WJS "Yoon Seok-yeol Has the Lowest Approval Rating Among Leaders of 25 Advanced Countries"
by Choi Seungwoo
Published 14 Dec.2024 11:11(KST)
Among Major Advanced Countries, Only Switzerland Surpasses 50% Approval Rating
"Advanced Countries Force Voters to Make Difficult Choices"
Among the leaders of 25 major democratic countries worldwide, President Yoon Suk-yeol of South Korea was found to have the lowest approval rating.
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the 13th (local time) that leaders of developed countries around the world are experiencing a sharp decline in approval ratings as they fail to address voters' grievances.
Introducing the case of South Korea, WSJ reported, "The unpopular President Yoon narrowly avoided impeachment after a short-lived declaration of martial law."
WSJ cited the "Global Leader Approval Trends" released by the polling firm Morning Consult on the 3rd.
In this survey targeting 25 democratic countries that have undergone industrialization, President Yoon Suk-yeol's approval rating was the lowest among the 25 countries at 15%. The survey was conducted before the declaration and lifting of martial law and the ensuing impeachment controversy.
According to the Morning Consult survey, U.S. President Joe Biden's approval rating was 37%, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's was 26%, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's was 19%, and French President Emmanuel Macron's was 19%. Switzerland (56%) was the only country where positive evaluations of the leader outnumbered negative ones.
The three most popular leaders were all from developing countries: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Argentine President Javier Milei, and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.
WSJ explained that voters in developed countries are feeling anxiety and anger as uncertainties caused by COVID-19, the Ukraine war, high inflation, stagnant real wages, and surging immigration persist for years.
However, developed country leaders are struggling to address these issues due to constraints such as slowing economic growth, high interest rates, and increasing debt, forcing voters to make difficult choices, the report added.
Furthermore, it analyzed that developed countries are facing a tough situation as rapid aging leads to soaring expenditures on healthcare and pensions, while economic stagnation reduces tax revenues.
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