Zone 3- Euro-Americas Summary, Week # 125

EUROPE

EAST EUROPE

Most Czechs Agree with Euthanasia (Click for Details)

Most people in the Czech Republic support the practice of euthanasia, according to a poll by CVVM. 61 % of respondents share this point of view, down one point since May 2009.

June 26, 2010

Society » Morality, Values & Customs

Society » Health

Czech Decidedly Favor Abortion (Click for Details)

A solid majority of people in the Czech Republic agree with legal abortions at the request of the mother, according to a poll by CVVM. 70 % of respondents share this point of view, down three points since May 2009.

June 22, 2010

Society » Morality, Values & Customs

Society » Family

WEST EUROPE

Just Over a Third of French Happy with Sarkozy (Click for Details)

The popularity of French president Nicolas Sarkozy remains well below the 50 % mark, according to a poll by Ifop published in Paris Match. 35 % of respondents approve of Sarkozy’s performance, up one point since May.

June 26, 2010

Domestic Politics » Performance Ratings

AMERICAS

NORTH AMERICA

Americans Blame BP for Oil Spill, Britons Divided (Click for Details)

People in the United States and Britain hold differing views on the main culprit of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, according to a poll by Angus Reid Public Opinion. While 63 % of Americans think BP Plc deserves most of the blame for the incident, only 31 % of Britons concur.

June 25, 2010

Society » Environment/ Disasters

Verdict on Healthcare Reform Bill Still Divided (Click for Details)

In America the healthcare reform legislation Congress passed in late March divided the public then and has not gained significant support in the three months since. Gallup USA

June 22, 2010

Society » Health

Obama's Rating Steady despite Tough Environment (Click for Details)

Since the beginning of this year, President Obama has signed a controversial health care measure, coped with a stubbornly high jobless rate and struggled to manage the largest environmental disaster in the nation's history. In that period, Obama's overall job approval rating has moved from 49% to 48%. Pew Research Center

June 24, 2010

Domestic Politics » Performance Ratings

Obama Receives 44% Approval on Oil Spill While BP Gets 16% (Click for Details)

Americans give President Obama a 44% approval rating on his handling of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, up slightly from 40% in early June. Meanwhile, 16% of Americans approve of BP's handling of the spill. Gallup USA

June 21, 2010

Domestic Politics » Performance Ratings

Society » Environment/ Disasters

Registered Voters' House Voting Preferences Tied at 46% (Click for Details)

Registered American voters divide evenly when asked which party's candidate they would vote for if the congressional elections were held today, with 46% preferring the Republican candidate and 46% the Democratic candidate. Registered voters' preferences have generally been closely divided since Gallup began tracking preferences in March.

June 22, 2010

Domestic Politics » Political Parties

Americans' Church Attendance Inches Up in 2010 (Click for Details)

Americans' self-reported church attendance has continued to inch up in 2010, with 43.1% of Americans reporting weekly or almost weekly attendance. This is up slightly from 42.8% in 2009 and 42.1% in 2008. The increase comes as Americans' economic confidence has also risen, suggesting that, instead of church attendance rising when economic times get bad, as some theorize, the opposite pattern may be occurring. Gallup USA

June 25, 2010

Society » Religion

More Women without Children (Click for Details)

Nearly one in five American women ends her childbearing years without having borne a child, compared with one-in-ten in the 1970s. While childlessness has risen for all racial and ethnic groups, and most education levels, it has fallen over the past decade for women with advanced degrees. Pew Research Center

June 25, 2010

Society » Family

In 2010, Conservatives Still Outnumber Moderates, Liberals (Click for Details)

Conservatives have maintained their leading position among U.S. ideological groups in the first half of 2010. Gallup finds 42% of Americans describing themselves as either very conservative or conservative. This is up slightly from the 40% seen for all of 2009 and contrasts with the 20% calling themselves liberal or very liberal.

June 25, 2010

Domestic Politics » Political Parties

Americans See Congress as Ineffective, Self-Serving, Entrenched (Click for Details)

Americans who believe most members of Congress do not deserve to be re-elected support their position by saying representatives are simply doing a bad job, that they have been in office too long, that they are not making decisions based on what's best for the country, or that they are too focused on self-interest, special interests, and partisanship. Relatively few cite Congress' performance on specific issues. Gallup USA

June 23, 2010

Domestic Politics » Performance Ratings

Public Uncertain How to Improve Job Situation (Click for Details)

In America there is broad public agreement that past government policies intended to address the financial crisis and recession have not worked. At the same time, there is very little agreement about what the government should do now to deal with the nation's biggest economic concern -- the job situation. Pew Research Center

June 21, 2010

Economy » Employment Issues

Public Sees a Future Full of Promise and Peril (Click for Details)

In the public's view, this promises to be an era of technological progress. Large majorities expect that computers will be able to carry on conversations (81% say this definitely or probably will happen) and that there will be a cure for cancer (71%). About two-thirds (66%) say that artificial arms and legs will outperform real limbs while 53% envision ordinary people traveling in space. Pew Research Center

June 22, 2010

Economy » Perceptions on Performance/ Well-Being

System Fails to Reform Prisoners, Say Americans (Click for Details)

A large majority of people in the United States say the country’s penitentiary system fails at helping prisoners become law-abiding citizens, according to a poll by Angus Reid Public Opinion. 75 % of respondents share this point of view.

June 23, 201

Society » Crime

Canadians Want Deeper Inquiry into MP Expenses (Click for Details)

The terms of the proposal to review the way federal lawmakers spend their allowances did not please many people in Canada, according to a poll by Angus Reid Public Opinion. 57 % of respondents think the probe announced recently does not go far enough.

June 24, 2010

Domestic Politics » National Image/ Trust

LATIN AMERICA

Most Venezuelans Want Chávez Out in 2012 (Click for Details)

Most people in Venezuela are hoping to see president Hugo Chávez leave in 2012 when his current term expires, according to a poll by Hinterlaces. 64 % of respondents want Chávez to step down in two years, up three points since October 2008.

June 24, 2010

Domestic Politics » Performance Ratings

AUSTRALASIA

Most Australians Were Unhappy with Rudd (Click for Details)

Just as Kevin Rudd stands down as leader of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and prime minister, the majority of people in the country were expressing dissatisfaction with his work, according to a poll by Newspoll published in The Australian. 55 % of respondents were unhappy with Rudd’s leadership, up one point since late May.

June 25, 2010

Domestic Politics » Performance Ratings

Australian Opposition Maintains Lead (Click for Details)

Australia’s political scene is definitely experiencing a shift away from the governing party, according to a poll by Newspoll published in The Australian. 40 % of respondents would vote for the opposition alliance of Liberals and Nationals.

June 24, 2010

Domestic Politics » Political Parties

New Zealanders Welcome Three-Strike Law (Click for Details)

Most people in New Zealand agree with the plan to apply the "Three Strikes and you are out" guidelines in the country, according to a poll by Research New Zealand. 81 % of respondents are in favor of this proposal. The law imposes maximum jail terms and no parole for 40 different offences, including murder, aggravated burglary and robbery, for people convicted for the third time.

June 22, 2010

Society » Crime

GLOBAL/MULTI-COUNTRY POLLS

Global Economic Crisis Was Personal in Countries Far and Wide (Click for Details)

Gallup's Personal Economy Index before and after the global economic meltdown in 2008 shows the crisis touched everyday lives around the world. In 61 out of 96 countries, scores fell significantly, documenting a decline in economic situations at the personal and community level. Ireland led the declines, followed by other major economies such as Singapore, Spain, and the United Kingdom.

June 22, 2010

Economy » Economic Globalization

CYBER WORLD

Oil Leak Spreads Online (Click for Details)

Eight weeks after the oil rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico triggered one of the largest environmental catastrophes in the country's history, attention to the subject hit unprecedented levels in social media last week. Pew Research Center

June 24, 2010

Society » Environment/ Disasters

Society » Media/ New Media

Adults Text While Driving Too! (Click for Details)

Adults are just as likely as teens to have texted while driving and are substantially more likely to have talked on the phone while driving. Pew Research Center

June 18, 2010

Society » Media/ New Media §

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The complete detailed weekly reports of the project can be found on theGilani's Gallopedia website.