Global Poll Finds Rising Trust in International Institutions
A 2026 global poll of 35,000 people finds rising trust in international institutions, while comfort with US and Chinese global leadership declines.
Raja Awais Ali
9/16/20263 min read
Global Poll Finds Rising Trust in International Institutions
A new global survey of more than 35,000 people shows growing support for international cooperation and higher trust in major global institutions, while fewer people are comfortable with the United States or China taking leading roles in world affairs.
The survey, commissioned by the Rockefeller Foundation and conducted across 34 countries from July 21 to August 5, 2026, collected responses from 35,339 adults. It found that nearly 70% of respondents believed the world had become worse over the previous year, reflecting widespread concerns about economic conditions, security and international instability.
Despite this pessimism, support for countries working together on global challenges remained strong. About 57% of respondents said nations should cooperate to address issues such as security even when doing so requires some compromise on national interests. That was an increase from 55% in the previous year's survey.
Economic expectations were considerably less positive. Only 38% of respondents believed their national economies would improve over the next five years. Optimism declined sharply in India and China. In India, the share expecting economic improvement fell 26 percentage points to 50%, while in China it dropped 16 points to 56%.
The survey also found that many respondents were increasingly open to international cooperation that does not depend on either of the world's two largest economies. Around 61% supported countries working together to address global problems without the participation of the United States or China.
Views of potential global leadership varied significantly among the countries and institutions included in the survey. Canada recorded the highest level of public comfort with taking a leading role in world affairs at 60%, followed by Japan at 58% and Australia at 55%. The European Union received 55%, Britain 54% and the United Nations 52%.
The figures were lower for the United States and China. About 39% of respondents said they were comfortable with the United States taking a leading role in global affairs, while 37% expressed comfort with China. Russia recorded 26%.
The results also showed important differences between developing and wealthier countries. In developing countries, 53% of respondents said they were comfortable with China playing a leading global role, compared with 23% in wealthier countries. The survey recorded a 27-percentage-point difference between the groups regarding Russia and a 17-point difference regarding the United States. The question about leadership was not included in the 2025 survey.
While opinions about major powers were divided, confidence in international institutions increased compared with the previous year. Trust in the World Health Organization rose from 61% to 69%, while the United Nations increased from 58% to 62%.
Other international institutions also recorded gains. Trust in the World Bank increased from 46% to 55%, while confidence in the International Monetary Fund rose from 43% to 51%. The International Criminal Court increased from 48% to 54%, and the World Trade Organization rose from 50% to 57%.
The survey also examined which countries people regarded as major threats. After excluding respondents' assessments of their own countries, 42% identified Russia as a major threat, compared with 34% for the United States and 30% for China.
Russia was the country most frequently identified as a major concern in 14 countries, with particularly high levels of concern recorded in Europe. The United States was identified as the greatest threat in 15 countries. The highest percentages were recorded in Indonesia at 73%, Brazil at 59%, Mexico at 58% and Turkey at 57%.
The survey was released ahead of the United Nations General Assembly in New York and comes amid continued international concern over conflict, energy markets, inflation and economic growth. The poll was conducted after months of conflict in the Middle East and during a period of wider economic and geopolitical uncertainty.
Overall, the findings show a combination of economic pessimism and continued demand for international cooperation. While confidence in several major global institutions increased, views about the role of major powers remained divided, with the United States and China receiving lower levels of comfort as global leaders than several other countries and institutions. The results also indicate that public attitudes toward international leadership differ considerably depending on whether respondents live in developing or wealthier economies.
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