Pope Francis was voted Ireland’s favorite world leader in a new poll, while US president Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Theresa May rated poorly.
According to an international opinion poll conducted by the Worldwide Independent Network (WIN) and Gallup International, the Pope was viewed favorably by 70 percent of the Irish respondents and unfavorably by 21 percent, The Irish Times reports.
Trump rated 82 percent unfavorably with the Irish, and 13 percent favorably, while May was viewed 68 percent unfavorably, and 22 percent favorably.
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Russian president Vladimir Putin polled better than Trump with the Irish, with 71 regarding him unfavorably. French president Emmanuel Macron polled 60 percent favorably and 20 percent unfavorably, and German chancellor Angela Merkel polled 57 percent favorably and 34 percent unfavorably.
Donald Trump. Credit: Flickr/Gage Skidmore
A total of 52,793 people in 55 countries were interviewed face-to-face, online, and by telephone between October and this month.
Red C, an Irish polling company which is a member of WIN, surveyed a representative 1,000 adults throughout Ireland between December 4 - 15.
Red C chief executive Richard Colwell said the survey reflects Irish unhappiness with Brexit, and with the leader of Ireland’s long-term partner, the US.
British Prime Minister Theresa May.
“Instead the Irish appear to look far more favorably on our strong European partners’ leaders, with both Merkel and Macron seen positively,” he added.
“But despite a perhaps more negative attitude to the church in recent years, the Irish hold the pope more favorably than any political leader.”
Read More: Reports that Pope Francis and Queen Elizabeth to meet in Northern Ireland in 2018
Pope Francis was also the most popular leader globally, with a 56 percent favorable rating worldwide.
Trump received a 58 percent unfavorable rating worldwide, making it the first time since the poll was initiated in 1977 that a US president polled the least favorable among the global population and the first time a US president was outranked by a Russian president.
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