Who Will Lead the World? Shifting Alignments in World Public Opinion

Since the end of the Cold War, the United States has emerged as the world’s sole superpower, both in military and economic terms. A new poll however, suggests that not everyone around the world is happy with the United States’ global influence, and would prefer a change in the balance of power. Publics around the world appear to be looking more to Europe and even China to play a more prominent role, while the influence of the United States and Russia are largely seen in a negative light. Such a potential realignment has significant implications for U.S. foreign policy. The poll, conducted by GlobeScan, together with the University of Maryland’s Program on International Policy Attitudes, surveyed over 23,000 respondents in 23 countries around the world.

At this Brookings briefing, the findings of the poll will be presented (most of them for the first time) and panelists will discuss their implications for the new post-Cold War global landscape. Panelists will take questions from the audience following the discussion.