Ethics Newsline®

Survey finds divergent views between many European countries and respondents in the United States.

From Harris Interactive:

“As the United States gets ready to enter an election year, there are interesting differences in the perceptions of adults in the five largest European countries, especially compared to Americans, as to what the election may mean and how important it is. Two-thirds of Americans (66%) and over half of Italians (55%), Germans (52%) and Spaniards (51%) think the U.S. election is extremely or very important to people in other countries as do a plurality (43%) of British adults. The French, however, disagree, as just over one-third (38%) say the election is extremely or very important to other countries….

“One of the interesting story lines with this U.S. election is the possibility of two firsts — a female president and a black president. Over half of adults in France (56%), Spain (56%), Germany (55%), and Italy (53%) as well as a plurality (43%) in Great Britain, believe that electing a woman as president would have a positive effect on the USA….The one exception is in the U.S. Just three in ten (29%) Americans believe electing a woman would have a positive effect on the USA while one-quarter (26%) say it would have a negative effect and 23 percent believe it would have equally positive and negative effects….

“Looking at the possibility of the first black president, the numbers are not as strong. Half of Spaniards (50%) and pluralities of French (49%), Italians (44%), Germans (43%) and Britons (43%) believe electing a black man would have a positive effect on the USA. Again, Americans are less positive as just one-third (33%) say this would have a positive effect while 28 percent say the effect would be equally positive and negative….

“In looking at who would make the best U.S. president (among 10 listed candidates) Hillary Clinton is the top choice in all six countries. Barack Obama is second in France and Germany and tied for second with Rudy Giuliani in the U.S. Rudy Giuliani comes in second in Italy, Spain, and Great Britain. When it comes to who will actually win the 2008 Presidential election, Hillary Clinton is again on top — in fact, over half of Italians (51%) believe she will win. The only other candidate in double digits in any of the countries is Rudy Giuliani and 11 percent of Americans believe he will actually win the election.

“Looking at the position of the U.S. in the world under President Bush, there is a consensus — the position of the U.S. is weaker in the world today then it was at the beginning of the Bush presidency. In fact, Americans are the ones leading this charge as almost three in five (58%) of them say weaker, followed by 57 percent of British adults and over half of Italians (53%) and Germans (52%). Just under half (49%) of French adults and 46 percent of Spaniards believe the same.

“The new president, whoever he or she might be, inherits a good deal of international concerns. As to the most urgent foreign policy issue for the new president, for adults in five of the countries, Iraq comes out as the top issue. Italy is the exception as Italians believe the Middle East settlement is the most urgent issue, followed by Iran….

“The role the new president should play is one where those in Europe agree on one idea, while those in the U.S. feel a little differently. Two-thirds or more in the five European countries (between 65% and 77%) believe the U.S. president should be an equal voice among all western leaders. In the U.S., just under half (46%) also agree with this idea….

“One reason the U.S. needs to have such an important role is many believe the U.S. poses a threat to world peace A majority in Spain (56%) and pluralities in France (49%), Great Britain (48%) and Germany (48%) as well as 37 percent in Italy believe the U.S. poses a major threat to world peace. Even one-quarter (28%) in the U.S. believe the U.S. poses a major threat while 27 percent of Americans say the U.S. poses a minor threat to world peace….”

For the full press release from Harris Interactive, Dec. 11, click here.