Obama would win the US elections if they were held in eight other countries

Is not it a somewhat crazy idea? Canadian daily newspaper La Presse invited the leading titles from many countries of the world to make a poll about US presidential candidates. Seven newspapers followed. The result: Obama would win everywhere.

An international survey shows also that America can no longer count on the friendship even of its closest neighbors and allies after eight years of the Bush presidency. Only a minority in the countries surveyed describe relations with the US as friendly.

The newspapers involved were: La Presse (Canada), The Guardian (UK), Le Monde (France), Le Soir (Belgium), Le Temps (Switzerland), Reforma (Mexico), The Daily Yomiuri (Japan), and Gazeta Wyborcza in Poland.

Each of these ordered a poll in its respective country — a set of questions about US politics and policies. All of them could use the results from other countries to compare them with theirs.

Here’s an overview of the results from the Guardian.

Barack Obama would win the elections in all eight countries. In the heart of Europe he would do so crushingly – in France, only 7 percent of respondents “voted” for Mr McCain, less than usually support the rightwing populist Le Pen in the polls. Similarly in Belgium and Switzerland. In Canada, Japan, Britain, and Mexico, some 80 percent of respondents were in favour of Obama. Against this background, Poland’s 62 percent for Mr Obama looks rather pale.

Poland is also the only country where Mr McCain’s qualifications for presidency are seen as better than his rival’s. The standard in the other countries is for twice as many respondents, and in France even three times as many, to point at Mr Obama than at Mr McCain as the better-qualified candidate.

“Thanks to us, America will find out who’d win its elections if the whole world were to vote”, said Philippe Cantin, chief editor of La Presse, the project’s initiator.

Other issues: Bush, war in Iraq and attack on Iran

In general eight nation’s perception of the US during Mr Bush’s two terms has worsened. This is a view of 90 per cent of Frenchmen, 74 per cent of Britishmen and 52 per cent of Poles who have been traditionally enthusiastic about the US and Mr. Bush used to be a cult person there.

Iraq is not a controversial issue for the respondents in the respective countries, the war is a closed chapter, and a vast majority of those polled are in favour of the next US president pulling the troops out. The same applies to the expectation that the US should play a more decisive role in addressing global warming.

The poll also asked about a potential US intervention in Iran. In all countries the majority of respondents were against it, only in Poland a slight majority said the matter was worth consideration.

Interview with Michel Marois, Deputy Managing Editor of La Presse in Montreal

forum4editors: Why do you ask people in Canada, Mexico, Japan, or Poland to answer whom would they vote for in American elections? Do you believe that the US voters should care about their opinions?

Michel Marois: We did the same thing in 2004 and the answers from around the world were received with great interest not only in the participating countries, but also in the United States and other countries. The New York Times,Los Angeles Times, Washington Post and other great american newspapers published follow stories the next day. The survey’s result were also commented on CNN, Fox News and other TV news service. Our Editor, M. Cantin, did interview for ABC news and CNN

Let’s talk about this year’s survey. Which result was the most astonishing or interesting for you?

This year, we had quite interesting results, with great variety, thought the support for Barack Obama and the reject of the Bush administration were quite unaninimous. I was surprised to see the relative support John McCain got in Poland. I was also surprised to see that themore extremed results came from Switzerland. It’s also interesting to note that many more respondants countries were calling themselves «friend» of the United States in 2004 then they did this year.

Do you have any idea why Canadians are so critical about Mr. George Bush? And why are they so enthusiastic about Mr. Barack Obama?

Canadian never liked M. Bush, or his father. The Canadian people, who are more free thinking than the American, seems to be more «Democrat» than «Republican» – though we just reelected a right policies Conservative government. Our support to Mr. Obama is enthousiastic indeed, but it’s seems to be the same in many countries.

I am hearing that you have been carrying such a survey for the second time. What were the results four years ago?

In 2004, in a similar 8 contries survey, the democratic candidate John Kerry was supported by a majority, but by a much smaller majority – George W, Bush was even favored in two countries. The survey produced an equal reject of american military policies and revealed a worldwide fear for the spread of american culture.

Was it hard to convince all these papers – the Guardian, Le Monde, Reforma etc. – to join your effort?

Most of the partners from 2004 were happy to do it again this time. The interest was there from everybody, but the difficult economic situation of newspapers worldwide forced some newspapers to pull out of the project. We were happy to replace them with quality newspapers, like Gazeta Wyborcza or Japan’s Yomiuri Shimbun (the world largest newspapers).

Learn more about the survey

• Read Canadian La Presse article (in French): Planète Obama, le sondage mondial
• Read the UK Guardian report on the survey: Foreign poll favours Democrat but shows hostility to US
• Read Poland’s Gazeta Wyborcza story (in English): Our Dear President Obama

Examples of pages

Here is a front page and inside spread of La Presse, Canada:

Here is a front page of Le Soir, Belgium:

Here’s an article in Le Monde, France:

Here’s an article in Le Temps, Switzerland:

Here’s an article in Gazeta Wyborcza, Poland:

Here’s an article in Reforma, Mexico:

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