Young people think differently than old people – Xi and Putin are increasingly perceived as threats – News

Western governments remain committed to Kiev – unlike many of their voters, a study shows.

Foreign and security policy is a matter for the boss, a matter for governments – even in democratic countries. Parliaments and the population often have little to say about this. That’s why gaps sometimes open up between a government’s official course and what its voters want.

This is also shown by the study “Transatlantic Trends 2023” by the German Marshall Fund GMF think tank: It has bad news in store for democratic countries that are threatened by a major power. They are likely to come as a shock to Ukraine and Taiwan.

A good proportion of respondents in the USA, Canada and a dozen European NATO member countries are increasingly skeptical about their governments’ support for Ukraine. “This will now be a really big challenge for the governments,” says Gesine Weber from the GMF.

People are increasingly tired of Ukraine

Both the support for military support and that for the reconstruction of Ukraine are crumbling. Ukraine fatigue is spreading.

In the USA, Republican voters in particular are rejecting continued aid in rapidly growing numbers. This attitude is also widespread in Germany, France and Italy.

We are seeing a significant divergence between governments and public opinion.

There is hardly any public acceptance of any military support for Taiwan if it were attacked by China. US President Joe Biden advocates a stance that is increasingly less shared by the public.

The gap is also getting deeper in other Western countries, says Weber from the GMF: “We are seeing a significant drifting apart between governments and public opinion.”

China popular despite dictatorship

Also striking: Russia’s war against Ukraine is only perceived by a minority as the greatest threat to security policy. Climate change and migration appear more threatening to most respondents.

China is only perceived as a threat by a minority.

And while Western governments are distancing themselves from China and China is turning from a partner into an enemy, many citizens see it differently: “In principle, only a minority perceives China as a threat,” emphasizes the GMF representative.

Accordingly, the majority of those surveyed do not want to reduce ties with China, but rather intensify them, especially in trade and technology. This attitude is particularly pronounced among boys under 25 years of age. They perceive China much more positively, even though it is a dictatorship.

Many young people view Russia positively

They also view Russia, despite its aggression, decidedly less negatively than most NATO country governments and also older sections of the population. A strong minority of young people even describe Russia as a positive force in the world.

Finally, interesting: the USA is still perceived as the dominant power, namely by 64 percent of those surveyed. But that is now changing quickly, according to the GMF expert: “It was surprising to me what a clear shift in power people will see in the next five years,” says Weber.

Many will soon see Washington and Beijing as equals. In Italy, France and Germany, China is even seen as soon to be number one in the world. Conclusion: According to this broad survey, Western governments do not have much tailwind for their foreign and security policy.