What Worries the World – June 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.

Inflation and crime & violence are still the joint top worries, with a third (32%) worried across 30 countries

Key findings:

• Mentions for crime & violence and inflation across 30 countries fell slightly to just under a third (32%).
• South Africa has seen the largest drop in the proportion of people saying their “country is heading in the right direction”, dropping nine percentage points to a quarter (25%).
• Although falling five points from last month, Peru’s worry about crime & violence is 11 points higher than last June’s level, with 68% worried. Likewise, Chile is highly worried, increasing slightly to 65%.
• Argentina has reached record levels for unemployment worry, with the proportion mentioning it rising six points to just over half (52%), which is the highest it has been since October 2019, when it was 56%.
• Great Britain has reached a nine year high for worry about immigration control after increasing five points to 41% mentioning it. This is the highest it has been since July 2016 (one month after the Brexit vote), when concern was also at 41%.

Spotlight: Poland

In October 2023, Poland elected a new government headed by Donald Tusk. We subsequently saw the nation’s right direction score move from 27% in October to 50% in December. Since then, the country’s right direction score has fallen six points to 44% this month.

Although not their top concern, we do see the level about immigration control becoming an increasing worry. This time last year, the proportion of Poles expressing worry was at 19% - this month it has risen to a quarter (25%). This was something of keen debate in the election and is a sentiment we have seen in our World Refugee Day 2025 report.

For instance, in 2022, at the start of the Ukraine war, support in Poland for allowing people to take refuge to escape war/persecution was 85%. In 2025, that figure is now 51%. For reference, only South Korea (50%) is less likely to agree with this statement. 

Two-thirds (65%) also say that refugees aren’t really refugees but are trying to take economic advantage and just three in ten (30%) think refugees will integrate successfully into Polish society.

However, these feelings aren’t felt evenly, with clear political divides. According to What Worries the World data, only 5% of Poles who identify as ‘left-wing’ say immigration control is a problem, compared to 44% of right-wing voters.

Meanwhile, Poles remain particularly concerned about military conflict between nations. It’s currently the nation’s second biggest worry (behind health care (39%)) with 38% citing it. For context, 39% was the peak in April 2025.

To provide further context, Joanna Skrzynska, Public Affairs Service Line Leader in Poland, said:

On June 1st, the second round of the presidential elections took place in Poland, resulting in a narrow victory for the right-wing candidate, Karol Nawrocki. The elections continue to spark controversy, primarily concerning potentially flawed vote calculations. Over 50,000 submitted electoral protests highlight deep social divisions.
The increase in optimism regarding the country's and economy's situation does not seem to be directly linked to the election results. It may instead be seasonal in nature – traditionally, summer brings about improved social moods.
The consistent decline in core inflation – to 3.3% in May, the lowest level in over five year – eases inflationary pressure as a source of concern. Nonetheless, key anxieties remain unchanged: dominant issues include healthcare problems, with long-standing queues for specialists affecting a significant part of the population, and the threat of military conflict related to the war in neighbouring Ukraine.
An issue that gained significance due to the electoral campaign is immigration control. Many right-wing candidates built their message around fears related to migrants, criticizing the EU migration pact and emphasizing threats such as illegal border crossings, increased crime, strain on public services, and labor market pressure. This rhetoric, although often based on false information and simplifications, found a clear reflection in the results of our research.

World Worries: Long-Term Trends

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

Inflation

Across 30 countries, the proportion citing inflation has decreased marginally to 32%, keeping it joint as the top issue with crime & violence.

This month, the proportion of Mexicans saying they are worried about inflation has risen four points to 35%, which is 12 points higher than this time last year. However, this score isn’t exceptional for 2025, with March also recording 35%.

North American concern remains elevated amid ongoing US tariff policies. Despite limited month-over-month fluctuation, public concern across

North America remains high in the wake of US President Donald Trump’s ongoing tariff dispute. In Canada, half of respondents (50%) report feeling concerned – unchanged from the previous month. In the United States, concern has edged upward, with 43% of Americans now expressing worry, reflecting a slight increase from last month.
 

Crime & violence

Across 30 countries the proportion mentioning crime has fallen to just under a third (32%). This is also up slightly from June 2024 (30%).

Concern about crime surges in Israel following recent events. Israel has recorded the sharpest rise in public concern this month, with the proportion of respondents worried about crime climbing eight points to 40%. This marks a 17-point increase since June 2024 and represents the highest level of concern since October 2023, when it peaked at 50% in the immediate aftermath of the Hamas attack.

Although falling five points from last month, Peru’s score is 11 points higher than last June’s level, with 68% worried. Likewise, Chile is highly worried, increasing slightly to 65%.

The proportion expressing worry in Great Britain has risen four points to a quarter (25%). This is not the highest it has been in recent times, with March 2025’s score reaching 29%.

Similarly, we see that Ireland’s score has increased three points to a third (33%) saying they are concerned. This is ten points higher than this time last year.

South Africa has seen a rise of six points to nearly three-fifths (58%) worried, which is the highest it has been since May 2023 (when it was 60%).

Unemployment

The proportion expressing worry about unemployment across 30 countries has risen slightly to 28%.

Argentina has reached record levels for unemployment worry. This month, the proportion mentioning it has risen six points to just over half (52%), which is five points higher than June 2024 and the highest it has been since October 2019, when it was 56%.

Likewise, in South Korea, worry has reached its highest level in over three years. Concern increased five points to 50%, which is 12 points higher than June 2024 and the highest since March 2022 (53%).

Other APAC nations seem to be witnessing higher levels of concern about jobs this month. Singapore (52%) also rose five points, Indonesia (53%) increased slightly, and Thailand (31%) jumped seven points.

Immigration control

Across 30 countries, the proportion mentioning immigration control as one of their top issues remains at 17%.

Nine years after the Brexit referendum, Great Britain has hit a new high for concern about immigration control, after the proportion of Brits citing it increased five points to two-fifths (41%). Not only is this nine points higher than last June but it is also the highest level since July 2016 (one month after the Brexit vote), when concern was also at 41%.

Worry in Poland has also increased five points from last month, taking them to a quarter (25%) saying they’re concerned about immigration control. The Polish are more likely to be pessimistic towards refugees, according to the latest World Refugee Day report – find out why here.

Current economic situation - G7 Countries

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

Current economic situation

On average across 30 countries, almost four in ten (37%) describe the current economic situation in their country as good.

France (-16 pp to 12%) and Germany (-14 pp to 31%) have seen the biggest year-on-year decreases. 

Positive economic sentiment is up most from this time last year in Argentina (+19 pp to 34%) and Peru (+12 pp to 24%). 
June 2025 marks Mexico’s lowest good economy score since December 2022 (36%). 

Meanwhile, a five-point monthly increase sees Poland record its highest good economy score since the COVID-19 pandemic (51% in February 2020).