The survey shows the changing public opinion of the great powers

According to a comprehensive overview of political attitudes, China has a better image than the United States among Central Asian citizens.

The Democracy perception index Pictures as “the world's largest annual study of how people perceive democracy”. The 2025 edition contains data collected by over 111,000 respondents in 100 countries worldwide, including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.

The results show that belief in the potential of democracy, stability and prosperity.

“Citizens are particularly dissatisfied with the government's performance in terms of living costs, poverty fighting and affordable apartments – expenses that affect their daily life directly,” says an analysis that accompanies the index. “The widespread perception of underperformance shows a growing gap between democratic ideals and the practical results that many citizens expect, but the feeling that they are not fulfilled.”

Central Asian respondents are in their respective countries that recorded the lowest democratization values ​​in the Asian-Pacific region among the participating nations. The respondents in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan gave their governments bad ratings in relation to the maintenance of fundamental freedoms. They also offered critical assessments of government policy in the category of the rule of law as well as transparency, separation of powers and freedom of speech.

Central Asian surveying attempts were in the mainstream of a trend, in which China put the United States in the shade in terms of public perception.

“The global perceptions of the world's main powers change,” explains the index. “In 2022 and 2023, the average perception of the United States was more positive than negative and significantly more positive than Russia or China. But until 2025 the global opinion has been reversed.”

The 2025 survey shows China as the only global power with a positive net image. In a head-to-head comparison of perceptions, the Central Asian respondents represented a significantly cheaper view of China than the United States. Even a very small majority of the interviewees of some US allies and neighbors – including Canada, Mexico, France, Germany and Italy – commented for China.

The United States' “Global Net Perception Rating” derived from +22 percent in 2024 to -5 percent early this year. Canada and many countries of the European Union had the greatest “net perception” fluctuations from positive to negative. A minor majority of Kazakhia and Kyrgyzs expressed a positive statement in the 2025 survey towards the United States, while Uzbekistan had a negative net view.

A minor majority of US citizens had a negative overview of the ability of the US government to “meet democratic principles”.

In the world leaders' ranking, 82 of the 100 countries who took part in the survey, had a negative perspective by President Trump, significantly higher than the Russia's Vladimir Putin with 61 percent or China's XI Jinping with 44 percent.

The survey also showed that people around the world define democracy in very different terms. In 52 countries, a majority of the respondents said that the main purpose of a democratic system was to improve living standards. Only 35 countries had majorities that prioritized free elections and the protection of individual freedoms, while in 13 countries that the main responsibility of democracy made peace and social justice easier.

From Eurasianet.org

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