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BUSINESS & POLITICS IN THE WORLD GLOBAL OPINION REPORT NO. 710 Week:
September 27 –October 03, 2021 Presentation:
October 08, 2021
710-43-23/Commentary:
65% Of Pakistanis Have Planted A Tree/Plant In The Past Year 65%
Of Pakistanis Have Planted A Tree/Plant In The Past Year UAE
Residents Are Likely To Attend The Dubai Expo, With Seven In Ten Planning To
Visit As Tourists According
To The IMF, Algeria Recorded A 4.6% Real GDP Contraction In 2020 60%
Britons Would Prefer To Work Remotely Always Or Some Of The Time If They
Could Choose Just
One In Ten Britons (10%) Think Starmer’s Been A “Good” Or “Great” Leader
Since Taking The Job Almost
Half 46% Of UK Adults Expect Crime To Go Up Over The Next Year A
Majority (58%) Of Britons Say The UK Should Be Spying On Other Countries 66%
Of Italians Believe They Can Recognize If They Are Depressed 52%
Of Military Veterans Said The U S Decision To Withdraw Troops From The
Country Was The Right One Only
About Quarter Of Republicans (27%) View The Prosecution Of The Rioters As
Very Important Job
Ratings Of Many Key Federal Agencies Decline In U S One
In Fourteen (7%) Voters Say They Waited More Than An Hour To Vote Living
for Today, Not Tomorrow: Majority (54%) Do Not Have A Financial Plan for
Retirement 29%
Of Australians Now Say, Freedom Is More Important Than The Law Only
28% Of Algerians And 19% Of Libyans Put Economic Grievances First Urban
Indians Intend To Use Personal Vehicles More Than The Pre-Pandemic Times In
The Future INTRODUCTORY NOTE
710-43-23/Commentary:
65%
Of Pakistanis Have Planted A Tree/Plant In The Past Year
According to
a survey conducted by Gallup & Gilani Pakistan, 65% of Pakistanis have
planted a tree/plant in the last year. A nationally representative sample of
adult men and women from across the four provinces was asked the following
question, “Please indicate if you have planted any trees / plants in the last
one year?” In response to this question, 65% said yes while 35% said no.
Provincial
Breakdown 68% from
Punjab, 54% from Sindh, 68% from KPK and 69% from Balochistan have planted a
tree or plant in the past year.
September
30, 2021 Source: https://gallup.com.pk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/30th-sept-1.pdf 710-43-24/Country Profile:
ASIA (Japan) The
Election Results In Japan Could Be Swayed By The More Than 60 Party Lawmakers
Who Did Not Make Clear Whom They Support The survey asked 382 LDP Diet members or
their aides by Sept. 26 about their preferred choice to succeed Yoshihide
Suga as party leader and prime minister. It received responses from 381. More
than 110 Diet members said they will vote for Kishida, 64, former LDP policy
chief, in the Sept. 29 election, while Kono, 58, the administrative reform
minister, garnered support from more than 100 lawmakers. The two were
followed by Sanae Takaichi, 60, former communications minister, with the
backing of more than 80 Diet members. (Asahi Shimbun) September 27, 2021 (Pakistan) 65%
Of Pakistanis Have Planted A Tree/Plant In The Past Year According to a survey conducted by Gallup
& Gilani Pakistan, 65% of Pakistanis have planted a tree/plant in the
last year. A nationally representative sample of adult men and women from
across the four provinces was asked the following question, “Please indicate
if you have planted any trees / plants in the last one year?” In response to
this question, 65% said yes while 35% said no. (Gallup Pakistan) September 30, 2021 MENA (UAE) UAE
Residents Are Likely To Attend The Dubai Expo, With Seven In Ten Planning To
Visit As Tourists As Dubai prepares to host the much-awaited
Expo 2020, YouGov’s latest survey reveals that a large majority (82%) of UAE
residents are likely to attend the mega event of the year. Only 5% said they
are unlikely, while less than one in ten (8%) remain undecided. At 82%, the intent to visit the Expo is
higher than the pre-pandemic times (February 2020) where 67% had shown an
interest in attending the event. (YouGov MENA) September 28, 2021 (Morocco) 18%
Of Moroccans Expressed Deep Concern And 33% Expressed Mild Concern That The
Virus Will Continue To Spread And Infect Many People The findings of the fourth part of the Arab
Barometer1 survey’s sixth wave, carried out in May 2021,
confirm that the spread of COVID-19 (43% of respondents) and the economic
situation (33%) are still the main challenges for Moroccans, the same ones
that emerged in previous editions of the survey’s sixth wave. Going forward,
18% of respondents expressed deep concern and 33% expressed mild concern that
the virus will continue to spread and infect many people across the country
in the coming six months. (Arabbarometer) September 29, 2021 (Algeria) According
To The IMF, Algeria Recorded A 4.6% Real GDP Contraction In 2020 Before the Delta-induced summer crisis
Algerians, while concerned about the virus, seemed fairly confident in their
country’s ability to withstand the pandemic. In April 2021 respondents were
not particularly worried about their hospitals’ ability to cope. Only 14% of
respondents were preoccupied with their health care system, while 43% were
apprehensive about the risk of a family member getting ill and 18% were
concerned with other citizens not following government recommendations. (Arabbarometer) September 30, 2021 WEST
EUROPE (UK) 60%
Britons Would Prefer To Work Remotely Always Or Some Of The Time If They
Could Choose Half of
British workers (50%) are still working from home at least some of the time,
up from 37% before the pandemic. And an even higher number (60%) would prefer
to work remotely always or some of the time if they could choose. But while
city centres no longer look like the deserted ghost towns of the height of
the pandemic, there is broad consensus that they will never see workers
return at the same rate as before. This is a view held by four in five
business decision makers (79%) and 70% of the general public, new YouGov data
shows. (YouGov UK) September
28, 2021 The Majority Of Britons 61% Think Gender Inequality Will Not Be
Addressed As Britain Recovers From The Pandemic New research by Ipsos MORI shows Britons
are split when it comes to predicting the potential effects (e.g. economic,
social and health) the coronavirus pandemic will have on different genders.
Most expect that both men and women will be impacted as negatively as each
other (61%) while 1 in 10 predict men with be the gender effected worse and
15% say women will suffer more. Perhaps unsurprisingly, men are more
likely to expect their own gender to be the most negatively affected (12% vs.
8% who say women) while women are also more likely to choose their own gender
(18% vs 8% who say men). (Ipsos MORI) 28 September 2021 Just One In Ten Britons (10%) Think Starmer’s Been A “Good” Or
“Great” Leader Since Taking The Job Just one in ten Britons (10%) think he’s
been a “good” or “great” leader since taking the job, compared to 34% who say
“average”, and 39% who say he’s done a “poor” or “terrible” job. This
constitutes a hefty drop in approval since spring, when 21% of the public
rated his performance as good or better. 2019 Labour voters also seem
uninspired by the job he has done. The largest portion of these voters (43%)
say he’s done an average job, while they are more likely to say he has done a
poor/terrible job (27%) than a good or great one (20%). Perhaps most damning
though is that this same group are also now marginally more likely to say he
should stand down (41%) than remain as leader (37%). (YouGov UK) September 29, 2021 Almost Half 46% Of UK Adults Expect Crime To Go Up Over The
Next Year New research by Ipsos MORI shows nearly
half of UK adults believe crime levels in the UK will go up over the next 12
months (46%). This increases to 56% among those aged 55-75 compared to only
36% of 18-24-year olds and 35% of 25-35- year olds. Overall, only 5% expect
to see crime go down while 3 in 10 (30%) believe it will stay the
same. The fieldwork was conducted in the beginning of September, before
the Sarah Everard sentencing. (Ipsos MORI) 30 September 2021 A
Majority (58%) Of Britons Say The UK Should Be Spying On Other Countries A majority (58%) of Britons say the UK
should be spying on other countries, including 44% who think this should
extend to countries we consider to be our allies. One in eight (13%) think
the UK should not be spying on any other country. Among Labour supporters,
18% think the UK shouldn’t be spying on anyone, compared to just 6% of
Conservative voters who hold this view. Among
Britons who think the UK should be spying on others, seven in ten said Russia
(85%) should be on the list, and the same number said China (85%). (YouGov UK) September 30, 2021 (Italy) Two
Out Of Three Italians Said They Visit A Cultural Place, Such As A Museum Or
An Exhibition, At Least Once A Year Generally, Italian museums have a good
image among the Italian population. 27% consider the offer of museums
interesting, especially for those over 55. 24% think that the Italian
heritage is rich and 14% that it is varied. The Uffizi Gallery and the Royal
Palace of Caserta are the best known museums in Italy (79%) and visited by
45% and 40%, respectively, of the people who know it. The second place
is the Egyptian Museum, known by 72% of Italians and visited by 33% of the
people who know this museum. (YouGov Italy) September 29, 2021 66%
Of Italians Believe They Can Recognize If They Are Depressed Much has been said about the negative
psychological effects of the coronavirus on people. As already shown by
an international YouGov research, conducted in November 2020 , in almost all the countries
studied, the share of people who declare a negative impact of the pandemic on
their psychological well-being was at least 50% (62% in Italy). But do Italians know about depression, its
symptoms and its consequences? 66% of Italians believe they can recognize
if they are depressed, 17% would not know how to do it, while 17% are not
sure. (YouGov Italy) October 1, 2021 (French) 81%
Of French People Believe That It Is Difficult For A Young Person To Have
Confidence In The Future 76% of respondents believe that with
Covid-19, the employment situation of young people has deteriorated. Almost
three-quarters (71%) of French people consider it difficult in 2021 for a
young person to find a job, to integrate into the world of work and 54%
believe that it was easier in their time. Indeed, less than half of French
people (47%) and working people (48%) have heard of it, and only 1 in 10
precisely. (Ipsos France) 1 October 2021 NORTH AMERICA (USA) 52% Of Military Veterans Said The U S Decision To Withdraw
Troops From The Country Was The Right One In a survey conducted Aug. 23-29 – before
all American troops had left Afghanistan – 52% of military veterans said the
U.S. decision to withdraw troops from the country was the right one, while
47% said it was wrong. The balance of opinion was roughly similar among
adults who did not serve in the military, with 54% saying it was the right
decision and 42% saying it was wrong. (PEW) SEPTEMBER
28, 2021 Only About Quarter Of Republicans (27%) View The Prosecution
Of The Rioters As Very Important However, since March, there has been a
decline in the share of the public saying it is important that those who
broke into the Capitol be prosecuted (from 87% to 78%), with the change
coming almost entirely among Republicans and Republican-leaning
independents. Since March, there has been a 22 percentage point drop
in the share of Republicans who think it is very or somewhat important that
federal law enforcement agencies find and prosecute those who broke into and
rioted at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 (from 79% to 57%). (PEW) SEPTEMBER 28, 2021 Job Ratings Of Many Key Federal Agencies Decline In U S Americans' job evaluations of eight
prominent federal government agencies have fallen by double digits since
2019. The largest drop is for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
with 40% now saying it is doing an excellent or good job, down from 64% in
2019. None of the 13 agencies measured in both 2019 and 2021 showed an
increase in positive job ratings. (Gallup) SEPTEMBER 30, 2021 (Canada) One In Fourteen (7%) Voters Say They Waited More Than An
Hour To Vote According to an Ipsos poll conducted
exclusively for Global News, the vast majority (84%) of Canadians who voted
say that the process was quick and easy, and that the whole process took them
less than half an hour. But for 16% of voters the process was more arduous:
9% of voters say it took between a half hour and an hour to vote, 4% say they
had to wait more than an hour to vote, and 3% had to wait more than two hours
to vote. (Ipsos Canada) 27 September 2021 Living for Today, Not Tomorrow: Majority (54%) Do Not Have
A Financial Plan for Retirement An Ipsos survey conducted on behalf of the
Canadian Institute of Actuaries reveals that over half (54%) of Canadians do
not have a financial plan for retirement, a figure which includes three in
five (59%) non-retirees and as many as two in five (39%) retirees who are
currently retired. What’s more, a majority (54%) of non-retirees aren’t sure
when they plan to retire (40%) or say they will never retire at all (14%),
figures which suggest many are not thinking enough about retirement and their
later years. Some retirees may even be guilty of this as well, with as many
as one in five (19%) reporting that they have less than $25k in savings and
investments in retirement. (Ipsos Canada) 29 September 2021 AUSTRALIA 29% Of Australians Now Say, Freedom Is More Important Than
The Law New Roy Morgan data shows since the
COVID-19 pandemic began there has been a sustained increase in how
Australians view freedom compared to the law of the land. 29.3% of
Australians 14+ now agree that ‘Freedom is
more important than the law’ – an increase of almost 8% points
compared to the March quarter 2020 (21.6% of Australians) just prior to the
onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. When the pandemic began agreement with this
statement jumped 7% points in the June quarter 2020 to 28.6% of Australians
and has remained between 27-31% over the last year. (Roy Morgan) September 28 2021 MULTICOUNTRY STUDIES Only 28% Of Algerians And 19% Of Libyans Put Economic
Grievances First Along with the Lebanese, Tunisians, far
more than citizens in the other Arab countries surveyed, see economic issues
as the most pressing ones. Just over half of Tunisian and 64% of Lebanese
respondents pointed to the economic situation as “the most important
challenge facing [their] country today,” in a survey conducted in November
2020. For comparison with Tunisia’s neighboring countries, only 28% of
Algerians and 19% of Libyans put economic grievances first. (Arabbarometer) September 28, 2021 Source: https://www.arabbarometer.org/2021/09/in-surveys-tunisians-tell-of-continuous-economic-grievances/ Urban Indians Intend To Use Personal Vehicles More Than The
Pre-Pandemic Times In The Future Global consumer data revealed driving
behavior was drastically impacted as a result of the pandemic. Having
said that, a majority of people who buy and drive their own vehicle expect no
change in the need for a personal vehicle (59%). A third (32%) stated a
lesser or no need for a personal vehicle, while 18% expect a slight or
significantly more need for it. Coming
to their attitudes, they rely on the internet for information (92% saying
this). Advertising influences them much more than the online population, and
three-quarter of them (76%) say advertising helps them choose what they buy. (YouGov India) September 30, 2021 Source: https://in.yougov.com/en-hi/news/2021/09/30/urban-indians-intend-use-personal-vehicles-more-pr/ Globally, Social Hostilities Related To Religion Decline In
2019, While Government Restrictions Remain At Highest Levels In 2019 – the most recent year for which
data is available, covering a period before the disruptions accompanying the
coronavirus pandemic – 43 countries (22% of all those included in the study)
had “high” or “very high” levels of social hostilities. That is down from 53
countries (27%) in 2018, and from a peak of 65 countries (33%) in 2012. These
figures have fluctuated since the study began in 2007, but the number of
countries with at least “high” levels of social hostilities related to
religion is now the lowest since 2009. (PEW) SEPTEMBER 30, 2021 ASIA
710-43-01/Polls The Election
Results In Japan Could Be Swayed By The More Than 60 Party Lawmakers Who Did
Not Make Clear Whom They Support
Fumio Kishida and Taro Kono are running
neck and neck in terms of lawmakers’ votes in the ruling Liberal Democratic
Party’s presidential election, which appears headed toward a runoff, an Asahi
Shimbun survey showed. The survey asked 382 LDP Diet members or
their aides by Sept. 26 about their preferred choice to succeed Yoshihide
Suga as party leader and prime minister. It received responses from 381. More than 110 Diet members said they will
vote for Kishida, 64, former LDP policy chief, in the Sept. 29 election,
while Kono, 58, the administrative reform minister, garnered support from
more than 100 lawmakers. The two were followed by Sanae Takaichi,
60, former communications minister, with the backing of more than 80 Diet
members. Seiko Noda, 61, the LDP executive acting
secretary-general, was supported by a little more than the minimum
endorsement of 20 LDP lawmakers required to run for party president,
according to the survey. The election results could still be swayed
by the more than 60 party lawmakers who did not make clear whom they support. In addition, rank-and-file party members
and supporters will account for half of the weight of ballots in the first
round of voting. Many party members expect no candidate will
win a majority in the first round, which would force a runoff between the top
two vote-getters. The weight of lawmakers’ votes will be
overwhelming in the event of a runoff. Kishida has secured support from all 46
members of his own faction as well as some lawmakers from the 96-member
Hosoda faction and the 53-member Aso faction, to which Kono belongs. Kono is backed by more than half of Aso
faction members, just under 50 percent of lawmakers from the 47-member Nikai
faction, and roughly 70 percent of Diet members from the 17-member Ishiba
faction. Takaichi has gained support from more than
half of Hosoda faction members and around 20 percent of Nikai faction
members. Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who backs
Takaichi, maintains a huge influence in the Hosoda faction. Rank-and-file party members and supporters
are freer from faction politics than lawmakers and may vote for the candidate
who is most popular among the public. According to a Sept. 11-12 nationwide
telephone survey by The Asahi Shimbun, 42 percent of LDP supporters wanted
Kono to win the election, followed by 19 percent for Kishida, 12 percent for
Takaichi and 1 percent for Noda. The survey was conducted before official
campaigning kicked off on Sept. 17. Thirteen percent of LDP supporters backed
Shigeru Ishiba, former defense minister and LDP secretary-general, but he
announced he will not run in the election on Sept. 15. Surveys by other media outlets after
campaigning started also showed Kono was the most popular among LDP
supporters, followed by Kishida and Takaichi. The presidential hopefuls will compete for
a total of 764 votes, with half of them allocated to LDP lawmakers, excluding
the Upper House president and the Lower House speaker, casting one ballot
each. The remaining half will be distributed
according to how the 1.1 million rank-and-file members and supporters
nationwide cast their ballots. In a runoff, the 382 party lawmakers will
get one vote each, while a total of 47 votes will go to LDP prefectural
chapters. (Asahi Shimbun) September 27, 2021 Source: https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14448666 710-43-02/Polls 65% Of
Pakistanis Have Planted A Tree/Plant In The Past Year
According to a survey conducted by Gallup
& Gilani Pakistan, 65% of Pakistanis have planted a tree/plant in the
last year. A nationally representative sample of adult men and women from
across the four provinces was asked the following question, “Please indicate
if you have planted any trees / plants in the last one year?” In response to
this question, 65% said yes while 35% said no.
Provincial Breakdown 68% from Punjab, 54% from Sindh, 68% from
KPK and 69% from Balochistan have planted a tree or plant in the past year.
September 30, 2021 Source: https://gallup.com.pk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/30th-sept-1.pdf MENA
710-43-03/Polls UAE
Residents Are Likely To Attend The Dubai Expo, With Seven In Ten Planning To
Visit As Tourists
As Dubai prepares to host the much-awaited
Expo 2020, YouGov’s latest survey reveals that a large majority (82%) of UAE
residents are likely to attend the mega event of the year. Only 5% said they
are unlikely, while less than one in ten (8%) remain undecided. At 82%, the intent to visit the Expo is
higher than the pre-pandemic times (February 2020) where 67% had shown an
interest in attending the event. Among those who are likely to visit the
expo this year, the 35–44-year cohort are most likely to be present at the
Expo compared to the younger adults in the country. Similarly, working
professionals are more likely than non-working residents (87% vs 62%) to be
there at the event. When asked about the purpose of the visit,
almost seven in ten (68%) said they will be visiting the Expo site as a
tourist. About three in ten (28%) indicated they will be there for work,
while less than one in five (18%) said they will be participating as a
volunteer. Unsurprisingly, the younger adults (those between 18-24 years) are
most likely to be there as volunteers. After a year of postponement, Expo 2020
Dubai is all set to provide extraordinary experiences to its visitors. Data
shows that people in UAE are most eager to experience innovation and
world-class technology at the Expo (58%). Half of the residents said they are
looking forward to interacting with people from different nationalities and
experiencing the art, history and culture of different countries (50% each).
More than two in five (46%) are excited about the architectural wonders
presented in form of pavilions, while some are interested in attending global
investment forums (37%), education programs (36%) and enjoying the world’s
delicacies and cuisines (35%). Talking about pavilions, this year’s Expo
will be a unique experience as for the first time in the history of World
Expos, every participating country will have its own pavilion. Among those who
are excited to see the pavilions, a majority (70%) thinks that the UAE
pavilion is going to be the greatest attraction this year. The pavilions of
other countries like Singapore (29%), India (21%) and China (20%) are also
thought to be the attractive ones this year. When it comes to the impact of Expo 2020 on
the overall development of the nation, more than half (54%) of UAE residents
said it will help in creating more economic opportunities in the country. A
similar proportion (53%) thinks it will position UAE as the world’s leading
knowledge economy. For both these areas, people who are 45+ seem to be more
optimistic than the rest. Similarly, amongst the nationality groups,
Arab expats (54%) are most likely to believe that Dubai Expo will help in
diversifying the country’s economy in the post-oil era. Other perceived benefits of Expo 2020
include improvements in infrastructure and the energy sector (44%), growth of
business relations with other countries (42%) and growth of SMEs (40%) in the
kingdom. It seems the overall excitement for the
Dubai Expo 2020 is quite positive as a large majority (85%) in UAE feels that
the event is going to be a success despite the pandemic. (YouGov MENA) September 28, 2021 Source: https://mena.yougov.com/en/news/2021/09/28/uae-residents-are-likely-attend-dubai-expo-seven-t/ 710-43-04/Polls 18% Of Moroccans
Expressed Deep Concern And 33% Expressed Mild Concern That The Virus Will
Continue To Spread And Infect Many People
This piece is part of a four-part series
published by the Middle East Institute in cooperation with Arab Barometer
analyzing the results of the sixth
wave of the Arab Barometer surveys. As soon as the first signs of the health
crisis caused by COVID-19 appeared in North Africa, Morocco took swift and
decisive action, implementing health, economic, security, and social measures
at the end of February 2020. These actions explain the largely positive
perception among Moroccans of the state’s handling of this difficult
situation, a challenge unlike any since the Arab Spring in 2011. The findings of the fourth part of the Arab
Barometer1 survey’s sixth wave, carried out in May 2021,
confirm that the spread of COVID-19 (43% of respondents) and the economic
situation (33%) are still the main challenges for Moroccans, the same ones
that emerged in previous editions of the survey’s sixth wave. Going forward,
18% of respondents expressed deep concern and 33% expressed mild concern that
the virus will continue to spread and infect many people across the country
in the coming six months. Around a quarter of Moroccans (23%) said
that the government’s quick reaction to the pandemic is the reason why they
are not worried about its outbreak — the highest among the seven countries
included in the sixth wave. The government’s performance in managing the
COVID-19 crisis has helped to boost trust in it: 25% said they feel a great
deal of trust in it, while 23% said they feel quite a lot, according to the
survey. This performance also improved overall satisfaction with the Moroccan
government: 16% said they were completely satisfied and 54% said they were satisfied
with the work of government authorities. According to the survey, 10% of respondents
said they had already taken the vaccine. The state’s outreach campaign, as
well as people’s high hopes that the vaccination drive would lift the
lockdown and curfew imposed by authorities, explain why 56% of respondents
said they were very likely to get vaccinated if it were free of charge, while
20% said they were somewhat likely and only 10% said they were very unlikely
to do so. After a 6.3% drop in GDP in 2020, the vaccine is seen as the only way to
save the Moroccan economy. Moroccans are more concerned by the impact
of COVID-19 on the disruption of children’s education, the effects on
psycho-emotional state, and the increased cost of living caused by the
pandemic at 24%, 21% and 17%, respectively. This may be due in part to the
duration of the lockdown imposed by the authorities at the start of the pandemic:
At three months, it was one of the longest COVID-19 quarantines imposed
globally in 2020. State support and the economy As for state social support for families,
41% of respondents said they were subsidized, 6% received food, and 51% did
not get any aid. Most of the aid came from the fund created on March 13, 2020 on the
king’s instruction to address the effects of COVID-19, by collecting donations from businessmen,
governmental and non-governmental institutions, foreign governments, and
citizens. The fund received MAD 33.7 billion ($3.75 billion) by July 2020. In fact, this was the
first time that the state provided direct financial support to a large number
of citizens, given that subsidies used to include only a few groups. This
support in the first months of lockdown played a key role in restoring trust
in the government, and it also explains the decline in social protests in
recent months. Through the Special Fund for the Management of the
COVID-19 Pandemic,
the government paid private sector employees registered with the National
Social Security Fund (CNSS) MAD 2,000 and citizens active in the informal
sector and registered with the Subsidized Health Insurance Scheme (RAMED) MAD
800 for households of at least two persons, MAD 1,000 for households of three
or four, and MAD 1,200 for families of more than four. This aid was paid for
three months from March 2020, and for a few more impacted sectors later on,
such as tourism. Other than direct aid, the Economic
Oversight Committee also implemented fiscal measures aimed at exempting from
tax any additional contributions from employers to their employees affiliated
with the CNSS, up to 50% of their average net monthly salary. This support
doubtless affected Moroccans’ assessment of the economic situation during the
survey. In general, Moroccans’ sense of how the
economy is faring is shaped by daily life and the stability of markets
(controlling inflation rates) regardless of other macro-economic indicators.
Respondents assessed the current economic situation as very good (11%) and
good (52%), the highest rates across the seven surveyed countries. Furthermore,
44% and 23%, respectively, think that the economic situation will be “much
better” or “somewhat better” over the next two to three years. The majority
of respondents stated that it was never true that they “worried our food
would run out before we got money to buy more” (64%) or that “the food we
bought did not last and we did not have money to get more” (58%). Over the past two decades Morocco has maintained price stability
compared to other countries in the region, and during the last 10 years
inflation did not exceed 2% thanks to the central bank’s strict monetary
policy. Morocco has one of the region’s most stable monetary policies, at a
time when inflation rates and high living costs have led to social unrest in
many countries since 2011. Generally speaking, Moroccans are satisfied with
the country’s economic performance due to the stability of basic commodity
prices in recent years. Still plenty of room for improvement Satisfaction with the general economic
situation may be reassuring now, but it is not a reason for the government to
rest on its laurels. Citizens’ demands in other areas prove that satisfaction
and trust in the government are not very high, especially when it comes to
education reform, job creation, and the fight against corruption. In this
regard, 20% of respondents said that reforming the education system should be
the government’s first priority to improve the economic situation, while 44%
said that it should focus on creating more jobs. As far as the fight against
corruption is concerned, satisfaction is still low: Nearly two-thirds of
Moroccans believe that corruption within state bodies and organizations is
widespread to a large (19%) or a medium extent (42%). By contrast, 39% think
that the government is working to crack down on corruption to a large extent,
against 33% who think it is doing so to a medium extent and 15% to a small
extent. (Arabbarometer) September 29, 2021 710-43-05/Polls According To
The IMF, Algeria Recorded A 4.6% Real GDP Contraction In 2020
The Arab Barometer’s survey results for
Algeria paint the picture of a population understandably worried about the
COVID-19 pandemic and its economic impact. In surveys carried out in the
country from August 2020 to April 2021, the spread of the virus and the
business outlook consistently emerged as the top two challenges ahead, with
economic concerns rising to the top position and overtaking the health
situation over this period. Because of the spread of the Delta variant,
Algiers has been struggling to contain the transmission of the virus. New
cases and deaths quickly escalated between July and August 2021, taking
the health care system to the brink of collapse. Before the Delta-induced summer crisis
Algerians, while concerned about the virus, seemed fairly confident in their
country’s ability to withstand the pandemic. In April 2021 respondents were
not particularly worried about their hospitals’ ability to cope. Only 14% of
respondents were preoccupied with their health care system, while 43% were
apprehensive about the risk of a family member getting ill and 18% were
concerned with other citizens not following government recommendations. Vaccination and public health restrictions Classified by the IMF in its April 2021 regional economic outlook as a “slow inoculator,” Algeria’s
vaccination campaign has been lackluster. In early September, with only 3
million people fully inoculated out of a total population of around 45
million, the government announced the launch
of a major vaccination effort with the aim of reaching 70% of
Algerians. The authorities were also considering introducing a mandatory vaccination certificate for some categories of individuals. The Arab Barometer survey’s April 2021
results also highlight widespread vaccine hesitancy in the period prior to
the Delta outbreak. 45% of respondents considered it very unlikely that they
would get a vaccine if it was available for free, while 8% thought it was
“somewhat unlikely.” Asked about their preference among available vaccines,
Algerians were more confident (34%) in Russian-made jabs than in U.S.-made
ones (12%), while 21% rejected all of the available options. Over the course of 2020 and 2021, the
authorities imposed a series of restrictions in various attempts to slow the
virus’ pace of transmission. These limitations have often affected freedom of
movement and business activity, for example through curfews and mandatory closing times. These measures have disproportionately hit low-wage and informal workers, many
of whom have been constrained in their daily activities and have lost at
least part of their income. The Arab Barometer study highlights many
Algerians’ concern with these policies’ uneven impact. In April 2021, 59% of
respondents believed that the health crisis had worse effects on poorer
citizens and 55% thought that migrants were particularly impacted. Economic outlook In addition to their impact on these
vulnerable segments of the population, the pandemic and government
restrictions have also impacted the macroeconomic outlook. According to the
IMF, Algeria recorded a 4.6% real GDP contraction in 2020. With a breakeven
oil price for its budget of $90 and for its current account of $78, it
recorded two large fiscal and external deficits of 12.7% and 10.5% of GDP,
respectively, as oil prices were well below these fiscal targets. In turn,
these shortfalls have caused the exchange rate to steadily fall since March 2020. The cheaper
Algerian dinar has translated into a sharp rise in the prices of imported goods, a consequential change for consumers in a
country that imports virtually all of the goods that it consumes. Unsurprisingly, in the April 2021 survey
42% of respondents assessed that the economic situation was “bad,” and 21%
thought it was “very bad.” A plurality of Algerians (32%) indicated that the
higher cost of living was their biggest COVID-19-related concern and another
plurality (22%) considered it their second-biggest worry. Budget constraints
also meant that the government has been unable to offer sufficient financial
support for the population. Against this backdrop, 90% of respondents said
that they received no aid from the government during the COVID-19 crisis, with
20% complaining that they often worried about running out of money to buy
food and 18% saying that they sometimes had this worry. Over the past months, the Algerian
government has unveiled several initiatives to try to revive the country’s
grim business outlook. In late August it presented an action plan focused on
agriculture, renewable energy, pharmaceuticals, and tourism, with the aim of
improving business conditions and simplifying rules for investors in these
sectors. Other objectives included the goal of improving human
development and, in particular, the quality of education and research.
However, local media and economists criticized the whole program for being too vague and lacking
specific targets. In addition, in early September the presidential
administration announced a series of restrictions on imports, in an attempt to contain the current
account deficit and reduce pressure on the exchange rate. However, these
measures were likely to also create shortages and fuel inflation. Looking ahead Even though the current picture is hardly
rosy, the Arab Barometer survey shows that, at least as of several months
ago, Algerians remained cautiously optimistic about future economic
conditions. In April 2021, 23% thought that in the next two to three years
conditions would be much better, while another 23% expected the economy to
somewhat improve (compared with 19% who thought it would get much worse and
12% who anticipated a slight deterioration). 34% of respondents indicated
that the government should prioritize creating more job opportunities,
followed by 21% who highlighted reforming education as a concern. Overall, the survey results confirm that
Algerians are worried about the pandemic and its socio-economic impact,
particularly in relation to vulnerable categories, such as poorer citizens
and migrants, even as they retain some optimism for the future. The study
also highlights how in the coming months the biggest challenges for the
government are likely to be dealing with vaccine hesitancy, which could
hamper any future economic recovery, reviving business activity, creating
jobs, and containing inflation. (Arabbarometer) September 30, 2021 WEST
EUROPE
710-43-06/Polls 60% Britons Would Prefer To Work Remotely Always Or Some Of The Time
If They Could Choose
Half of British workers (50%) are still
working from home at least some of the time, up from 37% before the pandemic.
And an even higher number (60%) would prefer to work remotely always or some
of the time if they could choose. But while city centres no longer look like
the deserted ghost towns of the height of the pandemic, there is broad
consensus that they will never see workers return at the same rate as before.
This is a view held by four in five business decision makers (79%) and 70% of
the general public, new YouGov data shows. What are the implications of a world where
many more workers do their jobs from home? Many people, including the chancellor, have
made their predictions – some positive, some negative. Rishi Sunak believes
young people working from home have much to lose and
warns it may hurt their career. He’s not alone in thinking that - seven in
ten business leaders (69%) and three in five people in the wider public (62%)
say those working remotely at the start of their career will likely struggle
to progress. The view among young Britons themselves
matches that of the wider public – 61% of 18-24 year olds think working from
home will disadvantage young workers relative to their office-bound
colleagues. The oldest Britons are most pessimistic of all, with 74%
expecting them to suffer. But while they expect young people’s
careers will suffer, businesses and Britons in general say the shift to
working from home will probably benefit other groups, some of whom have
traditionally been disadvantaged in the workplace. Both business leaders (65%) and the public
(56%) are convinced it will help advance women’s careers as childcare and
caring duties become less of a hindrance for working full time. There’s some
evidence to support this: the number of British women not seeking paid work
because of domestic and caring responsibilities has fallen by 200,000 since
the onset of the pandemic, with economists attributing the change to greater
levels of remote working. But there are also concerns that
women who were previously going into work are now expected to shoulder an
even larger share of the domestic work, with burnout
on the rise. Similarly, two thirds of businesses (64%)
and a majority of Britons (56%) say working from home will level the playing
field between workers by being more accommodating to people with mental
health issues or disabilities. The change in the past 18 months has
already prompted
some people with disabilities to ask why it took a pandemic for them
to be able to work home. While several voices have accused people
working from of being lazy or less
productive, this is a minority opinion. Three in five business leaders
(59%) say it’s unlikely those working from home will be less productive than
people going into work, while a third believe it’s likely (33%). The split
among the public is similar, at 50% to 35%. But while productivity may not suffer, half
of business leaders (50%) say it’s likely that remote working will be a drain
on creativity and collaboration, as predicted
by a former Bank of England chief economist. Two in five (40%) who say
it’s unlikely. The public are less sure, with 38% believing it’s plausible,
while 40% do not. Another concern is that the shift to remote
working may convince companies to hire cheaper workers in other countries
over Britons, with the Tony
Blair Institute warning that nearly six million jobs are at risk of
being shifted overseas. Businesses are split on the prospect of this, with
43% saying it’s likely vs 45% saying it’s unlikely. Britons are also divided,
by 38% to 36%. (YouGov UK) September 28, 2021 710-43-07/Polls The Majority Of Britons 61% Think Gender Inequality Will Not Be
Addressed As Britain Recovers From The Pandemic
New research by Ipsos MORI shows Britons are split when it comes to
predicting the potential effects (e.g. economic, social and health) the
coronavirus pandemic will have on different genders. Most expect that both
men and women will be impacted as negatively as each other (61%) while 1 in
10 predict men with be the gender effected worse and 15% say women will
suffer more.
Those with children or in bigger households are more likely to
predict a more negative effect on men. Those with households of 3 or 4+ (14%
and 13% respectively) are twice as likely to say this compared to those in
households of 1 or 2 (7% and 6% respectively). Looking to the future, many doubt the equality agenda will have
progressed throughout the pandemic, instead 53% expect the level of equality
to be the same as it was pre-pandemic, showing little change since January
when 55% said the same in our International Women’s Day survey. More
than 1 in 10 expect to see women become less equal with men as they were
before the COVID-19 outbreak (13%) while a similar proportion think they will
become more equal (10%). Nine per cent say women and men were already equal
before the pandemic began.
Britons want to prioritise flexible working practices and mental
health services when looking considering how to ensure the issues facing
women are addressed during recovery from COVID-19. Four in 10 Britons (41%)
say there should be more flexible working practices, such as working from
home and working part-time. Around a third say they should be better
mental health services (35%) and better social care services for the elderly
or vulnerable (32%). These options also made up the top 3 in May’s
International Women’s Day report.
Kelly Beaver, Managing Director of Public
Affairs at Ipsos MORI, said: This latest data shows the gap between the
perception of how COVID has affected men and women vs the reality. While the
majority of Britons believe that men and women will be impacted negatively as
one another, we know that women have borne the brunt of additional caring
work brought about by the pandemic as well as being more likely to be placed
on furlough, an issue affecting younger women in particular. Today’s release
highlights the need to take a holistic view when it comes to gender equality
as the Government seeks to build back better after COVID. (Ipsos MORI) 28 September 2021 710-43-08/Polls Just One In Ten Britons (10%) Think Starmer’s Been A “Good” Or
“Great” Leader Since Taking The Job
As he prepares for his first in-person conference speech as Labour
leader, it’s fair to say Starmer’s first 18 months in the job have been
pretty disrupted by the pandemic. Now life has begun to return to some sort
of normality, it seems any allowances the public were willing to give the
Labour leader have now expired, with their verdict of his performance to date
far from flattering. Just one in ten Britons (10%) think he’s been a “good” or “great”
leader since taking the job, compared to 34% who say “average”, and 39% who
say he’s done a “poor” or “terrible” job. This constitutes a hefty drop in
approval since spring, when 21% of the public rated his performance as good
or better. 2019 Labour voters also seem uninspired by the job he has done.
The largest portion of these voters (43%) say he’s done an average job, while
they are more likely to say he has done a poor/terrible job (27%) than a good
or great one (20%). Perhaps most damning though is that this same group are
also now marginally more likely to say he should stand down (41%) than remain
as leader (37%). One key area that Starmer has pledged to address in his speech this
afternoon is his vision for Labour, and the data shows how necessary this
will be. By 60% to 15%, the public say he’s done a bad job at setting out
Labour’s vision thus far, a view that is shared by Labour voters (55% to
26%). Looking specifically at the economy, just 35% of those who backed
Labour at the last election think the party’s policies are clear.
Additionally, by 44% to 30% they say he’s done a bad job at convincing the
public that the party can be trusted on this issue. If Starmer is to convince
his core voters he can lead the party to election victory, then he is going
to have to improve his message on the economy and other issues beyond those
where Labour traditionally poll well. A common theme of Labour conferences over the last few years has been
party unity (or lack thereof), and this year has been no different, with
leadership rule changes and shadow cabinet resignations prominently
featuring. As things stand, there is still a lot of work to do in this
regard, with our latest tracking data showing 53% of the public see the
Labour party as divided and just 10% saying it’s united. While not quite as
bad as things were just prior to his appointment – when 68% of the public saw
the Labour party as divided – there’s clearly still work to be done in
ensuring the leadership is focussed on improving the country rather than
distracted putting out internal fires. Just 16% of the public say that Keir Starmer looks like a Prime
Minister in waiting, and the jury has been out for a while on several of his
leadership qualities (likability, strength, trust). However, his competence
as a leader was one area where he consistently performed well, particularly
when compared to the Prime Minister. At the start of the year his net score
on competence was +21 (42% competent vs 21% not competent) but this has since
dropped off to -6 (29% vs 35%) earlier this month.
While it’s clear that Starmer is facing his most difficult period as
leader, there is still a long way to go before the next election and there is
certainly time for him to get out of this hole. After a disrupted first 18
months, he no longer has excuses to hide behind and it is critical that he
can rapidly start to convince the public that he is the right person to lead
Labour into the next election. Against a Prime Minister known for gaffes,
regaining his reputation as a competent candidate is crucial, but it is also
important for him to improve his other characteristics if his party is to be
successful. Beyond his personal attributes, clarity on policies and his
direction for the party will be pivotal and today’s speech needs to be the
start of this. (YouGov UK) September 29, 2021 710-43-09/Polls Almost Half 46% Of UK Adults Expect Crime To Go Up Over The Next Year
New research by Ipsos MORI shows nearly half of UK adults believe
crime levels in the UK will go up over the next 12 months (46%). This
increases to 56% among those aged 55-75 compared to only 36% of 18-24-year
olds and 35% of 25-35- year olds. Overall, only 5% expect to see crime go down
while 3 in 10 (30%) believe it will stay the same. The fieldwork was
conducted in the beginning of September, before the Sarah Everard sentencing. Considering specific crimes, UK adults are most likely to expect
anti-social behaviour (56%), fraud (52%), drug use (51%) and knife crime
(50%) to increase over the next 12 months. Again, around half think
robbery/theft (49%) and burglaries (46%) will rise, while similar proportions
expect to see an increase in domestic abuse (46%) and sexual offences (42%). Four in 10 (39%) say the amount of murders and manslaughter will stay
the same while 31% believe it will increase. People are split on
whether gun crime will remain the same or go up (36% vs. 33%
respectively. How to reduce crime in the UK When thinking about how to tackle crime in the UK, the public are
most likely to see more police on the beat as the most effective measure
(38%), followed by better parenting (26%). Around 2 in 10 say capital
punishment (22%), more effective programmes to change behaviour/rehabilitation,
more constructive activities for young people and less social inequality
would do most to reduce crime (all 21%). Handling of crime in the UK Alongside fears that crime will go up over the next 12 months, only 3
in 10 are confident in the Government’s handling of crime and justice in the
UK (29%). Younger people have slightly more faith; with 40% of 16-24s and 38%
of 25-34s feeling confident in the Government’s handling of crime, falling to
22% of 55-75-year olds. Conservative voters are also more likely to be
confident, 37% have faith in their Government compared to a quarter (26%) of
Labour voters. White ethnic groups are also less likely to be confident in the
Government’s handling of crime and justice than ethnic minorities. Less than
3 in 10 (28%) say they are confident while two-thirds (65%) say they are not
confident. Among ethnic minority groups, 43% have faith in the way crime has
been handled by the Government, while 47% do not. The public have slightly more confidence in the police to
protect them from crime. Four in 10 (41%) say they have faith in the police
to protect them from crime, but still just over half do not (52%). This again
differs by age, with 44% of 16-24s and 48% of 25-34s saying they have
confidence in the police, while only 37% of 55-75s feel the same. White
ethnic groups are more critical of the police compared to ethnic minority
groups (53% lack confidence in the police vs. 43% among ethnic minority
groups). Risk of fraud and cybercrime Considering fraud and cyber-crime specifically, just under 4 in 10
(38%) are confident in the ability of the Government and its law enforcement
agencies of protecting them, 52% are not. Yet the public feel at risk from a
range of fraud and cybercrimes in the UK. Just under half say they feel at risk of both money being stolen from
their bank account and buying goods online that turn out to be fake or
counterfeit (both 46%) while a third (35%) are worried about being tricked or
deceived out of giving or donating money or goods to an organisation or
person. Hannah Shrimpton, Associate Director at
Ipsos MORI, said: Although the overall rate of crime has been
falling for over two decades, the COVID-19 pandemic had a massive impact on
crime patterns in the UK. According to ONS statistics, there were drops in
particular types of crime (such as theft and violent crime), yet leaps in
fraud and cybercrime, as more people stayed home and turned online. Now, as we
move to a new era of the pandemic, there is a risk that patterns will once
again shift and we will see a rise in certain types of crime. This is
reflected in concerns of nearly half of UK adults – with people most likely
to expect anti-social behaviour, fraud, drug use and knife crime to increase.
This raises questions for the Government on how best to reassure the public,
as these fears are accompanied by a lack of faith in the Government’s
handling of crime, as well as the police’s ability to protect them from some
of these issues. (Ipsos MORI) 30 September 2021 Source: https://www.ipsos.com/ipsos-mori/en-uk/almost-half-uk-adults-expect-crime-uk-go-over-next-year 710-43-10/Polls A Majority (58%) Of Britons Say The UK Should Be Spying On Other
Countries
A majority (58%) of Britons say the UK should be spying on other
countries, including 44% who think this should extend to countries we consider
to be our allies. One in eight (13%) think the UK should not be spying on any other
country. Among Labour supporters, 18% think the UK shouldn’t be spying on
anyone, compared to just 6% of Conservative voters who hold this view. Among Britons who think the UK should be spying on others, seven in
ten said Russia (85%) should be on the list, and the same number said China
(85%). Almost half of these Britons (48%) think that espionage should be
conducted against the US, with Labour voters (57%) more likely than
Conservative voters (44%) to advocate this. Four in ten of those who think the UK should be spying on other
countries (43%) think the EU should be on the list, with Conservative voters
more likely to think so than Labour voters (48% vs 36%). A quarter of Britons (27%) say the UK should also be spying on NATO
and 29% think we should be spying on the United Nations. In the eyes of most Britons, Russia is the country with the best
spies in the world. Half (53%) hold this view. Some way behind is China, which 40% expect has the best spies. A
third imagine that America has the best spies (34%) while 30% think Britain
does. A quarter (27%) rank Israel as having the best spies. A third of Britons (37%) say they don’t know. (YouGov UK) September 30, 2021 710-43-11/Polls Two Out Of Three Italians Said They Visit A Cultural Place, Such As A
Museum Or An Exhibition, At Least Once A Year Italy is known all over the world for the range of museums it offers
to citizens and tourists, and YouGov has analyzed the opinion of Italians on
the museums in the country. Two out of three Italians said they visit a cultural place, such as a
museum or an exhibition, at least once a year.
Generally, Italian museums have a good image among the Italian
population. 27% consider the offer of museums interesting, especially
for those over 55. 24% think that the Italian heritage is rich and 14% that
it is varied. The Uffizi Gallery and the Royal Palace of
Caserta are the most popular museums for Italians The Uffizi Gallery and the Royal Palace of Caserta are the best known
museums in Italy (79%) and visited by 45% and 40%, respectively, of the
people who know it. The second place is the Egyptian Museum, known by
72% of Italians and visited by 33% of the people who know this museum. Museums with strong local roots In general, museums have a greater influence in the area in which
they are located and for more than half of the population (55%) a museum must
partly represent the culture and history of the local area, but also other
aspects that are not necessarily linked to the territory in which it is
located. 31%, on the other hand, think that the museum must be a
reflection of the culture and history of the local area and only 6% believe
that the museum must not represent the culture and history of the territory
in which it is located.
What do Italians think of sponsorship by
companies and brands of cultural sites 85% of Italians think it is appropriate for a company or brand to
sponsor an exhibition or a cultural place, especially if it contributes to
the cultural heritage and if it preserves and promotes the
territory. Does this sponsorship have a positive effect on the companies
that are part of it? 70% of the Italian population claims to notice the
sponsors of exhibitions or permanent collections when visiting an exhibition
(8% always and 32% most of the time). More than half (54%) of those who
notice sponsors say they have a better image of these brands.
Almost half of Italians (48%) think it is good that a brand opens an
exhibition or gives its name to a cultural place, because it allows as many
people as possible to become familiar with art. Furthermore, 35% think
this is good, but believe that funding should be more regulated to prevent
art from being privatized. On the other hand, a minority thinks it is
negative: for 4% art should be managed only by public services and for 3%
these museums / foundations exist only to improve the image of their
financiers.
(YouGov Italy) September 29, 2021 Source: https://it.yougov.com/news/2021/09/29/musei-e-fondazioni-analisi-del-patrimonio-cultural/ 710-43-12/Polls 66% Of Italians Believe They Can Recognize If They Are Depressed
October 10 is World Mental Health and Depression Day. But is it
possible today to speak openly about this disease, which is spread all over
the world? We conducted a survey to find out what Italians think about
depression and the consequences of COVID-19 on their mental health. Much has been said about the negative psychological effects of the
coronavirus on people. As already shown by an international YouGov
research, conducted
in November 2020 , in almost all the countries studied, the share of
people who declare a negative impact of the pandemic on their psychological
well-being was at least 50% (62% in Italy). But do Italians know about depression, its symptoms and its
consequences? 66% of Italians believe they can recognize if they are
depressed, 17% would not know how to do it, while 17% are not sure. So how many people are there to suffer from psychological disorders
in Italy? In the past year, 16% of individuals claim to have suffered
from depression, 35% from anxiety disorders and 5% from other kinds of
psychological disorders. In total, 43% have come to terms with at least
one disorder. The most common symptom among depressed people is a sense of
particular sadness, while insomnia is the first "symptom" of those
suffering from anxiety. Anxiety and depression therefore seem to be quite common moods these
days. What are the ways in which this disorder is addressed in Italy? The results tell us of a very marked difference between those who
said they had suffered from these disorders in the last year and those who
did not. Those who have had episodes of anxiety or depression in Italy have
often decided to talk about it with friends, family or acquaintances
(44%). There is a high share of those who have not spoken to anyone,
trying to rely only on their own strength (31%), while those who have turned
to a specialist (22%) represent a minority. On the contrary, the
majority of those who have not had such symptoms state that they would go to
a specialist (64%), whereas only 5% say that they would not talk to
anyone. On the other hand, the percentage of those who would talk about
it with friends, family or acquaintances entirely smile. These results represent an important food for thought for the issue of mental health in
Italy. The contrast between the actions taken
by those who have gone through a psychologically difficult moment, and
the intentions of
those who have not, reveal how the question of " mental health " is approached
in a way that is perhaps still too naive. Although, to date, 7 out of 10 Italians believe that mental and
physical health problems are equally serious, referring to a specialist is
easier said than done. (YouGov Italy) October 1, 2021 Source: https://it.yougov.com/news/2021/10/01/giornata-internazionale-della-salute-mentale/ 710-43-13/Polls 81% Of French People Believe That It Is Difficult For A Young Person
To Have Confidence In The Future
In general, the French consider that young people are in a difficult
situation. In terms of employment more specifically, respondents draw an
alarming observation for young people in 2021, particularly in terms of
employment.
Mentoring ... a solution that is ultimately
insufficiently known Indeed, less than half of French people (47%) and working people
(48%) have heard of it, and only 1 in 10 precisely. Yet, once mentoring is explained, it results in a very positive
perception:
Mentoring, a response to the search for
meaning of working adults On the side of active people likely to contribute to mentoring, the
arguments in favor of their investment are numerous. Whether it is to
give meaning to one's career, to use one's skills in a perspective of
solidarity or to give of one's time to support the younger generations,
mentoring is a particularly appropriate response in the current context. .
The tangible impact of mentoring Under the effect of mentoring, the Article 1 association observed a
significant beneficial impact, allowing it to call for the development of
this tool in the service of the societal transformation that is required. Success in studies Success in the first year of preparatory classes for the grandes
écoles (CPGE) increases by 12% through Mentoring and the dropout rate drops
by 32%. On average, the success rate in the 1st year of CPGE is 80.4% against
71.4% nationally, a difference of 9 points. It should also be remembered that the profile of CPGE students is on
average much more favored than that of mentees, with comparable academic
success. Faster and better professional integration
at constant educational levels At Bac +5 level and above
At Master level
The value of the average salary increases by 15%. While the
average expected salary is € 29.3K, it is € 33.6K among all former partners
who graduated from Masters in 2016, i.e. a difference of € 4.3K. Satisfaction with the professional situation increases by
18%. The average satisfaction score with regard to the different
characteristics of the professional situation is 12 percentage points higher
for young mentees (score of 7.9 against 6.7 out of 10 among Master's
graduates from all social backgrounds) . Article 1 further emphasizes the effect mobilizer of mentoring
for people accompanying young people, since it reinforces the feeling of
social utility, for 81% of mentors and develops sensitivity to the values
of solidarity for 79% (source Article 1). Mentoring helps mentees to better express their aspirations (for
80.6% of them) and to feel supported (81.5%). (Ipsos France) 1 October 2021 NORTH AMERICA
710-43-14/Polls 52% Of Military Veterans Said The U S Decision To Withdraw Troops
From The Country Was The Right One
Amid the ongoing
fallout over the American military’s withdrawal from Afghanistan,
veterans and non-veterans in the United States largely align when it comes to
the decision to pull all troops out of the country and on whether the overall
mission there was a success or failure. But veterans are more critical than
those who didn’t serve in the military when it comes to how President Joe
Biden’s administration has dealt with the issue. In addition, veterans have
less confidence than non-veterans in Biden’s ability to make good decisions
about foreign policy and to use military force wisely, according to two new
Pew Research Center surveys.
In a survey conducted Aug. 23-29 – before all American troops had
left Afghanistan – 52% of military veterans said the U.S. decision to withdraw
troops from the country was the right one, while 47% said it was wrong. The
balance of opinion was roughly similar among adults who did not serve in the
military, with 54% saying it was the right decision and 42% saying it was
wrong. Veterans and non-veterans were not as closely aligned in their views
on the original mission
in Afghanistan. Veterans were more likely than non-veterans to say the
initial U.S. decision to use military force in that country was the right one
(62% vs. 54%). Looking specifically at the Biden administration’s handling of the
situation in Afghanistan, veterans’ views are more critical than those of
non-veterans.
In a second survey by the Center, conducted Sept. 13-19, six-in-ten
veterans say the Biden administration has done a poor job on this issue. This
compares with 47% of non-veterans. On balance, both veterans and non-veterans
have a negative view of Biden’s efforts in Afghanistan: 76% of veterans say
his administration has done an only fair or poor job, as do 74% of
non-veterans. Only about a quarter or fewer in either group say the
administration has done an excellent or good job, with very few giving it an
excellent rating (4% of veterans and 5% of non-veterans). Views on U.S. policy toward Afghanistan – whether the recent
withdrawal or the 2001 invasion – differ
by party identification. Republicans and Republican-leaning independents
are less supportive than Democrats and Democratic leaners of the decision to
pull out all U.S. troops, and they are more supportive of the initial
decision to use military force 20 years ago. Similarly, there are deep
partisan divides in attitudes about the current administration’s
handling of the recent withdrawal, both among veterans and among the general
public. The overall differences in views between veterans and non-veterans
are partially a reflection of the partisan leanings of the veteran
population. As a group, veterans are more likely than non-veterans to
align themselves with the Republican Party. And veterans who identify as
Republican or lean to the GOP are more than five times as likely as
Democratic or Democratic-leaning veterans to say the Biden administration has
done a poor job handling the situation in Afghanistan. Among Republicans, veterans are somewhat more critical than non-veterans
of the Biden administration’s handling of the situation in Afghanistan.
Around nine-in-ten Republican veterans (91%) say the administration has done
a poor job in this area, compared with 81% of Republican non-veterans. The
dynamic is different among Democrats: Around half of Democratic veterans
(49%) say Biden has done an excellent or good job handing things in
Afghanistan, compared with a smaller share of Democratic non-veterans (39%).
Looking more broadly at assessments of Biden’s handling of foreign
policy and military affairs, views differ between veterans and non-veterans,
mainly at the extremes. Some 49% of veterans say they are not at all
confident in Biden’s ability to make good decisions about foreign policy.
This compares with 33% of non-veterans. Both veterans and non-veterans are
more likely to raise doubts about Biden’s abilities in this area than they
are to express confidence. Similarly, 49% of veterans – compared with 33% of non-veterans – say
they are not at all confident in Biden’s ability to use military force
wisely. Again, both veterans and non-veterans are more likely to say they are
not too or not at all confident in Biden when it comes to use-of-force
decisions than to say they are somewhat or very confident in him. Partisanship is strongly related to these views, as Republicans
assess Biden’s abilities more negatively than Democrats. Even so, veterans
stand out among Republicans in their criticism of the president’s ability to
make the right decisions about foreign policy and use of military force. On
both measures, 80% of Republican veterans say they are not at all confident
in Biden’s abilities in these areas. By comparison, 67% of GOP non-veterans
say they are not at all confident in Biden when it comes to making foreign policy
decisions, and 65% say the same about his ability to use military force
wisely. (The sample size for Democratic veterans on this question is too
small to analyze.)
One area where veterans and non-veterans are largely in agreement,
regardless of party, is in their assessments of the overall success or
failure of the U.S. mission in Afghanistan. Two-thirds of all veterans say
the U.S. mostly failed in achieving its goals in Afghanistan; 69% of all
non-veterans say the same. Nearly identical shares of Republican and
Democratic veterans (67% and 69%, respectively) say the U.S. failed its
mission, and they don’t differ significantly from non-veterans in this
regard. Looking to the future, veterans and non-veterans have similar views
when it comes to the threat the Taliban poses to U.S. security. Some 47% of
all veterans and 45% of non-veterans say Taliban control of Afghanistan is a
major threat to our security; 43% and 44%, respectively, say this poses a
minor threat. Among veterans, Republicans and Democrats have very different views
on this question: 64% of GOP veterans see Taliban control as a major threat
to U.S. security, compared with only 25% of Democratic veterans. These
partisan patterns are similar among non-veterans. (PEW) SEPTEMBER 28, 2021 710-43-15/Polls Only About Quarter Of Republicans (27%) View The Prosecution Of The
Rioters As Very Important
As the House select committee investigating
the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol ramps up its
investigation into the events of that day, most Americans continue to say it
is important to find and prosecute those who broke into and rioted at the
Capitol.
However, since March, there has been a decline in the share of the
public saying it is important that those who broke into the Capitol be
prosecuted (from 87% to 78%), with the change coming almost entirely among
Republicans and Republican-leaning independents. Since March, there has
been a 22 percentage point drop in the share of Republicans who think it is
very or somewhat important that federal law enforcement agencies find and
prosecute those who broke into and rioted at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 (from
79% to 57%). Moreover, only about quarter of Republicans (27%) view the
prosecution of the rioters as very important;
six months ago, half said this was very important. Among Democrats and
Democratic leaners, there have been only modest changes in opinions about
finding and prosecuting the Jan. 6 rioters. Today, 95% say it is important,
including 80% who see this as very important. The new survey by Pew Research Center, conducted Sept. 13-19 among
10,371 adults on the Center’s nationally representative American Trends
Panel, finds partisan divides on a range of issues related to the events of
Jan. 6, including views of the severity of the penalties for the those who
broke into the Capitol, the amount of attention the riot has received and
confidence in the fairness of the investigation by the House select
committee.
Partisan differences over the Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol have been
evident since shortly after it occurred, including
in initial open-ended reactions of Republicans and Democrats to the riot. Among the public overall, 48% say that the criminal penalties those
who broke into the U.S. Capitol have been receiving are not severe enough,
while two-in-ten say they are too severe and 29% say the penalties are about
right. Democrats are far more likely than Republicans to say that the
penalties are not severe enough. An overwhelming majority of Democrats (71%) say the criminal
penalties are not severe enough, while 21% say they are about right. Just 6%
say the penalties are too severe. Republicans are more divided in their assessment of the criminal
penalties. About four-in-ten Republicans and Republican leaners (38%) say
that the penalties for those who broke into the Capitol are too severe. A
nearly equal share (39%) say the penalties are about right. Only 19% of
Republicans say that the criminal penalties are not severe enough. There are also ideological divides among Republicans: 44% of
conservative Republicans say that the penalties for those who broke into the
Capitol are too severe, while 28% of moderate and liberal Republicans say the
same. Moderate and liberal Republicans are twice as likely as conservative
Republicans to say that the penalties are not severe enough (28% vs. 14%).
There are no significant ideological divides among Democrats.
Since March, the share of the public that says there has been too
little attention paid to the January riot at the Capitol has risen by 8
percentage points (35% now, 27% then), while there has been a comparable
decline in the share saying it is receiving the right amount of attention.
Nearly three-in-ten (29%) say there has been too much attention to the riot
and its impacts, little changed from six months ago. Democrats account for much of this change. The share of Democrats
saying there has been too little attention paid to the Jan. 6 riot and its
impacts has increased 14 points since March (from 40% to 54%). A 57% majority of Republicans say that there has been too much
attention paid to the Jan. 6 riot, roughly on par with March. In the current
survey, 65% of conservative Republicans say the riot and its impacts have
gotten too much attention, compared with 41% of moderate and liberal
Republicans. Liberal Democrats are somewhat more likely than conservative and
moderate Democrats to say that there has been too little attention to the
Jan. 6 riot and its impacts (60% vs. 49%). Sizable partisan split in confidence that
House committee will be fair and reasonable in investigating Jan. 6 riot As a House select committee seeks information from Trump officials
about the events of Jan. 6, about two-thirds of adults say they have heard
either a lot (11%) or a little (57%) about this committee and the
investigation; 31% of Americans say they have heard nothing at all.
Republicans are slightly more likely than Democrats to say they haven’t heard
anything about the committee (35% vs. 27%).
When asked how confident they are that the committee’s investigation
will be fair and reasonable, just 11% of Americans say they are very
confident and another 34% say they are somewhat confident. A 54% majority say
they are either not too (32%) or not at all confident (22%) that the
investigation will be fair and reasonable. There are wide partisan divides over confidence in the committee,
with Republicans much less likely than Democrats to say they think the
investigation will be fair and reasonable. About four-in-ten Republicans (37%) say they are not too confident
that the committee’s investigation will be fair, while an additional 40% are
not confident in the committee at all.
Just 3% are very confident in the committee to be fair and reasonable. Fully 63% Democrats say they are at least somewhat confident that the
investigation will be fair and reasonable, while 36% express little or no
confidence. Among Republicans, a wide majority of conservatives (83%) say that
they aren’t confident that the investigation will be fair, including nearly
half (47%) who say they are not at all confident. Moderate and liberal
Republicans are somewhat less negative, although two-thirds lack confidence
in the fairness of the investigation, with 26% saying they are not at all
confident. There are no significant ideological differences on this question
among Democrats. Among Republicans, there also are stark differences in opinions about
the Jan. 6 riot and its aftermath between those who think Trump was the
rightful winner of the presidential election and those who think Joe Biden
won legitimately. In June, about two-thirds (65%) of Republicans and Republican leaners
said that Trump definitely (33%) or probably (33%) won the 2020 presidential
election, meaning they believe he received the most votes cast by
eligible voters in enough states to win. Official counts show that Biden received the most
votes cast by eligible voters in enough states to win.
Republicans who said Biden definitely or probably won the 2020
presidential election (43%) are more than twice as likely as Republicans who
said Trump won (18%) to say that it is very important
that federal law enforcement agencies find and prosecute the individuals who
broke into and rioted at the U.S. capitol on Jan. 6. Similarly, about four-in-ten Republicans who said Biden won (39%) say
they are at least somewhat confident that the House select committee’s
investigation into Jan. 6 will be fair and reasonable. Only 13% of
Republicans who said Trump won say the same. Republicans who said Trump won are more likely to say the criminal
penalties for those who broke into the Capitol and rioted have been receiving
are too severe. About half of Republicans who said Trump won (48%) express
this view, compared with 19% of Republicans who said Biden won. (PEW) SEPTEMBER 28, 2021 710-43-16/Polls Job Ratings Of Many Key Federal Agencies Decline In U S
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Americans' job evaluations of eight prominent
federal government agencies have fallen by double digits since 2019. The
largest drop is for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with 40%
now saying it is doing an excellent or good job, down from 64% in 2019. None
of the 13 agencies measured in both 2019 and 2021 showed an increase in
positive job ratings. Changes in Americans' Job Ratings of Federal Government Agencies and
Departments, 2019-2021 How would you rate the job being done by ...? Would you say it is doing
an excellent, good, only fair or poor job?
Gallup periodically asks Americans to assess how some of the more
newsmaking federal agencies and departments are doing. Gallup first asked
about NASA in 1990, and then expanded the list to a larger number of agencies
in 2003. Fifteen agencies are included in Gallup's annual Governance survey
this year, conducted Sept. 1-17. The prior measures are from April 2019,
before the coronavirus pandemic and when the U.S. economy was generally
strong. The CDC's ratings have suffered the most as the nation has struggled
to deal with the pandemic among other challenging issues. The leading health
agency has been criticized for changing
its messages about the best ways for Americans to protect themselves from
the coronavirus, particularly regarding the use of face masks. But the CDC is not alone in suffering a decline in public trust, with
the CIA, the U.S. Postal Service, the Secret Service, the FBI, the IRS, the
Department of Homeland Security and the Environmental Protection Agency all
showing declines in job ratings of at least 10 percentage points. Many of these agencies have been involved in controversies, including
cutbacks and delays in mail delivery for the Postal Service, the influx of
migrants at the U.S. Southern border for Homeland Security, and the CIA's
assessments of how quickly the Taliban would take over Afghanistan after the
U.S. military left the country. The declines in agency rating may also reflect the negative effects
of the pandemic on Americans' views of society and governance, a broader
decline in trust in government this year, as well as the recent slide
in President Joe Biden's job approval rating. NASA Has Highest Rating; State Department,
EPA Get Lowest Ratings Americans' ratings of NASA are the highest for any agency, at 60%,
and it is the only agency not to show at least a minimal decline in
performance ratings since 2019. The U.S. Postal Service (57%) and the Secret
Service (55%) -- which were the top-rated
agencies in 2019 -- are rated next best, even after large declines
for each this year. These three are the only agencies of 15 tested in the new poll that
receive majority positive ratings. In 2019, nine of the 13 agencies tested
had majority positive evaluations. The State Department, measured for the first time in the current
survey, ranks lowest, with 32% giving it an excellent or good job rating,
essentially tied with the EPA (33%). The poll was conducted shortly after the
United States' chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan. The State Department was
criticized for its struggles in coordinating the evacuation of Americans and
U.S. allies living there. The Defense Department, another key government actor in the
Afghanistan withdrawal, was also included in the survey for the first time
and received positive ratings from 46% of U.S. adults. CDC Among Several Agencies at a New Low Americans have generally been positive about the way the CDC has done
its job historically, across the seven times Gallup has measured its
performance. Typically, at least six in 10 U.S. adults say the CDC is doing
an excellent or good job. The current 40% is thus a significant departure from
the norm, though it is not the only such instance. In addition to the current
COVID-19-era measure, ratings also were lower in 2014 (50%), during the Ebola
virus outbreak in the U.S.
Line graph. Trend in Excellent/Good ratings of the job the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention is doing. Sixty-six percent said the CDC was
doing an excellent or good job the first time Gallup asked about it in 2003.
Readings taken in 2009, 2013, 2017 and 2019 ranged between 60% and 66%. The
two ratings below 60% were 50% in 2014 and 40% in 2021. In addition to the CDC, the Department of Homeland Security, FBI, EPA
and U.S. Postal Service are at new lows in Gallup's trend. For the full
trends on each agency, click on the linked PDF at the bottom of the article. Republicans Show Biggest Drop in Ratings of
Most Agencies Both Republicans and independents are less positive toward all 13 of
the agencies measured in both 2019 and 2021. In contrast, Democrats are more
positive toward most of them. The partisan differences to a large degree are
a response to the change from the Donald Trump administration to the Joe
Biden administration between the two surveys among Democratic and Republican
Party supporters. Republicans generally show the largest declines in agency ratings, most
notably for the CDC (down 57 points), but also for Homeland Security (down 41
points), the CIA (down 34 points), the Secret Service and the EPA (each down
29 points). Across the 13 agencies, Republicans' ratings are down an average
of 25 points.
Bar graph. Changes in Republicans' opinions of the job federal
government agencies and departments are doing between 2019 and 2021.
Republicans are less likely in 2021 than in 2019 to say all 13 agencies
measured in both years are doing an excellent or good job. These include a
57-point drop from 71% to 14% for the CDC, a 41-point drop from 65% to 24%
for Homeland Security, a 29-point drop from 54% to 25% for the EPA, and a
29-point drop from 74% to 45% for the Secret Service. The smallest drop was
three points for NASA, from 61% to 58%. The largest decline among independents is also for the CDC, down 28
points. Independents' ratings of the Postal Service have dropped 21 points, a
larger decline for the USPS than among the other party groups. On average
across the 13 agencies and departments, independents' scores are down 14
points.
Bar graph. Changes in independents' opinions of the job federal
government agencies and departments are doing between 2019 and 2021.
Independents are less likely in 2021 than in 2019 to say all 13 agencies
measured in both years are doing an excellent or good job. These include a
28-point drop from 64% to 36% for the CDC, a 21-point drop from 77% to 56%
for U.S. Postal Service, and an 18-point drop from 58% to 40% for the Department
of Homeland Security. The smallest drop was six points for NASA, from 60% to
54%. Unlike the other party groups, Democrats are more positive toward the
CDC now, with 72% saying it is doing an excellent or good job, up from 61% in
2019. Democrats' job assessments of the FDA, FEMA, Federal Reserve and
Homeland Security increased even more, by between 19 and 25 points. The only agency for which Democrats' opinions have deteriorated
significantly is the Postal Service, down 16 points. On average, Democrats' job evaluation improved eight points for the
various agencies -- a much smaller change than the decline in average ratings
seen among Republicans.
Bar graph. Changes in Democrats' opinions of the job federal
government agencies and departments are doing between 2019 and 2021.
Democrats are more likely to say nine of 13 agencies measured in both years
are doing an excellent or good job. These include a 25-point increase from
37% to 62% for the FDA, a 23-point increase from 38% to 61% for FEMA, a
19-point increase from 42% to 61% for the Department of Homeland Security,
and a 19-point increase from 45% to 64% for the Federal Reserve Board.
Democrats' ratings of the U.S. Postal Service, CIA and IRS are less positive
in 2021 than in 2019. Bottom Line Americans' increasingly pessimistic job
ratings of the president, Congress and the
Supreme Court that were also measured in Gallup's September poll
extend to other parts of the federal government, namely the various federal
agencies and Cabinet departments that make up the executive branch of the
government. Nearly all agencies Gallup tested are rated worse now than two
years ago, and many are at record lows in the 2003-2021 trend. These declines come during a period that has been trying for the U.S.
Among the challenges, the coronavirus pandemic and how to mitigate it may be
paramount, but the pullout from Afghanistan, increased crime and violence, a
surge of migrants at the Southern border, and improving social justice have
all sparked discord in Washington and around the country. The diminished federal government agency ratings also come at a time
when Republicans' trust in the federal government to handle international and
domestic problems is the lowest Gallup has measured for any party group
historically. (Gallup) SEPTEMBER 30, 2021 Source: https://news.gallup.com/poll/355130/job-ratings-key-federal-agencies-decline.aspx 710-43-17/Polls One In Fourteen (7%) Voters Say They Waited More Than An Hour To Vote
Toronto, ON, Sep 27, 2021 — With
voter turnout clocking in near its lowest point ever, and amid reports of
staffing shortages at Election Canada resulting in long lineups to vote in
the 44th general election, a new Ipsos report has found that
long lineups were the exception, not the rule. Moreover, lower voter turnout
appears to be caused more by voter apathy than by a concern about safety or
long lineups at Canada’s polling stations. Moreover, voters report longer
lines at advance polls than on election day. According to an Ipsos poll conducted exclusively for Global News, the
vast majority (84%) of Canadians who voted say that the process was quick and
easy, and that the whole process took them less than half an hour. But for
16% of voters the process was more arduous: 9% of voters say it took between
a half hour and an hour to vote, 4% say they had to wait more than an hour to
vote, and 3% had to wait more than two hours to vote. Likely reflecting the
time of day that these groups typically vote, those aged 18-35 are much more
likely to say that it took them more than an hour to vote (15%) than those
aged 35-54 (7%) or 55+ (3%). Interestingly, those who voted in advance polls were less likely to
say the process was quick and easy (80%) compared to those who voted on
election day (87%). Conversely, those who voted in advance were more likely
to say the process took at least a half an hour (20%) compared to those who
voted on E-day (13%). Among those who chose not to vote in the election, the list of
reasons is long and varied, but for most it seems that apathy was a stronger
factor than concerns about the safety of efficiency of the voting process.
The top reasons for not voting include believing their vote wouldn’t make a
difference (20%), not liking any of the parties, leaders or candidates (18%)
or feeling that the election was unnecessary and so they decided not to vote
(14%). However, some say that their concern about personal safety at the
polling stations (11%), not receiving their voter card in the mail (7%), not
having a polling station nearby (6%) or the complicated nature of voting by
mail (5%) kept them from exercising their franchise. Reasons for not voting
Women non-voters were twice as likely (14%) as men (7%) to say that
concern about their personal safety given COVID-19 prevented them from
voting. Women are also twice as likely (15%) as men (8%) to cite personal
circumstances such as childcare, transportation or other commitments as
reasons why they didn’t vote. On the other hand, men (18%) were considerably
more likely than women (11%) to say that the reason they stayed home was
because they felt the election was unnecessary. Non-voters aged 18-34 were most likely to say that COVID concerns
kept them home (16%), compared to those aged 35-54 (11%) or 55+ (4%). They’re
also more likely to say they didn’t receive their voting card in the mail
(11%) than those aged 35-54 (5%) or 55+ (3%). Younger people were also more
likely to say they had an emergency which prevented them from voting (10%)
compared to those aged 35-54 (2%) or 55+ (<1%). Those under the age off 55
were twice as likely (22%) to feel that their vote wouldn’t make a difference
compared to those aged 55+ (11%). (Ipsos Canada) 27 September 2021 710-43-18/Polls Living for Today, Not Tomorrow: Majority (54%) Do Not Have A
Financial Plan for Retirement
Toronto, Ontario, September 29, 2021 — An Ipsos survey conducted on
behalf of the Canadian Institute of Actuaries reveals that over half (54%) of
Canadians do not have a financial plan for retirement, a figure which
includes three in five (59%) non-retirees and as many as two in five (39%)
retirees who are currently retired. What’s more, a majority (54%) of
non-retirees aren’t sure when they plan to retire (40%) or say they will never
retire at all (14%), figures which suggest many are not thinking enough about
retirement and their later years. Some retirees may even be guilty of this as
well, with as many as one in five (19%) reporting that they have less than
$25k in savings and investments in retirement.
(Ipsos Canada) 29 September 2021 AUSTRALIA
710-43-19/Polls 29% Of Australians Now Say, Freedom Is More Important Than The Law
New Roy Morgan data shows since the COVID-19 pandemic began there has
been a sustained increase in how Australians view freedom compared to the law
of the land. 29.3% of Australians 14+ now agree that ‘Freedom is more important than the law’
– an increase of almost 8% points compared to the March quarter 2020 (21.6%
of Australians) just prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
% of Australians agree: ‘Freedom is more
important than the law’: 2016-21
Women have driven a larger share of this increase since the pandemic
began than men – although men are still more likely to agree with the
statement by a significant margin. Around a quarter of women, 24.9%, now
agree with the statement, an increase of 8.4% points from the March quarter
2020 and close to the high of 25.2% reached in the March quarter 2021.
% of Women Vs Men who agree: ‘Freedom is
more important than the law’: 2016-21
Generation Z and Millennials are the most
likely to agree freedom is more important than the law Analysis of how different generations respond to this statement shows
agreement is heavily co-related to age and is higher the younger one gets.
Even so, there have been increases across all generations of people who agree
that ‘freedom is more important than the
law’. Almost two-fifths of young people in Generation Z (38.1%) agree that
‘freedom is more important than the law’
– an increase of 5.4% points from the March quarter 2020 – and higher than
any other generation.
The data comes from Roy Morgan Single Source, the nation’s largest
and longest-running program of research into consumer behaviour and
attitudes, continuously conducted year-round.
Roy Morgan CEO, Michele Levine, says the
week of protests in Melbourne last week was sparked by a decision to mandate
vaccinations for workers in the building and construction industry – which
tend to be younger men – those most likely to agree ‘freedom is more
important than the law’: “Melbourne has endured a tumultuous week
with over a week of protests during the city’s record-breaking sixth lockdown
punctuated by an unexpected earthquake on Wednesday. The protests were sparked
by a decision to enforce mandatory vaccinations for workers in the building
and construction industry but are also likely feeding on shifting attitudes
caused by the pandemic. “The COVID-19 pandemic began in mid-March
2020 and by the end of that month Australia had entered an unprecedented
nationwide lockdown that confined people to their homes for large parts of
the next two months. “Ever since the first nationwide lockdown
there have been a series of lockdowns around Australia including a long second
lockdown in Victoria last year and the long current lockdowns in Sydney,
Melbourne and Canberra which have all stretched on for months. “Immediately following the imposition of
the nationwide lockdown the share of Australians agreeing that ‘freedom is
more important than the law’ jumped 7% points to 28.6%. This figure has
remained elevated ever since and is now at 29.3% in the June quarter 2021. “Agreement with the statement has increased
for both genders with 33.8% of men (up 6.8% points from pre-pandemic) and
24.9% of women (up 8.4% points) now agreeing that ‘freedom is more important
than the law’ both near highs reached earlier in 2021. “There are also increases for people of all
ages – and clearly the highest among the young in Generation Z at 38.1%, up
5.4% points compared to pre-pandemic. By age the biggest increase has been
among Millennials, with 35.4% now agreeing ‘freedom is more important than
the law’ – up 12.2% points since the pandemic began. “These two generations are primarily comprised
of young people in their 20s and 30s who also constitute a large share of
workers in the construction industry that drove the protests in Melbourne
last week. It’s a fair guess that protesters arguing against mandatory
vaccinations and the latest lockdown would be very likely to agree that
‘freedom is more important than the law’. “As we approach the key vaccination targets
of 70% and 80% over the next few months the lockdowns will end, restrictions
will be eased and freedom of movement will be restored. It will be
interesting to watch whether these views revert to their old levels once we
move past lockdowns and restrictions and head towards a Federal Election
early in 2022.” (Roy Morgan) September 28 2021 Source: https://www.roymorgan.com/findings/8801-freedom-and-the-law-june-2021-202109270703 MULTICOUNTRY
STUDIES
710-43-20/Polls Only 28% Of Algerians And 19% Of Libyans Put Economic Grievances
First
The latest round of public opinion surveys conducted by Arab
Barometer confirms that the deterioration of the economy — or more
specifically a continuing collapse in living standards — has been at the
forefront of people’s minds in Tunisia. Examining this economic backstory may
help explain how and why there was fertile
ground for a massive political shift on the scale of President Kais
Saied’s July 25 decisions — and the initially exuberant responses to it. They
also highlight the oft-neglected relationship between the economy and
democracy. If democracy is just about elections — a minimalist approach often
applied by political scientists examining Tunisia — then this formulation of
democracy has consistently failed to deliver governing officials who are
willing or able to address Tunisia’s economic crisis. A different approach to
democracy, one that prioritizes not just political equality at the ballot box
but some form of economic equality, might more appropriately reflect the
democratic aspirations of Tunisians. The sixth round of the Arab Barometer surveys, carried out between
November 2020 and May 2021, covers seven countries — Tunisia, Algeria, Libya,
Morocco, Jordan, Iraq, and Lebanon — which is useful for comparative studies.
The surveys also build on previous ones from Tunisia, which allows some
historical comparisons. There are, of course, limits to an ethnic,
linguistic, or identitarian (however “Arab” may be defined) comparative
approach, as it may accentuate a perceived exceptional character to Arab
countries. One can imagine the broader global trends or geographical
convergences and divergences — say inter- or intracontinental ones — that
could be studied if such surveys included both North Africa and South Europe,
or both North Africa and the rest of Africa, respectively. Where does Tunisia stand out? But insofar as the latest round of surveys gives us some basis for
comparison, where does Tunisia stand out? Along with the Lebanese, Tunisians,
far more than citizens in the other Arab countries surveyed, see economic
issues as the most pressing ones. Just over half of Tunisian and 64% of
Lebanese respondents pointed to the economic situation as “the most important
challenge facing [their] country today,” in a survey conducted in November
2020. For comparison with Tunisia’s neighboring countries, only 28% of
Algerians and 19% of Libyans put economic grievances first. Both Tunisia and
Lebanon also had the highest percentage of respondents citing corruption as a
top issue — 18% and 17% respectively; at the same time, and unlike in any of
the other countries surveyed, a majority in both Tunisia and Lebanon said
their governments were doing nothing at all or only working a small extent to
“crack down on corruption.” The similarities between Tunisia and Lebanon in terms of popular
perception of economic issues do not stop there. Asked how their governments
should improve economic conditions, Tunisians and Lebanese again, far more
than the other countries surveyed, called for lowering the cost of living
(27% and 40% respectively). Yet neither national group have trust in their
government to actually do anything, with half of Tunisian and 85% of Lebanese
respondents saying they have “no trust at all” in their governments. This similarity of perceptions among Tunisians and Lebanese with
regard to their economic issues is striking when compared to how their economies
are described by outside observers. Whereas the World Bank in a June press
release warnedthat Lebanon’s economic crisis was one of the “most severe
crises episodes globally since the mid-nineteenth century,” its latest press
releases on Tunisia stick to positive stories about Bank financing for a “social
safety net” and a vaccination
program rollout (whether this financing is loans or grants is not
specified). To be sure, the World Bank’s overview page of
Tunisia, as of its June 21, 2021 update on the website, eventually points
to Tunisia experiencing a “sharper decline in economic growth than most of
its regional peers;” but the overview begins by highlighting the policy
reforms that the Bank has been supporting for years, if not decades: cutting
subsidies and abandoning state- owned enterprises. How can prioritizing cutting subsidies — as the Tunisian government did in June—
respond to the widespread economic grievances Tunisians express when they are
surveyed? Successive Tunisian governments have carried out reforms in the
last decade in line with the neoliberal orthodoxy advocated by Tunisia’s
creditors: reductions
to subsidies; a
new investment code friendly to business and a “start-up” act; a central bank
independence law, and a devaluation
of the currency as part of liberalization efforts. Yet despite all of
these reforms, Tunisia has still seen its debt-to-GDP
rise, increasing
unemployment, rising
inflation rates, and persistent
trade deficits that have all had direct or indirect negative
effects on ordinary people’s standard of living. With public spending and
real wages down, some have also wondered how
the state can afford tear gas — which authorities have used excessively in residential neighborhoods —
but not
oxygen for hospitals. And while Lebanon is clearly facing an economic crisis with deadly
consequences, there are some issues covered by the latest round of Arab
Barometer surveys where a higher percentage of Tunisians than Lebanese said
they experienced economic misery: in their income not covering their needs,
in unemployment, and in the number of unemployed who have given up looking
for jobs. A whopping 64% of Tunisians said their net household income did not
cover their expenses, slightly lower than 68% in Jordan but higher than 62%
in Lebanon. Setting aside the regional comparison lens in favor of the
historical one, the surveys also suggest things have been getting worse. A
May 2021 survey found that only 6% of Tunisians said the current economic
situation was “good” or “very good.” In
2018, that number had been 7%; in 2016: 14%; in 2011: 27%. Democracy and the economy How might these economic grievances be linked to democracy? The
surveys also asked Tunisians how essential the provision of basic material
necessities to all like food, shelter, and clothing is to democracy.
Forty-six percent responded that such material provisions are “absolutely
essential” to democracy, and another 28% said they were somewhat essential.
This led the researchers at Arab Barometer to
conclude that Tunisians “define democracy in terms of economic outcomes.” So far, electoral, parliamentary democracy has seemingly failed to
deliver these economic outcomes. Yet despite this, given a choice of three
responses regarding their opinion of democracy, 55% of Tunisians chose the
following in a November survey: “Democracy is always preferable to any other
kind of government.” Only 24% opted for the choice: “Under some
circumstances, a non-democratic government can be preferable,” with another
13% saying the kind of government doesn’t matter for them. Defining the form
of Tunisia’s democracy didn’t end with the 2014 constitution; debates
continue to this day, and there are indications that the assurance of basic
social and economic rights will be integral. (Arabbarometer) September 28, 2021 Source: https://www.arabbarometer.org/2021/09/in-surveys-tunisians-tell-of-continuous-economic-grievances/ 710-43-21/Polls Urban Indians Intend To Use Personal Vehicles More Than The
Pre-Pandemic Times In The Future
The mobility industry has experienced huge disruptions due to the
pandemic, impacting development trends in mobility and transportation. Now
YouGov’s new report highlights what companies can do in order to address
evolving customer needs and behaviors. YouGov’s International Automotive Report 2021 is
a 17-market study that examines the demographics, behaviors, and preferences
of automotive consumers and how digital transformation has changed
traditional car ownership and buying behaviors. Global consumer data revealed driving behavior was drastically
impacted as a result of the pandemic. Having said that, a majority of
people who buy and drive their own vehicle expect no change in the need for a
personal vehicle (59%). A third (32%) stated a lesser or no need for a
personal vehicle, while 18% expect a slight or significantly more need for
it. When asked about their plans post-pandemic, “Personal Vehicle” was
the only mode that had as many respondents saying they are likely to use it “more
than before” the pandemic as the ones who said they will use it “less than
before” (21% each). For all other modes of transport- Public transport,
taxi/cab, ride hailing apps and shared cab services, a higher number of
respondents said they will use each of these modes less than more in the
future. Whether it is a matter of convenience, safety, or otherwise, people
prefer having a personal vehicle over other options. At a global level, India was one of the top markets showing a net
increase in intent to use a personal vehicle. One-third (33%) of Indian
respondents say they will use their personal vehicle more in the coming year
than they did in pre-pandemic times, compared to only 25% of respondents
saying they will use it less. This behavioral change will have an impact on
companies across the transportation landscape competing for this audience’s
transportation expenditures. When it comes to the usage of public transportation in the next 12
months, the intent is one of the lowest among urban Indians across the globe,
with nearly half (49%) saying they will use public transport less in the
future. The same is true about their future usage of ride-hailing services.
(35% less vs 13% more). This highlights the need for work to be done to
restore confidence among urban Indians in public transport and ride-hailing
as safe and clean transportation modes. Taking a deeper look into the profile of the urban Indians planning
to drive more in the future shows this group is more likely to be males, 45
years or older working individuals. This audience is more likely than the
online population (by 27%) to belong to tier-1 cities and fall within the mid
or high-income groups. Coming to their attitudes, they rely on the internet for information
(92% saying this). Advertising influences them much more than the online
population, and three-quarter of them (76%) say advertising helps them choose
what they buy. Using these granular insights among many others, companies can
identify who these drivers are, and more deeply understand what they believe
and value, especially when it comes to mobility and transportation. (YouGov India) September 30, 2021 Source: https://in.yougov.com/en-hi/news/2021/09/30/urban-indians-intend-use-personal-vehicles-more-pr/ 710-43-22/Polls Globally, Social Hostilities Related To Religion Decline In 2019,
While Government Restrictions Remain At Highest Levels
Social hostilities involving
religion, including violence and harassment
against religious groups by private individuals and groups, declined in 2019,
according to Pew Research Center’s 12th annual study of global restrictions
on religion, which examines 198 countries and territories. In 2019 – the most recent year for which data is available, covering
a period before the disruptions accompanying the coronavirus pandemic – 43
countries (22% of all those included in the study) had “high” or “very high”
levels of social hostilities. That is down from 53 countries (27%) in 2018,
and from a peak of 65 countries (33%) in 2012. These figures have fluctuated
since the study began in 2007, but the number of countries with at least
“high” levels of social hostilities related to religion is now the lowest
since 2009. Another way of looking at the data is by examining scores on the
Social Hostilities Index (SHI), a 10-point scale based on 13 indicators of
social hostilities involving religion. The global median score declined from
2.0 in 2018 to 1.7 in 2019, reaching its lowest level since 2014.
There also were fewer countries where religion-related terrorism led
to deaths or injuries. In 2019, 47 countries had at least one casualty due to
religion-related terrorism, down from 57 countries in 2018. In Morocco, for
example, two Scandinavian hikers were murdered in 2018 by perpetrators who
pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group (also known as ISIS, ISIL
and Daesh), a militant
Islamist organization; in 2019, no casualties from religion-related terrorism
were reported in Morocco by the sources used in this study.1 The decline echoes a broader pattern recorded around the world in recent
years. According to the Global Terrorism Database, which tracks a wide
variety of terrorist incidents regardless of whether they are related to
religion and is used as a source for this study, 2019 was “the fifth
consecutive year of declining global terrorism” since a peak in 2014.2 That year, 2014, had many incidents of terrorist activity by the
armed group ISIS and its affiliates, and by the militant Islamist group Boko
Haram. ISIS formally established itself in Syria and Iraq in 2014 and engaged
in a series of hostile acts – including mass executions, forced displacement
of people, and the abduction and sexual abuse of thousands of women and
children – against religious minorities and those viewed as opposing their
group’s interpretation of Islam.3 ISIS
also successfully recruited foreigners to join the fighting in Iraq and Syria
and inspired affiliate groups and “lone offender” attacks globally.4 And
Boko Haram kidnapped more than 250 schoolgirls, mainly Christians, from a
school in Chibok, Nigeria, drawing international attention that year.5 Among the reasons for the decline in the study’s terrorism measures
is that ISIS subsequently lost control of a large swath of territory in Iraq
and Syria. In 2019, the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS declared that the
militant group had been territorially defeated. And the number of violent
attacks perpetrated by the group declined in Iraq in 2019, according to the
Global Terrorism Database. Still, ISIS’s multinational network of organizations remained active.
Groups pledging allegiance to ISIS carried out bombings in Sri Lanka on
Easter Sunday, 2019, killing more than 250 people and injuring approximately
500 others at churches and hotels. Another exception to this overall decline
in terrorism in 2019 was Afghanistan, where the number of terrorist incidents
– particularly attacks carried out by the Taliban – increased amid peace
talks between the group and the United States, according to the Global
Terrorism Database.6 Beyond terrorism, other measures of religion-related social
hostilities around the world also declined in 2019. For example, there were
fewer countries with reports of mob violence related to religion (down from
41 countries in 2018 to 34 in 2019), hostilities over proselytizing (from 35
in 2018 to 28 in 2019), organized groups using force or coercion in an
attempt to dominate public life with their perspectives on religion (104 to
94 countries), and individuals using violence or the threat of violence to
enforce religious norms (85 to 74 countries). (See Appendix
D for full results.)7 In Bolivia, for example, Protestant missionaries and pastors had been
expelled in 2018 from rural areas where Indigenous spiritual beliefs are
practiced, but no such expulsions were reported in 2019.8 And
in Egypt, where social hostilities fell from “very high” to “high” in 2019,
anti-Christian attacks (such as those against the Coptic Christian minority)
and violence by Islamist groups declined, according to the U.S. Commission on
International Religious Freedom (USCIRF). Although violence toward Christians
continued in the country, there were fewer abductions and displacements
reported in 2019.9 Looking at overall social hostilities involving religion by region,
the median scores on the Social Hostilities Index (SHI) fell in 2019 in the
Asia-Pacific region, Europe and sub-Saharan Africa. Levels of social
hostilities remained stable and relatively high in the Middle East-North Africa
region, where more than half of countries (55%) continued to have “high” or
“very high” levels of social hostilities. They remained steady in the
Americas, where social hostilities involving religion are rare compared with
the rest of the world. See Chapter
3 for details. Government restrictions involving religion
stayed at the highest level since the study began In addition to looking at social hostilities relating to religion,
this annual study also examines government
restrictions on religion – including official laws, policies
and actions that impinge on religious beliefs and practices – in 198
countries and territories. The analysis shows that government restrictions involving religion,
which in 2018 had reached the highest point since the start of the study,
remained at a similar level in 2019. The global median score on the
Government Restrictions Index (GRI), a 10-point index based on 20 indicators,
held steady at 2.9. This score has risen markedly since 2007, the first year
of the study, when it was 1.8. The total number of countries with “high” or “very high” levels of
government restrictions rose in 2019 to 57 (29% of all countries in the
study). This is up one country from 2018 and matches the study’s highest
mark, from 2012.
As has been the case in all previous years studied, most countries
with “high” or “very high” levels of government restrictions in 2019 were
either in the Asia-Pacific region (25 of the 50 countries in that region) or
in the Middle East-North Africa region (19 of 20 countries). Looking at government restrictions and social hostilities together,
75 countries (38% of those included in the study) had “high” or “very high”
levels of overall restrictions on
religion in 2019, down from 80 countries (40%) in 2018. For full results, see Appendix
E. Government harassment of religious groups
and interference in worship increased Two specific measures of government restrictions on religion
increased globally in 2019: government
harassment against religious groups and government interference in worship. More
countries had at least one reported incident of government harassment or
interference in worship in 2019 than in any other year since the study began
in 2007. While scores for these two measures of government restrictions
increased in 2019, the scores for some other measures that make up the
Government Restrictions Index decreased, which is why the global median score
on the GRI remained stable. For example, fewer countries had limits on
proselytizing and on foreign missionaries, and there were fewer reports of
countries denouncing religious groups as “cults” or “sects.” Definition: Government harassment of
religious groups Government harassment of religious groups takes place when officials
at any level of government (e.g., national, provincial or municipal) target a
religious group or person due to their religious identity, beliefs or
practices. This may range from physical coercion to verbal statements
singling out a religious group or individual with the intent of making their
religious practice (or some other aspect of their lives) more difficult. For
example, negative public comments by government officials about religions
constitute harassment, as do government policies that target particular
religious groups. In total, 180 countries – 91% of all countries in the study – had at
least one instance, at some level, of government
harassment against religious groups, compared with 175
countries in 2018. In this study, harassment against religious groups can
range from verbal intimidation to physical violence motivated at least in
part by the target’s religious identity. Governments in more than 80% of the countries in each of the study’s five regions harassed
religious groups in some way, including all 20 countries in the Middle
East-North Africa region and 44 of 45 in Europe (98% of countries in the
region). In sub-Saharan Africa, 90% of the region’s 48 countries had such
incidents, followed by 89% of the 35 countries in the Americas and 84% of
countries in the Asia-Pacific region. In Tajikistan, for example, authorities
in 2019 detained 17 Jehovah’s Witnesses – a group whose activities are banned
in the country – for “possessing religious materials and participating in
religious activities.”10 (For
more information on government harassment of specific religious groups,
see Chapter
2.)
Definition: Government interference in
worship Government interference in worship includes withholding permission
for religious activities or prohibiting particular religious practices at any
level of government. Religious practices are defined broadly. They range from
worship activities (such as prayer, preaching or performing rituals) to
wearing religious attire, adhering to grooming customs such as maintaining a
beard, conscientious objection to military service, the use of certain
substances (such as peyote) in worship and following ritual burial practices. In 163 countries (82%), government authorities interfered in worship in ways such
as prohibiting certain religious practices, withholding access to places of
worship or denying permits for religious activities or buildings. In 2018,
156 countries interfered in worship in any of these ways. All 20 countries in the Middle East-North Africa region also had
occurrences of government interference in worship in 2019. And, as with the
government harassment measure, Europe had the second-highest share of
countries where governments interfered in worship (91%), followed by 81% of
countries in sub-Saharan Africa, 80% in the Americas and 70% in the
Asia-Pacific region. In Europe, for example, there were numerous restrictions
on religious symbols and clothing, such as in Austria, where laws prohibit
full-face coverings in public and ban headscarves for children under age 10
in elementary school.11 And
in Slovenia, where animal slaughter without prior stunning is prohibited,
Muslims and Jews are not allowed to slaughter animals according to halal and
kosher dietary guidelines, respectively.12 While some level of government harassment of religious groups or
interference in religious worship is common around the world, widespread
physical harassment – i.e., government
use of force against religious groups – is less common. In 96
of the 198 countries analyzed (48%), there was at least one report of
governments using force against religious groups, including property damage,
detention or arrests, ongoing displacement, physical abuse, and killings. In
four of these countries – China, Myanmar (also called Burma), Sudan and Syria
– there were more than 10,000 cases of government force against religious
groups reported. In China’s Xinjiang province, various sources have reported the
detention of almost a million Uyghur Muslims and members of other religious
and ethnic minority groups, as well as the separation of children from their
families to curb the influence of religion in their homes (for more details,
see Chapter
3).13 And
in Syria, the government continued the “widespread and systematic use of
unlawful killings” of perceived opponents (mostly Sunni Muslims) through
torture, the destruction of civilian infrastructure, and the employment of
chemical weapons, according to the U.S. State Department. The government also
detained tens of thousands of Syrians, mainly Sunnis, without due process,
according to numerous human rights organizations.14 In addition to ongoing restrictions on Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar,
which have been discussed in previous
years of this study, renewed fighting between the military and armed
ethnic organizations in the country’s states of Kachin and northern Shan
“deeply impacted” Christians, according to USCIRF. In 2019, thousands were
displaced – including many Christians – in addition to more than 120,000
Rohingya who already had been internally displaced, and the military damaged
over 300 churches.15 In Sudan, a nongovernmental organization estimated that in the
country’s capital city, Khartoum, police arrested 40 women per day for
violating Islamic dress standards.16 (The
“public order law” that allowed such arrests was later repealed at the end of
2019, after the administration of President Omar al-Bashir was overthrown in
April of that year.) During the year, authorities also used force against at
least 500 worshippers at a mosque for participating in antigovernment protests
that eventually led to the removal of the president.17 For more information on physical harassment involving government
force against religious groups by region, see Chapter
2. Religion-related restrictions online and
use of technology to target groups This 12th study of religious restrictions by Pew Research Center
includes for the first time a measure assessing online restrictions by governments related
to religion, as well as the governmental
use of new or advanced technologies such as surveillance
cameras, facial recognition technology or biometric data to restrict or
surveil religious groups. In order to keep coding consistent with previous
years, these new measures are not included when calculating GRI scores for
countries.
The study’s sources reported that 10 countries used technology to
surveil religious groups in 2019, with three of them – China, Russia and
Vietnam – citing security or counterterrorism efforts as a reason for such
restrictions. In some countries, specific religious groups were targeted. In
Armenia, for instance, members of the Baha’i faith alleged that authorities
wiretapped the phones of a member of their community before charging him with
facilitating illegal migration to the country.20
The following sections of the report discuss other changes in
restrictions on religion in 2019, including countries with the most extensive
government restrictions and social hostilities involving religion, and the
extent of changes in restrictions since 2018 (Chapter
1); additional details on harassment of specific religious groups and
types of physical harassment by region (Chapter
2); and further analysis of restrictions on religion by region (Chapter
3), and in the world’s 25 most populous countries (Chapter
4). (PEW) SEPTEMBER 30, 2021 |
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