Angela Merkel scores higher approval ratings than any other world leader | Angela Merkel | The Guardian

Almost 16 years after she first became Germany’s chancellor, Angela Merkel’s approval ratings in five major European countries and the United States remain higher than those of any other current world leader, a new poll shows.Asked by YouGov whether they had a favourable or unfavourable opinion of Merkel, who steps down next month after four terms in office, more respondents delivered a positive verdict than a negative one in all six countries surveyed.The veteran chancellor, who since her election in 2005 has worked with four US and French presidents, five British prime ministers and eight Italian heads of government, scored net positive ratings of +61 in Spain, +49 in France and +30 in Germany.Merkel’s political and scientific sides slug it out in swan song presserRead moreOpinions in Italy, the US and UK were slightly less positive at +23, +17 and +15, but of other world leaders, only Joe Biden – just eight months into his presidency and still benefiting from a “not Trump” effect, with polling carried out before this month’s chaotic events in Afghanistan – was even remotely close.Canada’s Justin Trudeau also scored positively, while France’s Emmanuel Macron was rated positively in only two countries: Germany and Spain. Other major figures, including China’s Xi Jinping, Russia’s Vladimir Putin, Narendra Modi of India and Britain’s Boris Johnson, recorded net negative ratings in all six countries surveyed.The UK prime minister scored net negative ratings of -22 in Britain, -40 in Italy, -53 in Germany, -24 in France, -48 in Spain and -2 in the US. The least popular world leader was Xi, with an average net negative approval rating of -55.

Source: Angela Merkel scores higher approval ratings than any other world leader | Angela Merkel | The Guardian