New Poll Shock

Austria’s view of the world has “virtually flipped”

Austrians perceive the U.S. under Trump as particularly dangerous.(Bild: EPA/MAXIM SHIPENKOV)

Austrians’ attitude toward the U.S. has cooled significantly! The majority currently views the U.S. as the greatest threat to world peace. Under Donald Trump’s leadership, the United States has even overtaken Vladimir Putin’s Russia...

This is shown by a poll published on Friday by the pollsters at the Unique Research Institute. 37 percent of respondents name the U.S. as the greatest threat to world peace, while only 33 percent cite Russia.

This is a drastic reversal of the trend: In a similar survey two years ago, 60 percent had named Russia and only 15 percent the U.S. Trump’s erratic leadership style apparently leaves no one in Austria indifferent anymore.

Austrians perceive the U.S. under Trump as particularly dangerous.(Bild: EPA/MAXIM SHIPENKOV)

The proportion of respondents who see the European Union as the greatest threat to world peace has risen significantly, from four to eight percent. Notably, more people now see the “Brussels peace project” as a threat than they do China. Only four percent view Beijing as a source of danger to world peace—despite military interventions around Taiwan and in the Indo-Pacific.

The Method

• The online survey was conducted from April 29 to May 5 by the Unique Research Institute on behalf of the magazine “Der Pragmaticus.”
• The sample is intended to represent eligible voters in Austria and consisted of 835 people; the margin of error is 3.4 percent.

The worldview has been “virtually reversed”
“After World War II, the U.S. was an economic, political, and cultural role model for Austria and Europe. This image has been nearly turned upside down,” commented pollster Peter Hajek on the survey conducted on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America on July 4.

“Only one in five still has a positive view of the U.S.; three-quarters view it negatively.” The proportion of those who have a very negative view of the U.S. has more than doubled in the past two years, rising from 14 to 29 percent.

According to Hajek, the image of America has always been critical, especially in left-wing circles. While the U.S. used to be perceived “perhaps as conservative, puritanical, or hard-line in its power politics,” it was also regarded as “radically democratic.” “It is precisely this democratic appeal that has been damaged.” The U.S. is “increasingly perceived as authoritarian and irresponsible.”

A clear majority rejects the U.S. economic model
In fact, 63 percent of respondents view the U.S. as authoritarian and only 25 percent as democratic. 70 percent view it as irresponsible, while only 20 percent view it as responsible.

Trump’s tariffs and the “logic” behind them have caused outrage worldwide.(Bild: AP/Mark Schiefelbein)

Seventy-seven percent of respondents believe the U.S. has too much influence and is only out for profit. The figures are better for adjectives traditionally associated with the U.S., such as innovative (45 percent), courageous (57 percent), or performance-oriented (59 percent).

78 percent of respondents see a difference between the American and European economic models, and almost as many (73 percent) do not view the American model as a role model for Europe. A narrow relative majority of 46 to 44 percent believes that freedom of speech is under threat in the U.S.

Trump Risks U.S. Hegemony
The result that is likely most painful for U.S. President Trump comes from the question about the future global leader. Only 16 percent of respondents expect the U.S. to be the world’s political and economic leader in ten years. Seven percent name the European Union, four percent India, and three percent Russia. China is far ahead in the lead; 46 percent of respondents believe it will be the global leader in 2036.