November 2020
WHAT WORRIES THE WORLD
Global summary report
© Ipsos | What Worries the World
WHAT WORRIES THE WORLD?
Ipsos’ What Worries the World survey tracks public opinion on the
most important social and political issues across 27 countries today,
drawing on 10 years of data to place the latest scores in context.
This global summary report presents the top global concerns
alongside whether people think things their country is heading in the
right or wrong direction.
Full breakdowns of findings for each country and
each issue are also available on www.ipsos.com.
Please contact: [email protected]
for more information.
@ Ipsos | What Worries the World
mailto:[email protected]
© Ipsos | What Worries the World
47%
38%
29%
27%
26%
Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Unemployment
Poverty & social inequality
Financial/political corruption
Crime & violence =
- 1
• 47% of people in 27 countries select COVID-19 as one of the main issues of concern facing their country.
• 64% say things in their country are on the “wrong track”.
GLOBAL SUMMARY: NOVEMBER 2020
Which three of the following topics do you
find the most worrying in your country?
Base: Representative sample of 20,006 adults aged 16-74 in 27 participating countries, October 23rd 2020 - November 6th 2020.
Generally speaking, would you say things in this
country are heading in the right direction, or are
they off on the wrong track?
✓
WRONG TRACK
RIGHT DIRECTION
36%
64%
Source: Global Advisor
3 ‒
Q Q
=
+3
- 1
+ 1
Vs. last
month
Vs. last
month
=
© Ipsos | What Worries the World4 ‒
GLOBAL SUMMARY: A 12-MONTH VIEW
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Nov2019
Dec2019
Jan2020
Feb2020
Mar2020
Apr2020
May2020
Jun2020
Jul2020
Aug2020
Sep2020
Oct2020
Nov2020
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Nov2019
Nov2020
Coronavirus
(COVID-19)
Unemployment Poverty & social
inequality
Financial/political
corruption
Crime & violence
47%
38%
29%27%26%
64%
36%
Which three of the following topics do you find the most
worrying in your country?
Generally speaking, would you say things in this
country are heading in the right direction, or are they off
on the wrong track?
Q Q
Right Direction Wrong Track
Base: Representative sample of 20,006 adults aged 16-74 in 27 participating countries, October 23rd 2020 - November 6th 2020.
Source: Global Advisor
© Ipsos | What Worries the World
DIRECTION OF
TRAVELALL
COUNTRIES
5 ‒
© Ipsos | What Worries the World
13%20%20%21%23%24%26%26%27%27%28%30%31%31%32%33%33%
36%40%40%
44%47%47%
58%59%61%
82%36%
87%80%80%79%77%76%74%74%73%73%72%70%69%69%68%67%67%
64%60%60%
56%53%53%
42%41%39%
18%64% Wrong track
Right direction
Would you say things in this country are heading in the right direction, or are they off on the wrong track?
6 ‒
GLOBAL RIGHT DIRECTION/WRONG TRACK MONITOR
q -1
p +5
p +2
p +2
q -2
q -1
p +1
q -5
p +1
p +11
q -4
p +1
q -3
q -5
q -1
q -8
p +5
q -4
q -5
q -3
q -1
q -6
p +2
q -1
q -5
=
p +4
q -2
World
Saudi Arabia
Malaysia
Australia
India
Canada
South Korea
Germany
Japan
Russia
Chile
Brazil
US
Sweden
Great Britain
Mexico
Netherlands
Italy
Hungary
Peru
Argentina
Israel
Turkey
Spain
Belgium
France
South Africa
Poland
Base: Representative sample of 20,006 adults aged 16-74 in 27 participating countries, October 23rd 2020 - November 6th 2020.
Source: Global Advisor
Q
Across the 27 nations,
more than six in ten (64%)
on average, and a majority
in 23 countries, say that
things in their country are
on the wrong track.
The countries where larger
majorities share this view
are Poland (87%), South
Africa (80%), France
(80%) and Belgium (79%).
The proportion of those in
Poland saying things in
their country are on the
wrong track has increased
by 13 points since last
month.
© Ipsos | What Worries the World
GLOBAL: RIGHT DIRECTION/WRONG TRACK
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Nov2012
Nov2013
Nov2014
Nov2015
Nov2016
Nov2017
Nov2018
Nov2019
Nov2020
Right direction Wrong track
64%
36%
Base: Representative sample of 20,006 adults aged 16-74 in 27 participating countries, October 23rd 2020 - November 6th 2020.
Source: Global Advisor
7 ‒
Would you say things in this country are heading in the right direction, or are they off on the wrong track?Q
© Ipsos | What Worries the World8 ‒
WORRIES THE
WORLD?TOP ISSUES
RANKED
© Ipsos | What Worries the World9 ‒
WORLD WORRIES: THE FULL LIST
47%
38%
29%
27%
26%
23%
16%
13%
11%
10%
10%
9%
9%
9%
8%
6%
2%
*
Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Unemployment
Poverty & social inequality
Financial/political corruption
Crime & violence
Healthcare
Education
Taxes
Climate change
Immigration control
Moral decline
Rise of extremism
Terrorism
Inflation
Threats against the environment
Maintaining social programmes
Access to credit
Childhood obesity
Mentioned in November 2020 (%)
Base: Representative sample of 20,006 adults aged 16-74 in 27 participating countries, October 23rd 2020 - November 6th 2020.
Source: Global Advisor
q -2
p +2
q -1
q -3
p +5
=
=
q -2
p +1
=
p +1
q -1
q -2
p +1
q -2
p +1
=
q -1
Which three of the following topics do you find the most worrying in your country?Q
This ranking of 18 issues
shows the full spectrum of
the top issues that people
in 27 countries worry about
today.
The top 5 scores remain
consistent although
COVID-19 is up 3
percentage points on last
month – the first increase
since August 2020 – with
47% worldwide now saying
this is one of the top issues
facing their country.
Unemployment is second,
at 38%, while Poverty &
social inequality is a top
worry for 29% across all
countries.
© Ipsos | What Worries the World
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Unemployment Poverty & social inequality Financial/Political corruption Crime & violence
56%47%
WORLD WORRIES: LONG-TERM TRENDS
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Nov2012
Nov2013
Nov2014
Nov2015
Nov2016
Nov2017
Nov2018
Nov2019
Nov2020
26%
27%
38%
29%
Base: Represent Representative sample of 20,006 adults aged 16-74 in 27 participating countries, October 23rd 2020 - November 6th 2020.
Source: Global Advisor
© Ipsos | What Worries the World
47%
76%
64%
64%
57%
56%
56%
55%
52%
52%
51%
51%
50%
50%
49%
49%
48%
46%
44%
43%
42%
41%
40%
33%
31%
30%
24%
22%
World
Malaysia
Great Britain
Spain
Canada
Belgium
Netherlands
Poland
Italy
Japan
Germany
South Korea
India
US
France
Saudi Arabia
Mexico
Australia
Sweden
Israel
Peru
Turkey
Hungary
Brazil
Chile
Russia
Argentina
South Africa
1 | CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)
(%) worried in November 2020 in each country
q -1
p +28
q -4
q -10
q -3
q -2
q -2
q -1
q -3
p +2
q -1
q -6
q -5
q -5
q -2
p +13
q -3
q -4
q -3
q -4
q -7
p +1
p +2
q -19
p +10
q -6
q -5
p +2
11 ‒
Base: Representative sample of 20,006 adults aged 16-74 in 27 participating countries, October 23rd 2020 - November 6th 2020.
Source: Global Advisor
Country Comparison
47% of our respondents
worldwide say Coronavirus
is one of the biggest issues
facing their country today.
Malaysia is the country
most concerned about
COVID-19 for the second
month. Great Britain and
Spain stay in the top 3 with
small increases in each.
Sweden sees a significant
increase in concern this
month (+22). Scores are
also up in Belgium (+15),
Italy (+14), Hungary (+14),
France (+10) and Mexico
(+10).
© Ipsos | What Worries the World
38%
65%
60%
58%
55%
55%
48%
47%
43%
43%
43%
43%
42%
41%
37%
37%
34%
32%
31%
31%
28%
26%
25%
25%
22%
18%
17%
16%
World
South Africa
Spain
Italy
Malaysia
South Korea
Mexico
Australia
Argentina
Chile
India
Israel
Turkey
Peru
Japan
Saudi Arabia
Great Britain
Brazil
Canada
Russia
US
Netherlands
France
Hungary
Belgium
Sweden
Poland
Germany
2 | UNEMPLOYMENT AND JOBS
(%) worried in November 2020 in each country
q -1
q -1
=
q -3
p +2
q -6
p +4
p +4
q -1
=
q -2
q -7
q -1
q -7
p +2
p +2
q -7
p +1
=
=
q -3
q -6
q -2
=
p +1
q -4
q -2
=
12 ‒
Base: Representative sample of 20,006 adults aged 16-74 in 27 participating countries, October 23rd 2020 - November 6th 2020.
Source: Global Advisor
Country Comparison
Unemployment is currently
the second greatest worry
worldwide with 38%
selecting it as one of the
most important issues
facing their country today.
This reflects the emerging
trend of concern about job
security during COVID-19.
South Africa is most
concerned about this issue,
followed by Spain and Italy.
More than half in South
Korea and Malaysia also
say this is a top issue facing
their country today. Concern
has increased most (by 7
points) in Malaysia this
month.
© Ipsos | What Worries the World
29%
56%
48%
41%
36%
35%
34%
34%
34%
33%
33%
32%
30%
30%
29%
29%
26%
26%
25%
25%
23%
22%
22%
20%
20%
18%
16%
14%
World
Russia
Chile
Hungary
South Korea
South Africa
Germany
Japan
Mexico
Brazil
Israel
Argentina
Belgium
Turkey
Great Britain
Peru
Netherlands
Spain
Canada
Italy
India
Australia
Malaysia
France
Sweden
US
Saudi Arabia
Poland
3 | POVERTY & SOCIAL INEQUALITY
(%) worried in November 2020 in each country
=
p +1
q -4
q -2
p +1
p +3
p +2
=
q -2
q -1
p +7
=
p +5
p +3
p +6
=
p +1
q -9
q -3
q -1
q -6
q -2
q -9
q -1
q -2
=
=
=
Base: Representative sample of 20,006 adults aged 16-74 in 27 participating countries, October 23rd 2020 - November 6th 2020.
Source: Global Advisor
13 ‒
Country Comparison
Russia continues to be the
country most concerned
about Poverty & social
inequality with a score of
56%.
Chile and Hungary remain
in second and third place
with 48% and 41%
respectively.
Poverty/social inequality is
the #1 out of the 18
categories in both concern
Russia and Chile.
More people in Israel and
South Korea are seeing this
as top issue in their country,
up 8 and 6 percentage
points respectively since
last month.
© Ipsos | What Worries the World
27%
66%
48%
45%
45%
42%
40%
39%
35%
33%
33%
30%
29%
26%
25%
24%
20%
20%
19%
17%
16%
16%
13%
12%
8%
8%
8%
6%
World
South Africa
Russia
Malaysia
Peru
Hungary
South Korea
Israel
Argentina
Brazil
Poland
India
Chile
Spain
Saudi Arabia
Mexico
Canada
US
Australia
Turkey
Italy
Japan
Belgium
Great Britain
France
Germany
Sweden
Netherlands
4 | FINANCIAL/POLITICAL CORRUPTION
(%) worried in November 2020 in each country
=
p +5
q -1
p +1
q -8
q -3
=
=
p +6
q -1
q -1
q -3
=
=
q -4
p +7
q -1
p +9
q -2
=
q -3
q -2
p +1
=
q -2
q -2
p +1
p +1
Base: Representative sample of 20,006 adults aged 16-74 in 27 participating countries, October 23rd 2020 - November 6th 2020.
Source: Global Advisor
14 ‒
Country Comparison
Financial/Political
Corruption is the fourth
greatest global concern,
with 27% saying it is one of
the big issues facing their
country.
South Africa is the country
most concerned about this,
and by a large margin, with
two-thirds of the public
(66%) selecting this issue
compared to 48% in Russia
and 45% in both Malaysia
and Peru.
© Ipsos | What Worries the World
26%
59%
57%
55%
55%
44%
40%
33%
30%
27%
25%
23%
22%
22%
22%
22%
21%
18%
17%
16%
15%
13%
12%
12%
11%
8%
8%
5%
World
South Africa
Sweden
Mexico
Peru
Argentina
Chile
India
Brazil
US
France
Australia
Germany
Israel
Malaysia
Turkey
Netherlands
Great Britain
Italy
Belgium
Canada
Japan
Saudi Arabia
South Korea
Hungary
Russia
Spain
Poland
5 | CRIME & VIOLENCE
(%) worried in October 2020 in each country
p +3
p +9
p +8
p +5
q -5
p +3
p +1
p +5
p +3
p +12
=
q -6
p +9
q -1
p +1
=
p +3
p +2
p +2
=
p +2
p +2
p +4
p +5
p +2
q -4
=
=
Base: Representative sample of 20,006 adults aged 16-74 in 27 participating countries, October 23rd 2020 - November 6th 2020.
Source: Global Advisor
15 ‒
Country Comparison
Crime & violence is ranked
5th globally, with 26% on
average saying this is
among the most worrying
issues in their country
today.
There has been a sharp
increase in people selecting
Crime & violence in Peru
since last month, up 13
percentage points. The
nation is now joint-third with
Mexico on this issue.
Crime & violence is the #1
issue of all 18 in Mexico and
Sweden.
© Ipsos | What Worries the World16 ‒
METHODOLOGY
The survey is conducted monthly in 27 countries around the world via
the Ipsos Online Panel system. The countries included are Argentina,
Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, France, Great Britain,
Germany, Hungary, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico,
Netherlands, Peru, Poland, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South
Korea, Spain, Sweden, Turkey and the US.
A survey with an unweighted probability sample of this size would
have an estimated margin of error of +/- 3.1 percentage points for
a sample of 1,000 and an estimated margin of error of +/- 4.5
percentage points for a 500 sample 19 times out of 20.
For the results of the survey presented herein, an international sample
of 20,085 adults aged 18-74 in the US, South Africa, Turkey, Israel and
Canada, and age 16-74 in all other countries, were interviewed
between October 23rd and November 6th 2020. Approximately 1000+
individuals participated on a country by country basis via the Ipsos
Online Panel.
In 17 of the 27 countries surveyed, internet penetration is
sufficiently high to think of the samples as representative of the
wider population within the age ranges covered: Argentina,
Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Hungary, Israel,
Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Poland, South Korea, Spain, Sweden,
Great Britain and United States.
The precision of Ipsos online polls are calculated using a credibility
interval with a poll of 1,000 accurate to +/- 3.1 percentage points and
of 500 accurate to +/- 4.5 percentage points. For more information on
the Ipsos use of credibility intervals, please visit the Ipsos website.
Weighting has been employed to balance demographics and ensure
that the sample’s composition reflects that of the adult population
according to the most recent country census data.
Brazil, Chile, India, Malaysia, Mexico, Russia, Peru, Saudi Arabia,
South Africa and Turkey have lower levels of internet penetration
and so these samples should not be considered nationally
representative, and instead be considered to represent a more
affluent, connected population.
These are still a vital social group to understand in these
countries, representing an important and emerging middle class.
© Ipsos | What Worries the World© Ipsos | What Worries the World17 ‒
ABOUT IPSOS
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GAME CHANGERS
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At Ipsos we believe our clients need more than a data supplier,
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