What Worries the World – September 2025

Our monthly What Worries the World survey explores what the public thinks are the most important social and political issues, drawing on more than ten years of data to place the latest scores in context.

Key findings:

• Financial/political corruption concern (28% across 30 countries) on the rise, particularly in APAC and Argentina.
• Concern about tax reaching all corners, from countries in Asia to North America have seen increases.
• French pessimism hits a new low as the proportion of people saying the country is “heading in the right direction” has reached a ten-year low of just 9%. 

World Worries: Long-Term Trends

Q: Which three of the following topics do you find the most worrying in your country?

Crime & violence remains top while concern about corruption rises

The proportion mentioning crime & violence across 30 countries this August remains at a third (32%), while concern about inflation stays at three in ten (30%).

Corruption worry is on the rise in APAC, with Malaysia’s concern levels jumping eight points to 59%, and Thailand’s score increasing seven points to just over half (51%). Meanwhile, Indonesia’s level of worry is up four points to 72%, which is the highest it has been since we added the nation in August 2022.

Furthermore, after a recent scandal involving President Milei’s sister, we see Argentina’s corruption concern jump 11 points to 36%, the highest since September 2022.

After recent unrest, Indonesia’s score has also reached a record high of 35% after jumping 12 points.

Additionally, Americans' levels of worry about taxation have increased five points, with a fifth (21%) now saying they’re worried, which is the highest it has been in eight years.

France has had a year of political instability after the National Assembly dissolved in June 2024. Mathieu Gallard, Account Director at our Public Affairs team in France, provides context to the data in our spotlight on France.

Right direction vs wrong track

Across 30 countries, the proportion saying their country is “heading in the right direction” remains at 37%. This is three points lower than this time last year.

France has reached a record low for optimism this month. The proportion of French people believing the nation is on the right track continues to fall and now stands at 9%. This is the lowest French score we’ve recorded on this measure in ten years.

Across the Channel, pessimism is also on the rise in Great Britain after the nation’s right direction score fell five points over the month to three in ten (30%). This is ten points lower than last September’s score.

Elsewhere, in Malaysia, optimism levels have also taken a sharp decline, down 11 points: today, three-fifths (61%) say the country is “heading in the right direction”.

Current economic situation - G7 Countries

Q: How would you describe the current economic situation in your country?

Current economic situation

Across the 30 countries included in our survey, Indonesia has recorded the largest 12-month decrease in the proportion of people describing its country’s economy as “good”. Indonesia’s good economy score has fallen 25 points from September 2024, down from 53% to 28%, its new all-time lowest score. 

Elsewhere, France (-20pp), Germany (-14pp), Mexico (-12pp) and the Netherlands (-10pp) also record double-digit drops from this time last year. 

Meanwhile, South Korea’s good economy score is up 14 points since September 2024, the country’s highest score since May 2018 (33%). Argentina also sees a double-digit increase, up ten points from this point last year.