mean margin of error for the results at the overall level is approximately ± 3 percentage points (95% confidence level).

Industries studied:

Pharmacies
Food industry companies
Energy companies
Financial sectors
Chemical companies
Transport companies
Pharmaceutical companies
Forest industry companies
Grocery stores
Construction companies
Technology companies

(YouGov)

December 09, 2020

Source: https://yougov.fi/news/2020/12/09/tutkimus-koronapandemia-lisannyt-suomalaisten-luot/

667-43-06/Poll

The Swiss buy fair trade chocolate Santa Clauses more often than Austrians and Germans

A current YouGov survey in Germany, Austria and Switzerland about giving away chocolate Santa Clauses in the (pre-) Christmas season

Fairtrade is most relevant for the Swiss.

BRAND AND PRICE ARE RELEVANT FOR ALMOST ALL DONORS WHEN BUYING

Brand and price relevant to almost all donors.

WHICH BRANDS ARE THE MOST POPULAR?

Milka is most popular in Germany and Austria, and Lindt in Switzerland.

GERMANS PREFER TO GIVE AWAY WITHIN THE FAMILY

(YouGov)

December 04, 2020

Source: https://yougov.de/news/2020/12/04/schweizer-kaufen-haufiger-fair-gehandelte-schoko-w/

667-43-07/Poll

Study reveals why one in four have found rules harder in second lockdown

A new study from Ipsos MORI and the Policy Institute at King's College London reveals that one in four people (26%) say they’ve found it harder to follow the rules during England’s second national lockdown than they did during the first.

26% have found the rules harder this time, but 72% have found rules the same or easier than in first lockdown.
Women much more likely to have found restrictions tougher because they’re missing meeting friends outside (54% vs 33%), while men more likely to cite boredom (27% vs 19%).
But little sign of much reduced compliance, with 82% saying they’re just as careful or more careful now about obeying rules.

The public are most likely to say there isn’t much difference in how they’re coping with following the rules compared with during the first lockdown earlier this year (48%). Ipsos MORI

Of the 26% of the UK public who are finding it harder to follow the rules now, difficulty meeting up with others outside because of the weather (44%) and a sense of feeling worn out by the pandemic (42%) are the top reasons why they are struggling more than they were back in spring. Ipsos MORI

But despite some struggling, most have not found the current restrictions harder than they did in spring, with 24% saying they’re easier to follow now and 48% saying they’re coping about the same. The vast majority of people also say they’re still being as careful as before about following the rules.

The research, by King’s College London and Ipsos MORI, looked at why some have found it more of a challenge to comply with the rules under this latest lockdown, as well as the public’s experience of the restrictions over the course of the entire COVID-19 crisis.

The findings are based on 2,244 interviews with UK residents aged 16-75, carried out online between 20 and 24 November 2020.

Why some have found this lockdown harder

Among the one in four who have found it harder to follow the rules during the second national lockdown, the top reason cited was difficulty in meeting up with family or friends outside because the weather is worse (44%). This was closely followed by a feeling of being worn out by the crisis (42%).

A third (34%) of those who have struggled more with the rules recently said a feeling that the restrictions were not being applied fairly to everyone was a factor, while the same proportion attributed it to now having less trust in advice given by government and the authorities.

24% said they think people’s personal freedoms had been restricted too much already, 23% said they felt bored by the coronavirus crisis, and 19% said they felt hopeless about it.

Gender differences

There was also a gender divide in the reasons people were struggling. 54% of women who had found the rules tougher during this second lockdown said the difficulty in meeting up with others outside was a key reason, much higher than the 33% of men who say the same.

Women were also more likely to have felt worn out by the pandemic (47% vs 33%). Men, by contrast, were more likely to say boredom was one of the reasons they’d found it harder to follow the rules this time (27% vs 19%).

Continued compliance

Across the population as a whole, two-thirds of people (65%) said they’re roughly as careful about following the rules now as they were during the first national lockdown.

Around one in six said they’re being more careful (17%), while a similar proportion (16%) said less careful.

Experiences of the restrictions over the course of the crisis

Looking further back over the pandemic reveals a range of responses to the coronavirus restrictions.

Seven in 10 (72%) have felt disappointed by the number of people they’ve seen not following the recommended measures in public, and three in 10 (32%) have felt embarrassed by someone they know doing the same.

At the same time, one in eight (12%) have felt embarrassed by someone they know sticking too closely to the rules.

Three in 10 (31%) have felt anxious about whether they’re obeying the restrictions correctly, while around half as many (16%) say they’ve accidentally broken the rules because they didn’t understand what they were. This almost doubles, to 29%, among 16-34-year-olds.

And in a further sign that some have struggled with the restrictions over the course of the pandemic, one in six (16%) say they’ve felt there’s no point following the rules any longer, and one in seven (14%) say they’ve been pressured to break the rules by a friend or family member.

Professor Bobby Duffy, director of the Policy Institute at King’s College London, said:

The British public have proved remarkably resilient throughout the coronavirus crisis. The vast majority say they’re still following the restrictions carefully, and most haven’t struggled with the rules during this second national lockdown any more than they did during the first. But this isn’t everyone’s experience: one in six say they’re not being as careful in obeying the rules, and one in four have found it tougher to follow them this time.
Social isolation and a feeling of being worn out by the crisis are drivers of this, but so too is the official response to the pandemic. A third of those who have found the latest rules more of a struggle say it’s because they feel the restrictions have not been applied fairly, and the same proportion cite reduced trust in official advice as a reason. As we come out of this national lockdown and enter a new tiered system, the government must rebuild confidence in its approach and clearly communicate what it is doing and why.

Kelly Beaver, managing director of public affairs at Ipsos MORI, said:

While the majority haven’t found this second national lockdown anymore of a struggle than the first one, it’s important to remember that women found the first lockdown harder than men. And we see now that those who say they’re struggling more with being worn down by the crisis are also disproportionately women. This research contributes to the body of work which brings to light the broader social impacts of the lockdowns which have been implemented this year.

(Ipsos MORI)

December 01, 2020

Source: https://www.ipsos.com/ipsos-mori/en-uk/study-reveals-why-one-four-have-found-rules-harder-second-lockdown

667-43-08/Poll

How democratic is the UK?

Three-quarters of Britons (75%) describe the UK as a democratic country, but six in ten (60%) complain that they cannot freely say what they think, and a third (34%) feel they have absolutely no say when it comes to how things are run

Is democracy working in the UK?

Three quarters (75%) of the public describe the UK as a democratic country. This is slightly higher than when we asked the same question in 2012, when two-thirds (67%) felt the same.

However, when it comes to how well democracy is working in the UK, the percentage falls to just over six in ten (63%) results of the YouGov Democracy Study show.

A quarter of the public (26%) think democracy works badly in the UK. There are significant age differences concerning this view: three in ten (29%) of those aged from 16 to 39 think that democracy is working badly, dropping slightly among those in their 40s and 50s to 27%, and again among those 60 and older to 21%.

There is also a significant political split on the issue: a third (37%) of Labour and Lib Dem (35%) supporters are dissatisfied with the functioning of UK democracy, whilst this applies to just 11% of Conservative voters.

Our results also show that a third of people in Scotland (36%) and a quarter in Wales (26%) and England (24%) are dissatisfied with British democracy.

The past two decades have seen considerable shifts in political dynamics in the UK due to events such as the Scottish independence referendum in 2014, and the 2016 EU referendum. Our research has found that a third of the public (35%) consider that the UK has become less democratic during the past ten to twenty years, while a further third (34%) say there was no significant change. Just one in seven (14%) say the UK became more democratic in this period.

Interestingly, among those between 16 and 24, who would have the least first-hand experience of any changes in the past decade or two, over a quarter (27%) say they feel the country has become less democratic. Among those 60 or older, four in ten (40%) think that democracy has receded in the UK over that time.

The impression that British democracy has regressed is shared by just under half of those who support Labour (46%) and Lib Dem (46%). Among Conservative voters just three in ten (28%) say the same.

Free speech

Freedom of speech, considered a key feature of a democratic society, is today a topic of fierce debate in the West, both on the left and the right of the political spectrum. YouGov can reveal that nearly six in ten (58%) Britons do not think the UK is a place where people can freely say what they think without the fear of being unfairly judged, discriminated against or prosecuted.

Among those between 16 and 24 years of age, who are often referred to by some as ‘the snowflake generation’ because they are allegedly so easy to offend, half (50%) consider the UK not to be a society where one can speak freely.

The political split of the results shows two-thirds (64%) of Conservative voters, and half of Labour (53%) and Lib Dem (49%) voters share this view.

Our results show that disenchantment with British democracy is even greater when it comes to the question of being able to have a say in how things are run.

Previous YouGov research has highlighted young people feeling disenfranchised when it comes to their vote. Now the YouGov Democracy Study shows that a third (34%) of all Britons feel they have no say at all when it comes to how things are run in the UK, with a further four in ten (39%) pointing out they have only ‘a little’ say. On the other end are just under a quarter of the population (23%) who think they have adequate input.

Despite it often being said that the key decisions in the country are made by the older generation, a quarter (24%) of those aged 16 to 24 think they have some, or a lot, of input in how the UK is run, compared to just one in five (21%) of those 60 and older.

Even among those who supported the Conservative Party in the 2019 elections, four in ten (40%) think they have just ‘a little say’ and a further three in ten (29%) believe they have no say at all.

The regional breakdown of the results shows that 80% of Welsh people and 67% of those in Scotland believe they don’t have input in determining how things are done in the UK.

Despite gender inequality often being highlighted as a barrier in greater involvement for women in decision-making at higher levels across society, our research shows there isn’t much difference in the perception between men and women when it comes to how much input they have in running the country. Men (24%) are only slightly more likely than women (21%) to think they have a lot or some say in running the country, with a third of men (32%) and women (37%) pointing out they have no say.

Public are split on the impact of political parties on British democracy

In terms of the effect British political parties have on UK democracy, the public opinion is split: a third (34%) say their role is vital in upholding our democracy, whilst over a quarter (28%) consider political parties to be doing more harm than good.

The most positive disposition towards British political parties is seen in the oldest generation, where just under half (46%) think they play a vital role. A fifth of Conservatives (20%) and a third of Labour (35%) supporters think political parties do more harm than good to our democracy.

Our study also shows that a third of the British public (35%) don’t know who the MP representing their constituency is. The result is very similar to what we found in 2012 when we asked the same question (37%).

Interestingly, among those aged 16 to 24, who are widely considered to be relatively politically disengaged, nearly six in ten (59%) say they do know what their local MP is called.

(YouGov)

December 04, 2020

Source: https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/articles-reports/2020/12/04/how-democratic-uk

667-43-09/Poll

How do Britons want the future of the Royal family to look?

Brits want the monarchy to continue but are split about succession to the throne after Queen Elizabeth II

Is the monarchy important to Britons?

Two thirds of Britons (67%, +4 since March) say that Britain should keep its monarchy, while only 21% would prefer that the country have an elected head of state.

Preference for the monarchy is higher among older adults, with 84% of over 65s choosing a monarch over an elected head of state. While younger adults – those aged 18-24 – still favour the monarchy, this rate is much reduced. Only half as many (42%) would keep having kings and queens, with a third (34%) preferring an elected official as head of state.

The monarch is seen as the symbol of the nation, and have been considered to have a vital role in holding Britons together during tough times. This still seems to be the case, with more Britons now saying that the Queen plays an important role at times of national crisis than did so before the COVID-19 pandemic. Over six in ten adults (63%) say the Queen plays an important role in times of national instability, +7 points since November 2019.

There is a much greater split between age brackets on this topic however; a plurality of younger adults (48% of adults aged 18 to 24) say that actually the Queen does not play an important role during times of crisis.

Britons aged 50 and above take the opposite view: 74-78% say the Queen does indeed play an important role as head of state during times of national instability and crisis, and only 19-22% think she does not.

How should the future of the Royal Family look?

While the established rules of succession are clear that the oldest child of the sitting monarch should inherit the throne, adults in Britain are unsure about whether to follow the rules or break from this tradition.

Two in five (41%) adults want to see Prince William ascend to the throne, marginally higher than the 37% who want to see Prince Charles take over.

Older Brits however are more likely to want Charles to succeed, 49% of the over 65’s want to Charles rule first compared to 41% who back William.

Despite this split, adults are in agreement about which Royal couple will have the greatest influence over the coming years; over two thirds (68%) say Prince William and his wife Katherine the Duchess of Cambridge will play the biggest role in shaping the future of the family.

One in eight adults (12%) think Prince Charles will have the biggest effect on the direction of the Royal Family.

Their exit from the Royal Family last year sees only 7% of adults thinking that Harry and Meghan will be the biggest influence on the family, although this rises to 22% among 18-24 year olds.

This opinion on succession and influence broadly follows our latest Royal favourability tracking, which shows Prince William on a positive score more than twice as high as that of his father.

(YouGov)

December 03, 2020

Source: https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/articles-reports/2020/12/03/how-do-britons-future-royal-family-succession

667-43-10/Poll

Many more plan to mix households at Christmas following government relaxation of rules

One in three Britons say they will now meet up with people from other homes, more than double the number who had planned to do so before the rules change was announced

Earlier in the month, the government made a curious decision to relax coronavirus restrictions over the Christmas period, allowing up to three different households to mix between 23-27 December.

The move certainly doesn’t seem to have been made as a result of a public outcry. Six in ten Britons (60%) had said prior to the announcement that they wouldn’t mind if the lockdown rules were still in place. Only 16% said it would bother them “a great deal”.

Nor do the government’s scientific advisers appear to be on board, with England’s Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty’s dark warning to people mixing households not to hug elderly relatives “if you want them to survive to be hugged again”.

Now a new YouGov survey uncovers the scale of the impact the government’s decision may have made.

Asked what their plans had been when it looked like the lockdown rules would be in place over Christmas, 56% of Britons say they had been planning not to mix households.

But only 41% say this is still the case now that rules will be relaxed from 23-27 December.

One in three Britons (35%) say that now that the rules have been relaxed they intend to mix households. Just 16% say (or admit) that this had been their plan prior to the announcement.

One in four Britons (24%) are now undecided on their Christmas plans, including one in eight of those who had originally planned to not meet up with people from other households.

Nevertheless, the results show that one in five of those who had been planning to hold a one-household Christmas have since decided to mix with others – a figure that represents 11% of the British public.

It is also notable that one in three of those who weren’t sure what they were going to do before the rule change was announced have since made up their minds to mix households. This group represent another 9% of Britons.

The results highlight how public behaviour responds to government rules. YouGov research has consistently found that the attitude of half of the public (48% in the case of this survey) towards coronavirus rules is to ‘follow the rules as and when the government introduces them, but not to act earlier or go further than the government says’. In this case, the data highlights the phenomenon from the opposite angle – many Britons’ adherence to anti-COVID measures dropping the moment it is no longer required.

Among Britons who say they only follow government rules and go no further, 54% said they were planning not to mix households before the rules change, but only 37% say the same now that they are being relaxed. The number planning to mix households meanwhile rose from 16% to 40%.

Another example of Britons’ reluctance to take anti-coronavirus measures if they don’t have to can be seen in the uptake of face masks. It wasn’t until the government made it a requirement that masks be worn in supermarkets in England that usage surged – from 38% to 69% between mid and late July. Prior to that point, the British had been uniquely reluctant among nations to cover their faces.

In relaxing the COVID-19 restrictions for Christmas, it seems that the government has effectively encouraged millions of Britons to mix households.

(YouGov)

December 03, 2020

Source: https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/articles-reports/2020/12/03/many-more-plan-mix-households-christmas-following-

NORTH AMERICA

667-43-11/Poll

Willingness to Get COVID-19 Vaccine Ticks Up to 63% in U.S.

Line graph. Americans' willingness to receive a COVID-19 vaccination that has been approved by the FDA, trend since late July. Currently, 63% say they are willing to receive one, near the 66% high from July and much higher than the 50% reading in September.

These latest findings are from the probability-based online Gallup Panel survey conducted Nov. 16-29, which began a week after the announcement by Pfizer and BioNTech that their COVID-19 vaccine had proved better than 90% effective in Phase 3 clinical trials. Since then, Moderna has made a similar announcement, and both companies have applied for emergency use authorization from the FDA for their vaccines. The FDA will hold hearings in the coming weeks to decide whether to grant authorization to both companies. If approved, some Americans could begin to receive vaccines before the end of the year.

Gallup first asked Americans in July about their likelihood to submit to being vaccinated, and at least three in five said they would do so. That proportion persisted in August. However, in mid-to late September, the public's readiness dropped. This sharp decline followed an announcement by AstraZeneca that its vaccine trials were halted because of adverse participant reactions. Additionally, statements by President Donald Trump and Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris may have affected Americans' views. Trump said in early September that a vaccine could be available before Election Day, raising questions about pressure being put on the FDA to expedite approval. For her part, Harris said she would not get a vaccine on Trump's advice alone and expressed concern about the potential for political interference in the vaccine approval process.

By the end of October, willingness to be vaccinated had begun to rebound, rising to 58%.

Democrats More Willing Than Republicans to Be Vaccinated

Majorities across most key demographic subgroups now say they would get inoculated should the FDA approve a COVID-19 vaccine, but some U.S. adults are more inclined to do so than others. Democrats' willingness to be vaccinated plunged 25 points in September to 53% but mostly rebounded in October, and has risen to 75% now. Political independents' readiness was also shaken in September and is now restored to its prior level, at 61%. Meanwhile, the percentage of Republicans saying they would get the vaccine, currently 50%, has held steady, although it is up from 37% in August.

Line graph. Partisans' willingness to receive a COVID-19 vaccination that has been approved by the FDA, trend since late July. Currently, 75% of Democrats, 61% of independents and 50% of Republicans say they are willing to receive one.

Women were initially about as likely as men to say they would get the vaccine, but they drastically soured on the idea in September, and they are now less likely than men to express readiness. Similarly, non-White adults were among the most willing to be vaccinated in July, but they now lag behind White adults. At the same time, college graduates remain more likely than those without college degrees to say they would be immunized, but less so than in July.

Willingness to Be Vaccinated Against COVID-19, by Subgroup

If an FDA-approved vaccine to prevent coronavirus/COVID-19 was available right now at no cost, would you agree to be vaccinated?% Yes

	Jul 20-26	Sep 14-27	Nov 16-29
	%	%	%
Total U.S. adults	66	50	63
Gender
Men	65	56	66
Women	67	44	60
Age
18-44	68	60	68
45-64	62	36	52
65+	68	54	74
Education
No college degree	62	45	61
College degree	75	60	68
Race/Ethnicity
White adults	64	54	67
Non-White adults	72	40	53
GALLUP PANEL, 2020

While more than two-thirds of Americans in the 18-44 and 65 and older age groups say they would get the vaccine, a slim majority of those aged 45-64 say the same.

Bottom Line

A return to normalcy in the U.S. is largely contingent upon a significant portion of Americans receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. The public's willingness to do so, which fell sharply in September, has rebounded in the past two months as an FDA-approved vaccine appears likely before the end of the year. The percentage of Americans currently willing to get vaccinated may still be below where public health experts want it, because the end of the pandemic is now tied at least in part to the speed with which sufficient numbers of Americans can get vaccinated.

The public's willingness to receive a vaccine in September suggests that public confidence in a vaccine can be significantly influenced by events or political messaging that cast doubt on vaccines' safety. While Democrats' willingness has rebounded, Republicans' remains steady at 50%, even though Trump has been discussing a vaccine since early on in the pandemic. Given this, it may take Republican governors advocating vocally for the vaccine when it is ready, in order to sway their base.

(Gallup USA)

December 08, 2020

Source: https://news.gallup.com/poll/327425/willingness-covid-vaccine-ticks.aspx

667-43-12/Poll

Views of U.S. Pandemic Worsen Amid Rising COVID-19 Cases

Nearly three in five U.S. adults remain worried about personally contracting the disease, but concerns about the availability of COVID-19 testing and a lack of social distancing in their area are stable at significantly lower levels.

More than seven in 10 Americans continue to report in the online survey that their lives have been disrupted by the pandemic, and the public widely expects the disruption to continue through at least the first half of 2021.

Views of the U.S. Coronavirus Situation Tie Worst on Record

Gallup has tracked Americans' views of the coronavirus situation in the U.S. in its probability-based online survey since early April, when 56% said it was getting worse. Since then, it has fluctuated, but the latest percentage, 73%, who say it is worsening ties the highest on record. That occurred in July, when COVID-19 cases were rising in many parts of the U.S. The latest reading includes 53% who say the situation is getting "a lot" and 20% "a little" worse, roughly the same as the July readings.

Line graph. Americans' views of the coronavirus situation in the U.S. today, trend since April 6. Currently, 73% of U.S. adults say it is getting a lot or a little worse, 12% think it is getting a lot or a little better, and 15% say it is staying about the same.

Throughout the trend, Democrats have been much more likely than Republicans to say the situation is getting worse. In the latest survey, 95% of Democrats, 71% of independents and 46% of Republicans think the pandemic is worsening. Twenty-six percent of Republicans say the situation is getting better and 29% say it is staying the same.

Hospital Capacity Worries Rising; Testing, Social Distancing Worries Stable

In early April, hospitals in some parts of the U.S. were stretched thin because of overwhelming patient loads, and 64% of Americans were "very" or "moderately" worried about the availability of hospital treatment, services and supplies in their area. As the curve began to flatten, the level of worry dropped, but it rose again -- though to a lower level (48%) -- in July, when hospitalizations once again increased.

With hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients now higher than ever before, Americans' level of worry about hospital capacity in their local areas has almost doubled since September. Still, the 50% of U.S. adults who currently are worried remains well below the levels in the early days of the pandemic.

Line graph. Percentage of Americans who are very or moderately worried about the availability of hospital supplies, services and treatment since April 6. Currently, half of U.S. adults say they are worried about their availability, up 17 percentage points since October.

Partisans' views -- which differ vastly across most measures related to the pandemic -- diverge in their level of concern about hospital capacity too -- 71% of Democrats, 49% of independents and 20% of Republicans are worried.

In contrast, the percentage of Americans who are very (5%) or moderately (22%) worried about the availability of testing for COVID-19 in their area is well below late April's 62% high. The reading has been stable since September.

At the same time, 46% of Americans express at least a moderate amount of worry about a lack of social distancing in their local area. This has not varied much since early April.

Worry About Getting COVID-19 Steady

Concern about personally contracting COVID-19 has fluctuated between 46% and 59% since the first reading in early April; it is currently at the upper end of that range, with 58% saying they are "very" or "somewhat" worried.

Line graph. Percentage of Americans who are very or moderately worried about getting COVID-19, trend since April 6. Currently, 58% say they are worried.

Most Say Lives Disrupted, Expect Pandemic to Continue Well Into 2021

Just over seven in 10 U.S. adults say their lives have been disrupted "a great deal" (25%) or "a fair amount" (47%). Readings on this measure have been largely stable since mid-April after hitting highs between 75% and 81% earlier in the pandemic.

Asked how long they expect the current level of disruption to continue, 56% of U.S. adults think it will be through the first six months of 2021, and 31% say longer than that. Only 2% think there are just a few weeks left in the disruption, and 11% say it will be a few more months. As the months have gone by, Americans have become more likely to think it will last longer.

While majorities of Americans across party lines think the disruption will continue at least through the first half of 2021, Republicans are more are likely than Democrats and independents to expect a quicker resolution, with 27% saying it will last no longer than a few months.

Americans Expect Pandemic Disruption to Continue

How long do you think the level of disruption occurring to travel, school, work and public events in the U.S. will continue?

	U.S. adults	Republicans	Independents	Democrats
	%	%	%	%
A few more weeks	2	6	2	0
A few more months	11	21	9	5
Through the first half of 2021	56	47	54	62
Longer than that	31	26	35	33
GALLUP PANEL, NOV. 16-29, 2020

(Gallup USA)

December 10, 2020

Source: https://news.gallup.com/poll/327542/views-pandemic-worsen-amid-rising-covid-cases.aspx

667-43-13/Poll

Americans' Mental Health Ratings Sink to New Low

Americans' latest assessment of their mental health is worse than it has been at any point in the last two decades. Seventy-six percent of U.S. adults rate their mental health positively, representing a nine-point decline from 2019.

MentalHealth1

Line graph. Americans' assessment of their mental health as excellent and excellent/good since 2001. The latest data shows nine-point drops in each since 2019.

Each year since 2001, Gallup has asked Americans as part of its November Health and Healthcare survey to say whether their own mental or emotional wellbeing is excellent, good, only fair or poor. The reading for those rating their mental health as excellent or good ranged from 81% to 89% until this year's 76%.

Although the majority of U.S. adults continue to rate their mental health as excellent (34%) or good (42%), and far fewer say it is only fair (18%) or poor (5%), the latest excellent ratings are eight points lower than Gallup has measured in any prior year.

The latest weakening in positive ratings, from a Nov. 5-19 poll, are undoubtedly influenced by the coronavirus pandemic, which continues to profoundly disrupt people's lives, but may also reflect views of the election and the state of race relations, both of which were on Americans' minds this year.

Previous research from Gallup's ongoing COVID-19 tracking survey in April found that although majorities of Americans said they could continue following social distancing guidelines as long as necessary before their physical health and financial situation suffered, less than half said the same of their mental health. Additionally, in April, U.S. adults' life evaluations fell to a low point last seen during the Great Recession.

The drop in Americans' positive appraisal of their mental and emotional wellbeing varies across demographic subgroups. The following groups' ratings of their mental health as excellent fell by double digits since 2019 -- women, Republicans, independents, those who attend religious services less than weekly, White adults, those who are unmarried, older adults, and lower-income Americans. Democrats and frequent church attendees show the least change in their mental health ratings.

The subgroups showing the greatest declines in excellent mental health are not necessarily the groups with the lowest positive ratings. That is, more Republicans and independents than Democrats say their mental health is excellent while women rate theirs less positively than men.

In addition to women and Democrats, lower-income Americans, young adults, the unmarried, and those who seldom or never attend religious services have the lowest excellent ratings. These demographic patterns have been mostly consistent over the past 20 years.

Americans' Rating of Their Mental Health as Excellent, by Demographic Groups. 2019 vs. 2020

	2019	2020	Change
	%	%	pct. pts.
Gender
Male	49	41	-8
Female	37	27	-10
Party identification
Republican	56	41	-15
Independent	44	32	-11
Democrat	30	29	-1
Religious service attendance
Weekly	42	46	+4
Nearly weekly/Monthly	47	35	-12
Seldom/Never	42	29	-13
Race
White	45	35	-10
Non-White	40	32	-8
Marital status
Married	49	41	-8
Not married	37	27	-10
Age group
18-29	37	28	-9
30-49	40	32	-8
50-64	51	42	-9
65+	44	34	-10
Household income group
Under $40,000	33	27	-6
$40,000-$99,999	43	31	-12
$100,000 or more	57	45	-12
GALLUP

Americans' Physical Health Holding Up Better Than Their Mental Health

While Americans' mental health has suffered this year, their self-reported physical health has not changed substantially. In fact, the latest 29% excellent reading and the combined 79% excellent/good rating are similar to a year ago and close to the averages for the 20-year trend.

PhysicalHealth2

Line graph. Americans' assessment of their physical health as excellent and excellent/good since 2001. The latest data shows 29% say it is excellent, and 79% say it is excellent or good.

As has been the case in prior years, Americans' age is a strong predictor of how they rate their physical health -- with older Americans less positive than younger Americans. Similarly, there are recurring and significant differences based on income and education levels. Those with more education and higher incomes, who likely have better access to quality healthcare, have more positive assessments of their physical health than their counterparts.

Americans' Rating of Their Physical Health by Demographic Subgroups

	Excellent	Good	Excellent/Good
	%	%	%
Age group
18-29	37	47	84
30-49	32	49	81
50-64	27	50	77
65+	18	55	73
Annual household income
Less than $40,000	23	42	65
$40,000-Less than $100,000	27	59	86
$100,000 or more	40	46	86
Education
No college degree	25	51	76
College graduate	37	49	86
GALLUP, NOV. 5-19, 2020

Bottom Line

More than eight months into the coronavirus pandemic in the U.S., Americans' reports of mental health are much worse than a year ago. While they remain more likely to say their mental health is excellent than their physical health, the gap between the two has narrowed this year.

(Gallup USA)

December 07, 2020

Source: https://news.gallup.com/poll/327311/americans-mental-health-ratings-sink-new-low.aspx

667-43-14/Poll

Democrats more optimistic than Republicans that partisan relations in Washington will improve in 2021

Just 21% of Americans say relations between Republicans and Democrats will get better in the coming year. Far more (37%) expect relations to worsen, while 41% say they will stay about the same.

How we did this

Following Joe Biden’s victory and his post-election call for partisan unity, significantly more Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents (35%) than Republicans and Republican leaners (7%) say relations between the two parties in Washington will improve.

To be sure, more Democrats say partisan relations will stay the same (44%) or get worse (20%) than predict they will improve. But Democrats are far more optimistic than Republicans, a majority of whom (54%) say relations will get worse in the coming year, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted Nov. 12 to 17.

The share of Americans who expect relations between Republicans and Democrats in Washington to improve, while low, has more than doubled – from 9% to 21% – since shortly after the 2018 midterm election, when Democrats gained a majority in the House of Representatives. Since then, the share of Democrats who anticipate improved partisan relations has increased 22 percentage points, from 13% to 35%, while remaining virtually unchanged among Republicans at 6%.

Meanwhile, the public continues to have largely negative views about the state of partisan divisions in the country. A majority of Americans (69%) say that divisions between Republicans and Democrats today are increasing, while just 8% say they are decreasing and 23% say they are staying the same.

Majorities of both Republicans (74%) and Democrats (65%) say partisan divisions are increasing. Only about one-in-ten in both parties say they are decreasing, while 26% of Democrats and 20% of Republicans say they are staying about the same.

While Republicans are more likely than Democrats to say partisan divisions are increasing, Democrats are more likely to be very concerned about partisan divides in the country.

Sizable majorities in both parties (80% of Republicans, 83% of Democrats) say they are very or somewhat concerned about divisions between Republicans and Democrats. While 40% of Republicans are very concerned by this, a somewhat larger share of Democrats (48%) say the same.

Following the 2020 elections, members of both parties are generally optimistic about the future of their parties. More than eight-in-ten Democrats (83%) today say that they are either very or somewhat optimistic about the future of the Democratic Party, and nearly three-quarters of Republicans (74%) say the same about their party.

Partisans typically express optimism about the futures of their parties. But more Democrats are optimistic today, after Biden’s win, than after Hillary Clinton’s loss in 2016 (83% now, 61% in November 2016). Republicans are nearly as optimistic about the GOP as they were in 2016 (74% now, 79% then).

(PEW)

December 01, 2020

Source: https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/12/01/democrats-more-optimistic-than-republicans-that-partisan-relations-in-washington-will-improve-in-2021/

AUSTRALIA

667-43-15/Poll

Unemployment down sharply to 11.9% in November as lockdown finally ends in Victoria – lowest since early March

Latest Roy Morgan employment series data shows 1.68 million (down 130,000) Australians unemployed (down 0.9% to 11.9% of the workforce).

The workforce was down slightly in November but employment increased strongly:
The workforce in November was 14,119,000 – comprised of 12,439,000 employed Australians and 1,680,000 unemployed Australians looking for work. The workforce was down by 39,000 as some people who were unemployed left the workforce but there was also strong employment growth during the month.

More Australians were employed in November as full-time employment was up strongly:
12,439,000 Australians were employed, up 91,000 from October – driven by increases in both Victoria (up 85,000) and NSW (up 74,000) while other States declined. There was an increase in full-time employment up 138,000 to 8,098,000, while there were 4,341,000 employed part-time, down 47,000.

Unemployment dropped in November as new jobs were created and some left the workforce:
1,680,000 Australians were looking for work (11.9% of the workforce), down 130,000 from October. There were fewer people looking for full-time work, down 11,000 to 779,000 and also far fewer looking for part-time work, down a large 119,000 to 901,000.

Roy Morgan’s unemployment figure of 11.9% for November is significantly higher than the current ABS estimate for October 2020 of 7%. However, the ABS figure for October estimated a decline in the workforce participation rate to 65.8% since March which if it had held steady at 66% (Roy Morgan’s participation rate is at 66.9% in November, down slightly from 67% in March) would mean an extra 60,000 people in the workforce now. The ABS also counts an additional 134,000 Australians who were working zero hours in October for economic reasons as ‘employed’. If all of these non-workers are added back the ABS unemployment estimate for October increases to 1.16 million (8.4%).

Under-employment also down in November to lowest since early March:
In addition to those who were unemployed 1.28 million Australians (9.1% of the workforce) were under-employed – working part-time but looking for more work. This was a decline of 53,000 on a month ago driven by the decrease in part time employment as more full-time jobs were filled.

In total 2.96 million Australians (21.0%) were either unemployed or under-employed in November, an improvement of 183,000 on October according to the latest Roy Morgan employment estimates.

Compared to early March, before the nation-wide lockdown was implemented, there were 800,000 more Australians either unemployed or under-employed (+5.4% points) in November.

Michele Levine, CEO Roy Morgan, says the unemployment and under-employment results for November show an economy in recovery mode:

“Roy Morgan’s unemployment measure for November shows 1.68 million Australians were unemployed (11.9% of the workforce) and an additional 1.28 million (9.1%) were under-employed. Importantly, this is the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began that both measures have dropped month-on-month as Victoria finally emerged from a four-month lockdown in late October.

“In total, 2.96 million Australians (21.0%) were unemployed or under-employed in November – down 183,000 on a month ago and the lowest level since early March in the pre-pandemic period.

“However, despite this recovery, there is a long way to go with more than 800,000 Australians now unemployed or under-employed than there were pre-pandemic and economic stimuli to the economy being progressively withdrawn.”

Roy Morgan Unemployment & Under-employment (2019-2020)

(Roy Morgan)

December 02, 2020

Source: https://www.roymorgan.com/findings/8592-australian-unemployment-estimates-november-2020-202012020504

MULTICOUNTRY STUDIES

667-43-16/Poll

International study: How has coronavirus affected people’s personal lives?

A new survey in 14 countries and regions looks at the impact of COVID-19 on people’s relationships and mental health

A new YouGov survey, conducted in 14 countries and regions, reveals the damage done to people’s personal lives across the world.

Romantic relationships

People in the UAE report the most negative impact on their romantic lives, with 24% saying that their relationship has become strained or even ended as a result of the virus. One in five Indonesians (21%) likewise say that the virus has taken a toll on their love life, as do 15% of Americans, Britons and Hong Kongers.

Danes are least likely to have been adversely affected, at 7%.

Family relationships

While Danes’ love lives may have been least affected, their family relationships are another matter. Almost half (48%) of Danes say that their family relationships have become strained, or that they have even stopped talking to someone entirely, as a result of the disease.

This figure is far higher than in any other country, with Italy in second place at 29%. The Chinese are least likely to have experienced disharmony in the family since the pandemic began, at just 9%.

Friendships

Danes are also the most likely to say their friendships have taken a hit because of coronavirus, at 35% (joint with Indonesians).

Again, it is the Chinese who are least likely to have fallen out with their friends, at 9%.

Mental health

Britons are the most likely to say that the virus has negatively affected their mental health. Almost two thirds (65%) say they’ve found themselves more troubled over the course of the outbreak, slightly ahead of Hong Kongers (63%) and Italians (62%).

Germans are the least likely to say the crisis has had a negative impact on their mental health, at 44% - the only country where this figure was lower than half.

In the UAE, more than half (55%) said the virus had a negative impact on their mental health. Only 23% reported no impact and far fewer (14%) said the impact on their mental health was positive.

(YouGov)

December 04, 2020

Source: https://mena.yougov.com/en/news/2020/12/10/international-study-how-has-coronavirus-affected-p/

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Brazilians and Chinese people are most likely to say social togetherness has improved

The COVID-19 pandemic has put people under pressure the world over, and this has had the effect of bringing them together in some places but pushing them apart in others.

Data from the YouGov-Cambridge Globalism Project shows that two thirds of Chinese people (68%) say that the overall sense of social togetherness in their country has increased since the coronavirus pandemic began, the highest rate for any country. Brazilians are not far behind, on 64%. Half of Thai people (51%) and Greeks (50%) also think the country is more tightly knit than it was before the outbreak.

Americans are the least likely to think their country has come closer together since the crisis began, at just 19%. A majority (55%) think that social cohesion has deteriorated.

Americans are now, however, the most likely to think that social togetherness in their country has decreased. That dubious honour goes to Nigeria, at 59%. South Africans (55%) are also as likely as Americans to say people are further apart than they were.

The survey also asked whether people thought social togetherness in their local area had changed since the outbreak as well. Again, Brazilians and Chinese people top the list of nationalities where people say togetherness has improved (60% and 58% respectively).

On this measure, Germany and Japan find themselves at the bottom of the list, at 16%. That is not to say they feel social cohesion has deteriorated locally – they are in fact the countries most likely to say simply that there has been no change (55% for Japan, 52% Germany). It is perhaps no coincidence that both of these countries had a good track record in combatting the virus by the time the survey was conducted this summer.

On the local measure, South Africa and Nigeria are again the countries where people are most likely to say things have become worse, at 54% and 52% respectively.

Americans again are among the most likely to think the situation has deteriorated on a local level as well, at 41%.

However, the difference between perceptions of the local and national situation is most striking in America.

Looking at the net scores for each situation in each country (i.e. subtracting the number of people who think togetherness has decreased from the number who think it has increased) shows that the net score for people’s local areas in the USA is -20, while the net score for the national level is -36. This 16-point difference between the local and national situations is the joint-highest of any country in the study, and potentially reflects the national turmoil Americans have seen this year as a result of Black Lives Matter protests, as well as the contentiousness of the presidential election.

The other country with such a big difference is Denmark, but the relationship is flipped: Danes are more likely to think the national situation (+27) has improved than the local one (+11).

(YouGov)

December 04, 2020

Source: https://yougov.co.uk/topics/international/articles-reports/2020/12/04/which-societies-has-coronavirus-brought-closer-tog

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How has COVID-19 affected people's privacy?

It is in the United Arab Emirates that the impact of the pandemic on love life is the most negative: 24% of those questioned say that their story has ended or has been weakened due to COVID-19.

1 in 10 French people make the same observation (12%).

Danes are the least likely to have been affected in love (7%).

Family relationships

If the love life of the Danes seems to have been slightly affected, family relationships have been more affected. Almost half of Danes (48%) say that some family ties have been severed or strained due to illness.

This figure is much higher than in all other countries covered by the study, with Italy in second place with 29%. The French (16%) and the Chinese (9%) are the least affected.

Friendly relations

Regarding friendly relations, Denmark once again leads the most affected countries, tied with Indonesia (35%).

Here again, it is the French (12%) and Chinese (9%) the least likely to have experienced difficulties.

Religious faith

The global pandemic has been a trying time for all, straining the faith of many believers. In the United Arab Emirates, 16% of the population claim to have questioned their faith, or to have totally lost it because of the health context. In Europe, the figures are less alarming: 2% in Denmark, 3% in the United Kingdom, 4% in France, Sweden and Germany.

Mental Health

Nearly 6 in 10 French people say that the pandemic has had a negative effect on the psychological level (57%) and 8% even confide that it had a “very negative” impact.

While the British are the most affected (65%), the Germans are conversely the least affected (44%).

To go further, discover here an in-depth analysis of the impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of populations.

(YouGov)

December 10, 2020

Source: https://fr.yougov.com/news/2020/12/10/comment-le-covid-19-affecte-la-vie-privee/