[Mb-civic] World 'wants Kerry as president' BBC

[Michael Butler]

 World 'wants Kerry as president'
 A new poll in 35 countries suggests that people around the world would
prefer Democratic challenger John Kerry as US president over George W Bush.

 Global research company GlobeScan Inc and the University of Maryland found
clear leads for Mr Kerry among those polled in 30 of the countries.

 Only Filipino, Polish and Nigerian respondents clearly backed Mr Bush.

 Most said Mr Bush's foreign policy had made them feel worse about the US
since his election in 2000.

 Kerry would win handily if the people of the world were to elect the US
president  
  Steven Kull 
 Maryland University
 Meanwhile, a new survey of American and European public attitudes also
suggested there had been a dramatic leap in the latter's criticism of US
foreign policy.

 More than three-quarters of Europeans surveyed in 10 countries by the
German Marshall Fund of the US said they disapproved of President Bush's
international actions, 20% more than two years ago.

 The survey also showed sharp differences in how governments should respond
to potential threats from terrorism and weapons of mass destruction.

 More than 80% of Americans thought war could achieve justice - more than
twice the proportion of Europeans.

 Traditional allies

 The GlobeScan/Maryland poll, of 34,330 people, was conducted mainly in July
and August.

 POLL RESULTS (KERRY-BUSH)
 Norway: 74%-7%
 Germany: 74%-10%
 France: 64%-5%
 Italy: 58%-14%
 Spain: 45%-7%
 UK: 47%-16%
 Canada: 61%-16%
 Mexico: 38%-18%
 Brazil: 57%-14%
 China: 52%-12%
 Japan: 43%-32%
 Indonesia: 57%-34%
 India: 34%-33%
 Philippines: 32%-57%
 Nigeria: 33%-27%
 Poland: 26%-31%
 Thailand: 30%-33%
 Source: GlobeScan Inc/University of Maryland PIPA

 Because of access difficulties, polling was restricted to metropolitan
areas in 11 of the countries.

 "Only one in five want to see Bush re-elected," said Steven Kull, the
director of Maryland's Program on International Policy Attitudes (PIPA).

 "Though he is not as well known, Kerry would win handily if the people of
the world were to elect the US president."

 Mr Kerry scored best in traditional US allies, such as Canada and Western
European countries.

 The highest margin was in Norway, where 74% of respondents backed Mr Kerry
compared with just 7% for Mr Bush. The strongest negative views about US
foreign policy appeared to come from Germany, where 83% said their view of
the US had got worse.

 Respondents in all the Latin American countries polled, including
neighbours Mexico, also went for the Democrat, with the biggest majority -
57% to 14% - in Brazil.

 The picture was more mixed in Asia. Only respondents in the Philippines
clearly backed Mr Bush, but there was an almost even divide in India and
Thailand.

 Organisers of the poll attributed the Philippine result to US aid to a
military campaign against Islamist rebels in the south of the country.
 Story from BBC NEWS:
 http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/americas/3640754.stm

 Published: 2004/09/09 11:33:31 GMT

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