The Gallup International End-of-Year (EOY) Survey, the world’s longest-running global public opinion study, reveals a sharply divided global outlook as people look ahead to 2026. Conducted annually since 1977, the End-of-Year (EOY) Survey is carried out by the Gallup International Association (GIA) — a worldwide network of more than 65 professional and independent polling organizations operating across continents.

The Association was founded in 1947 by George Gallup, the pioneer of modern scientific public opinion polling, and continues to bring together some of the most experienced and respected survey organizations from around the world to provide a unique, real-time snapshot of global public sentiment.

The latest End-of-Year (EOY) Survey covers 60 countries and is based on interviews with 59,636 adults, making it one of the most comprehensive internationally coordinated assessments of public sentiment anywhere in the world. A defining feature of the study is that it is conducted within one of the shortest synchronized global fieldwork windows, ensuring that public opinion is captured at the same moment across diverse political, economic, and cultural contexts.

As the findings show, the world entering 2026 is deeply divided: emerging and developing regions in the Global South remain relatively optimistic, while advanced Western economies — and older generations across regions — express growing anxiety, particularly about economic prospects and global peace.

Hope Remains Present, but Uneven Across Regions

Globally, 37 % of respondents believe that 2026 will be a better year than 2025, while 25 % expect it to be worse and 31 % expect no major change. This produces a Net Hope score of +11, indicating that optimism continues to outweigh pessimism at the global level.

Compared with the End-of-Year 2024 Survey, when 41 % expected the coming year to be better and 24 % expected it to be worse, we are marginally less optimistic for 2026.

Hope is strongest in the Global South, particularly in the Arab World, South Asia, Africa¹, and Latin America, while optimism remains muted across Western and Eastern Europe, where expectations of stagnation are more common.

Top 5 Most Hopeful Countries (Net Hope)

Kenya (+67), Syria (+61), Saudi Arabia (+58), South Africa (+52), Colombia (+45)

Bottom 5 Least Hopeful Countries

Bulgaria (–36), Bosnia and Herzegovina (–28), Austria (–26), Belgium (–26), Ghana (–26)

Across the 60 countries surveyed, a clear majority remains net positive on hope (more people are hopeful about the next year than those who are despaired), though levels of optimism vary widely by region.

Economic Outlook: Anxiety Deepens

Public sentiment turns sharply more negative when respondents are asked about the economy. Only one in four (24 %) expect economic prosperity in 2026, while 40 % expect economic difficulty. Another 30 % expect conditions to remain the same, producing a Net Prosperity score of –16.

This represents a clear deterioration from End-of-Year 2024, when 29 % expected prosperity and 35 % expected difficulty. Economic pessimism is particularly pronounced in advanced economies, especially in Western and Eastern Europe.

By contrast, net positive economic expectations are concentrated in the Arab World, South Asia, Africa, and parts of Latin America, reflecting differing economic trajectories and expectations.

Top 5 Most Economically Optimistic Countries (Net Prosperity)

Saudi Arabia (+54), Kenya (+47), Syria (+35), Colombia (+34), Pakistan (+26)

Bottom 5 Most Economically Pessimistic Countries

Belgium (–59), France (–54), Latvia (–54), Ukraine (–54), Germany (–53)

Globally, more countries are net negative than net positive on economic expectations.

Global Peace: Widespread Concern About a Troubled World

Concerns extend beyond economics to global stability.

Globally, 40 % of respondents expect the world to become more troubled in 2026, while 26 % believe it will become more peaceful. Another 28 % expect no major change, resulting in a Net Peace score of –14.

Expectations of a more troubled world are strongest in Western Europe, North America, and Australasia, while relatively more optimistic views are found in the Arab World, South Asia, and parts of Africa, where hopes for stabilization persist.

Top 5 Most Optimistic About Global Peace (Net Peace)

Syria (+50), Kenya (+48), Saudi Arabia (+43), Peru (+41), Armenia (+33)

Bottom 5 Most Pessimistic About Global Peace

Netherlands (–61), Germany (–59), Belgium (–57), Greece (–54), Ghana (–52)

Across countries, a clear majority are net negative on global peace, highlighting deep concern about geopolitical instability.

Countries Cluster into Distinct Global “Mood Groups”

Looking across hope, economic expectations, and views on global peace, countries cluster into distinct global “mood groups.”

Only a small group of countries show consistent optimism across all three dimensions, including Saudi Arabia, Kenya, South Africa, Colombia, Pakistan, and Moldova — countries largely located in the Global South.

A much larger group is hopeful about the future but anxious about the economy and/or global stability, including India, Argentina, Mexico, Peru, Malaysia, the Philippines, Japan, South Korea, and the United States.

At the other end of the spectrum, a broad group of countries — predominantly in Western and Eastern Europe — are pessimistic across all three indicators, including Germany, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria, Greece, Poland, Romania, and Bulgaria.

Finally, a small number of societies — notably Japan, South Korea, and Norway — stand out for expecting little change rather than clear improvement or decline, reflecting stability but limited optimism.

Demographic Snapshot: Who Is Optimistic — and Who Is Not

• Age is the strongest divide: under-34s remain broadly optimistic (net hope +28), while those aged 55+ are net pessimistic on hope (–6), the economy (–29), and global peace (–30).
• Gender differences are minimal, with men and women showing similar views across hope, economic outlook, and peace.
• Overall, optimism is concentrated among the young and the Global South, while older populations in wealthier countries are the most anxious about the future.

Conclusion

Michael Nitsche, President of Gallup International Association, summarizes the results: “In view of the gloomy economic outlook and widespread concerns about peaceful coexistence in large parts of the world, there will be a greater need for engaged leaders from the areas of business, culture, and politics who can show people a constructive way forward and turn global public sentiment in a positive direction.”

¹ Africa-level figures are based on data from only three countries. Findings should be interpreted with caution.

Note to Editors

Sample Size and Mode of Field Work

The survey interviewed 59,636 adults aged 18+ across 60 countries worldwide. In each country, typically around 1,000 respondents were interviewed between October and December 2025.

Of the 60 countries surveyed, 56 employed a national sample, while 4 interviewed urban-only populations. In terms of sample size, 10 countries had a sample size of under 1,000, 24 countries had a sample size of 1,000, and 26 countries had a sample size exceeding 1,000. As for survey modes, 10 countries used CATI (Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing), 38 countries used CAWI (Computer-Assisted Web Interviewing), and 12 countries employed face-to-face interviews. In terms of sampling methods, 2 countries utilized a non-probability sample, 33 countries used quota sampling, and 25 countries applied random probability sampling. For details, please download this Excel sheet.

About Gallup International Association

Gallup International Association (GIA) is the world’s leading global independent association in market research and public opinion polling.

For more than 75 years, Gallup International members have demonstrated their expertise in conducting multi-country surveys on a fully comparable basis, consistently delivering research of the highest methodological quality. Today, the Association brings together over 65 members who, together with partners, have the capacity to cover more than 130 countries of the world with opinion polling. Each member is a leading national research institute with deep local expertise in research methods, statistical systems, culture, and social context.

With a strict one-member-per-country policy, Gallup International ensures independence, credibility, and the highest professional standards. Member agencies collaborate closely on a daily basis, sharing knowledge, innovative research techniques, and tools, while jointly delivering robust, reliable, and culturally informed insights for international research projects.

Gallup International was founded in 1947 by George Gallup, the pioneer of modern scientific public opinion research, together with colleagues from 10 countries.