Citizens of Wealthy Nations Discontent with Their Leaders
According to a recent report, one of the lessons to be drawn from an unprecedented election year worldwide is that voters in developed countries are particularly unhappy, ready to remove unpopular leaders, and that it has become increasingly difficult for incumbent politicians to implement bold change programs.
A survey conducted by Morning Consult in 25 democracies indicates that “political leaders in the rich world are rarely so widely disliked.” With the exception of small Switzerland, no leader in an industrialized country has a positive rating. This year, incumbent parties going to the polls have largely suffered defeats, including in the United States and the United Kingdom.
According to Morning Consult, President Biden has a 37% approval rating. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stands at 26%, French Prime Minister Emmanuel Macron at 19%, and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at 18%. Donald Trump's popularity has increased since winning the elections in November, but he may still start his term with a negative net rating and could become the first president in modern history to begin his first term with an approval rating below 50%.
Even new leaders are not experiencing much of a honeymoon. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who replaced the unpopular Rishi Sunak after winning the elections in July, has an approval rating of only 30% and a disapproval rating of 59%. Starmer has been in office for just five months. His ratings took a hit after the Labour Party government raised taxes in its first budget to cover the funding deficit.
Seema Shah, who evaluates elections for the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, stated that this situation does not bode well for liberal democracies. “People are not satisfied with their quality of life, and the institutions they turn to for help are weak,” she said.
The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance reports that approximately one-third of the 71 national votes held globally this year resulted in the removal of incumbent leaders.