I’ve just received a first look at the newest polling data from the Better World Campaign and UN Foundation. The survey, conducted by the bi-partisan polling duo Geoff Garin and Bill McInturff, finds American approval ratings for the United Nations are at 60%, while only 28% say they have an unfavorable image.
This represents a consistent favorable rating from the last two surveys, released in October 2010 and April 2010. The two national polls conducted in 2010 showed the UN’s was similarly favorable (April 2010 – 60% favorable/30% unfavorable, October 2010 – 59% favorable/29% unfavorable). So, it would seem that Americans general perceptions of the United Nations are holding strong. (For comparison’s sake that’s higher than even some United States government institutions.)
The survey also finds that an overwhelming majority (85%) of American voters believe “the United Nations is an important organization in which the United States needs to maintain an active role.” 61% saying it is very important the United States maintain an active role in the United Nations.
Other key findings include:
Americans support the United States paying our dues to the UN on time and in full. Six out of ten Americans (60%) favor the United States paying our dues to the United Nations on time and in full, while 34% oppose. As might be expected, Democrats and Independents more strongly favor paying dues on time and in full to the United Nations. A plurality of Republicans favore paying UN dues.
There is even greater support for the United States paying our peacekeeping dues to the United Nations on time and in full (69% favor/27% oppose). This is also true regardless of party. A majority of Republicans, Independents, and Democrats continue to favor paying our peacekeeping dues to the UN on time and in full.
There also continues to be significant recognition of the contemporary relevance of the United Nations. Two-thirds of Americans (67%) believe the United Nations is still needed today. There’s some partisan divide to this finding though. Majorities of Democrats (84%) and Independents (63%) agree with this assessment. Republicans are more closely divided (50%).
Stay tuned for the full survey results tomorrow.
UPDATE: Here’s the full survey results. Summary here. And press release.