Putin’s Popularity Propels Chosen Successor in Russian Election
Opinion polling — showing a consistent Russian preference for a strong leader over a democratic government — suggests the outcome of Russia’s presidential election is a foregone conclusion.
Global Views on Castro and Cuba
Fidel Castro ends his long tenure as president of Cuba with international opinion mixed on the question of whether his leadership has been good or bad for his country.
View from Pakistan: Before Bhutto’s Assassination, Public Opinion Was Increasingly Opposed to Terrorism
What the former prime minister’s death means for the country’s stability is highly uncertain, but it is clear that Pakistanis, while supportive of democratic elections and disapproving of militant extremism, remain highly skeptical of the U.S.
How the World Rates Women as Leaders
On Dec.10, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner will become Argentina’s first female president, joining 11 other female prime ministers and presidents. But a Pew Global Attitudes survey finds world publics hold mixed opinions about women political leaders.
Musharraf’s Support Shrinks, Even As More Pakistanis Reject Terrorism… and the U.S.
As American leaders from George W. Bush to Barack Obama talk tough with Pakistan about terrorism, Pakistanis themselves express fear and loathing of the United States, but reject terrorist tactics.
The Putin Popularity Score
Is Vladimir Putin a new breed of postmodern, post-communist populist or an old-style dictator in democratic clothing? It’s a question currently being debated with even more urgency as the investigation widens into the bizarre poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko, a former Soviet spy and outspoken critic of the Russian president.
Support for a Female Heir in Japan
With the news today that Japan’s 39-year-old Princess Kiko has given birth to a male heir, Japan’s succession crisis has passed. But a recent Pew Global Attitudes survey found that a large majority of the Japanese public favored changing the law so that a female could rule.
G8 Summiteers Inspire Little Confidence Around the Globe
When President George W. Bush is greeted by his host, President Vladimir Putin at this weekend’s G8 meeting in St. Petersburg, neither one can feel secure in the confidence placed in their leadership by the citizens of major countries around the globe. But the latest Pew Global Attitudes survey also finds that the other leaders at the annual summit also earn generally low marks for their handling of world affairs.
