Page 28 - RusRPTMar23

It appears that the public's dissatisfaction with democratic performance has a correlation with the receptiveness towards authoritarian powers. A majority of the public in 7 out of 10 countries (69%) have a positive view of Russia are also dissatisfied with the democratic performance of their own country. And three quarter (73%) of countries that have a positive view of China are also dissatisfied with their democratic performance.
China has emerged as the leading nation in the developing world. For the first time ever, more people in developing countries have a positive view of China, at 62%, than the United States, at 61%, according to the study. This is particularly noticeable among the 4.6bn people living in countries supported by the Belt and Road Initiative, where almost two-thirds hold a positive view of China, compared to just 27% in non-participating countries.
However, this increase in support for the Global South has come at a cost, a dramatic collapse in the support in developed nations. In the western world, just 23% of citizens hold a positive view of China, a stark contrast from five years ago when 42% held a positive view. The same trend can be seen with Russia, with support from western citizens falling from 39% a decade ago to just 12% today. Russia has also lost its leverage among European countries, formerly sympathetic to Russia, including Greece (down from 69% to 30%
28 RUSSIA Country Report March 2023 www.intellinews.com