The EU, not the USA, is supported by the world

A survey of public opinion in 52 countries released today shows the EU is the only great power in the world whose leadership is widely supported.

A global public opinion survey by Gallup International - conducted in collaboration with the European Council on Foreign Relation (ECFR) - shows that there is growing public support for a more multi-polar world, and one in every three citizens around the world (35%) would like to see the European Union's influence to grow. In an ECFR policy brief (PDF - 1 MB), Ivan Krastev and Mark Leonard point out that "the EU is unique among the four big powers (the other three being the US, China and Russia) in that no-one wants to balance its rise".

The 2007 edition of Voice of the People© - the world's largest survey this year based on interviews with 57,000 people from 52 countries - shows that world citizens most disapprove of an expansion of Iranian and US power. 39% of respondents would like to see Iran's power decrease, while 37% would like less US power in the world. Russia and China also provoke more negative than positive reactions. Whilst 23% and 24% of respondents, respectively, would like Russia's and China's importance to increase, 29% and 32% believe the world would benefit from a decline in their power. Accompanying the policy brief is a Love and Hate map (PDF - 3 MB), showing graphically how people in many countries around the world are calling for an increase in the EU's global influence to make the world a better place.

ECFR making an impact

The launch of ECFR has made an impact across Europe, and our Statement of Principles has received significant press coverage in the vast majority of EU member states, and further afield. The website has featured expert analysis and commentary, for example on the Ukrainian elections, on how the EU should respond to the situations in Burma and Pakistan, on the EU Reform Treaty and much more. In the coming weeks we will publish our first major policy report looking at EU's relationship with Russia. We also have forthcoming analysis on how to increase EU power at the United Nations, and on what strategies the EU should be pursuing in Afghanistan.