The Rockefeller Foundation
09/16/2026 | News release | Distributed by Public on 09/15/2026 22:15
2026 Polling Data Survey
The world feels more dangerous - and people still want countries to work together. In the second year of The Rockefeller Foundation and Focaldata's survey of 34 countries, nearly seven in ten people say the world has gotten worse over the past year. Yet support for countries working together has held - and in wealthier countries, it has risen. Security is the clearest shared priority: preventing wars and conflicts ranks first in 21 of 34 countries and in the top two in 33.
At the same time, views of global leadership are fragmented. Neither the United States nor China commands majority support to lead, while several other countries receive higher ratings. And 61% would support a coalition taking on global problems without either superpower. After learning that recent aid cuts could contribute to more than nine million deaths by 2030, majorities in all 34 countries - including 61% of Americans - favor reversing the cuts or increasing aid.
Drawn from 35,339 adults across 34 countries, the 2026 survey builds on the inaugural 2025 poll to track how attitudes toward countries working together are changing - from the issues people want them to tackle to the kinds of leadership they want to see.
Key Findings:
-
#0prioritypriority
for international cooperation is preventing wars and conflicts,
ranking first in 21 of 34 countries and among the top two priorities in 33
-
0% say the world% say the world
has gotten worse over the past year,
yet support for international cooperation remains strong
-
0of 34 countriesof 34 countries
have majorities that favor reversing recent aid cuts or increasing aid
after learning that research estimates continued aid cuts could lead to more than nine million additional deaths [across low- and middle-income countries] by 2030
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The Rockefeller Foundation published this content on September 16, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on September 16, 2026 at 04:15 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]