What Worries the World

The world is now split on whether coronavirus or unemployment is the most worrying issue facing their country today.

The coronavirus pandemic continues to be the world’s greatest worry, but it is giving way to greater concern about unemployment in some countries.

COVID-19 overtakes all other issues in Ipsos’ What Worries the World survey with the highest level of concern recorded for any category since the series began.

Poverty & social inequality continues to be the greatest concern worldwide. We start the year with 61% globally saying that things in their country are heading in the wrong direction, up four points on 12 months ago.

Globally, just 39% think their country is heading in the right direction; 61% say things are off on the wrong track. The top worries globally are Poverty/Social inequality, Unemployment, Crime and Violence and Financial/Political corruption.

Globally, just 39% think their country is heading in the right direction. The top worries globally are unemployment, crime/violence, financial/political corruption and poverty/social inequality.

‘What Worries the World’? 58% believe their nation is on the wrong track – whilst concerns about unemployment continue to be a prominent worry.

Corruption, inequality overtook unemployment as the No.1 global worry in 2017: poll.

Using 100 months of data, we go beyond the headline stats to uncover long-term trends and surprising developments in the reported social and political concerns around the world.