Zone 3- Summary of Global Polls- Week # 93

Dated 8th-14th Nov. 09'

EAST EUROPE

One-in-Four Russians See Putin Personality Cult
Some people in Russia think prime minister and former president Vladimir Putin is the subject of a personality cult, according to a poll by the Yury Levada Analytical Center. 23 per cent of respondents share this opinion.
November 10, 2009

WEST EUROPE

French Clearly Satisfied with Obama’s Performance
People in France are content with the way the current president of the United States is doing his job, according to a poll by Ifop published in Paris Match. 84 per cent of respondents say their assessment of Barack Obama’s performance is positive.
November 16, 2009
President Sarkozy Drops to 39% in France
Public support for Nicolas Sarkozy continues to erode in France, according to a poll by Ifop published in Paris Match. 39 per cent of respondents approve of the president’s performance, down six points since September.
November 14, 2009
Italians Decry Classroom Crucifix Ban
The vast majority of people in Italy reject the idea of removing crucifixes from classrooms across the country, according to a poll by Ispo published in Corriere della Sera. 84 per cent of respondents say crucifixes should remain inside classrooms.
November 12, 2009
Britons Want Referendum on Lisbon Treaty
Many people in Britain believe the country should hold a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty if the Conservatives form the next government, according to a poll by Angus Reid Public Opinion. 46 per cent of respondents agree with this notion.
November 12, 2009
Tories Maintain Advantage in British Politics
Conservative party remains well-positioned ahead of an expected general election in Britain, according to a poll by Angus Reid . 38 per cent of respondents would vote for the Tories, down two points since mid-October. November 08, 2009

NORTH AMERICA

Americans OK with Muslims in U.S. Military
Adults in the United States believe Muslims should continue to be allowed to serve in their country’s military, according to a poll by Angus Reid Public Opinion. 53 per cent of respondents agree with this notion, while 33 per cent disagree.
November 15, 2009
Americans Assess Obama’s First Year in Office
Half of adults in the United States believe their current president is meeting their expectations, according to a poll by Angus Reid Public Opinion. 48 per cent of respondents think Barack Obama has performed about the same as they expected.
November 13, 2009
Americans Praise Reagan for Fall of Communism
People in the United States believe former president Ronald Reagan was the main political figure in the fall of communism, according to a three-country poll by Angus Reid Strategies. 36 per cent of respondents think Reagan deserves a lot of the credit for the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe.
November 10, 2009
Americans Split on Afghanistan Troop Increase vs. Decrease
As President Barack Obama prepares to make a decision on U.S. military policy in Afghanistan, 35% of Americans say he should follow the recommendation of the commanding U.S. general in Afghanistan and increase troop levels by about 40,000. Another 7% support a smaller troop increase, meaning a total of 42% of Americans support a troop increase of some size. However, nearly the same percentage, 44%, would like to see the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan reduced.
November 12, 2009
More in U.S. Say Health Coverage Is Not Gov’t. Responsibility
More Americans now say it is not the federal government's responsibility to make sure all Americans have healthcare coverage (50%) than say it is (47%). This is a first since Gallup began tracking this question, and a significant shift from as recently as three years ago, when two-thirds said ensuring healthcare coverage was the government's responsibility.
November 13, 2009
New Low in U.S. Job Optimism
U.S. job-market optimism has reached a new low, with only 8% of Americans saying now is a good time to find a quality job -- the lowest level since Gallup began tracking this measure in August 2001.
November 11, 2009
Canadians Dismayed at Swine Flu Preparedness
People in Canada are unhappy with the way their federal and provincial administrations are dealing with the outbreak of H1N1 influenza, according to a poll by Angus Reid Public Opinion. Only 36 per cent of respondents are satisfied with the level of preparedness of their provincial government, down 20 points since late October.
November 11, 2009

LATIN AMERICA

‘Chavismo’ Losing Steam in Venezuela
President Hugo Chavez's popularity among Venezuelans has waned in recent years. Less than half of Venezuelans (47%) in August 2009 said they approved of Chavez' job performance -- down from 61% in late 2006 when he was elected to a second six-year term.
November 12, 2009
Mexicans Oppose Civilian Militias to Combat Crime
The majority of people in Mexico reject a proposal by a politician to create social "cleansing groups" to deal with organized crime, according to a poll by Demotecnia published in Milenio. 53 per cent of respondents oppose this idea, while 40 per cent support it.
November 13, 2009

AUSTRALASIA

Australians Say Government Weak on Asylum Issues
Most people in Australia dislike the way the federal government has handled the recent arrival of a boat full of Sri Lankan asylum seekers, according to a poll by Essential Research. 52 per cent of respondents say the administration of Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has been too weak in its approach to the issue.
November 15, 2009

GLOBAL POLLS

Wide Dissatisfaction with Capitalism -- Twenty Years after Fall of Berlin Wall
Twenty years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, a new BBC World Service global poll finds that dissatisfaction with free market capitalism is widespread, with an average of only 11% across 27 countries saying that it works well and that greater regulation is not a good idea.
November 09, 2009
As Hu Jin Tao, Obama Prepare to Meet, World Public Gives China, US Low Marks on Climate Change
With President Barack Obama on his way to meet his Chinese counterpart in Beijing for talks on global climate change and a range of other issues, a poll by WorldPublicOpinion.org shows that publics in more than half of 20 nations disapprove of the way China and the United States are dealing with global warming.
November 11, 2009
Americans and Western Europeans Agree on Afghanistan-Pakistan Extremist Threat
A transatlantic consensus exists with regard to the threat posed by extremists in Afghanistan and Pakistan, even though Americans and Western Europeans generally disagree about what policy to pursue in Afghanistan.
November 11, 2009
Obama Popular in Japan, China and South Korea
As Barack Obama embarks on his first trip to Asia -- which will include stops in Japan, China and South Korea -- he will be greeted by publics who are confident in his judgment regarding world affairs and who generally agree with his international policies.
November 12, 2009

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The complete detailed weekly reports of the project can be found on theGilani Research Foundation website.