U.S. leadership approval declines in most of the Americas

The U.S.'s overall approval in the world has improved during the Biden administration, but that progress has not been uniform around the globe.

According to a new Gallup Poll, the global approval of the country's leadership currently stands at 41%, down from 45% during Biden's first year but unchanged from his second.

Moreover, the figure is lower than all but one of the ratings under Barack Obama but higher than any under Donald Trump and George W. Bush.

However, the overall figure is comprised by sizable gains in some places and big losses in others. Southeast Asia, Western Europe and Oceania were the places were approval ratings increased, the survey showed.

In contrast, in Ukraine, new NATO member Finland, Kenya and India, approval ratings dropped by at least 10 percentage points. The Americas was another region where the country's standing saw a substantial decrease, with most countries showing a higher disapproval rate than the previous poll.

Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Peru and Colombia were some of the South American countries with a decline of between one and nine percentage points. In Central and North America, Panama, Costa Rica and Mexico were among the decreases. Only four countries registered an increase in approval ratings: Chile, Ecuador, Nicaragua and El Salvador.

Besides the U.S., Gallup also asked about the perception of other global powers: Germany, China and Russia. The former remained the top-rated power for seventh year in a row, with a median approval rate of 46%, same as 2022.

"Both ratings are down from 50% in 2021 but are still higher than most throughout former Chancellor Angela Merkel's lengthy tenure," Gallup explained. China's figures edged up to 30%, but "but was still on the lower end of its trend."

"Russia's global approval rating of 22% in 2023 is statistically as poor as its 21% rating after it invaded Ukraine in late February 2022." "Disdain" against the country remains strong in most of the world, including Europe and Africa, Gallup added.

"Majorities in 71 countries surveyed disapproved of Russian leadership. High-income, Western-aligned democracies tended to give the highest disapproval ratings, with figures exceeding 90% in 11 European countries -- including Ukraine, where 93% disapproved," it concluded.