Gallup Global poll shows people to generally be happy & optimistic for 2025, yet economic hesitancy remains

ISLAMABAD, Jan 09 (SABAH): There is optimism that 2025 may well be better than 2024, so indicate the results of 37 country survey carried out around the world by the world’s longest polling Association, Gallup International.

The End of Year Survey by Gallup International Association was conducted in 37 countries, including Pakistan, with a sample of 37,338. This survey is a tradition that the association has been upholding since 1978. It is the largest survey of this nature done by independent pollsters including pollsters from Pakistan i.e. Gallup Pakistan.

These are some of the key findings of End of Year Gallup International Association (GIA) traditional survey:

Two in five (41%) say that things will be better, one in four (24%) that they will be worse. While 29% have no expectations of any change. The post COVID recovery in optimism has remained (39% last year, 31% in 2022) but still significantly lower than the 25 year high of 54% recorded in 2015.

As they edge ever closer to The Kingdom’s 2030 vision, it is Saudi Arabians who are most optimistic with 82% feeling things will be better in 2025. Austrians are the most concerned, with 50% expecting a downturn in 2025. But how optimistic are we in turns of economic prosperity? Here we are less confident. Fewer than one in three (29%) believe that the next year will be one of economic prosperity. Slightly more (35%) feel it will be one of economic difficulty with 31% saying it will be much the same as the last 12 months. Again, it is the Austrians (69%) feeling it will be difficult, this time joined with the neighbours in Germany where 66% feel it will be economically difficult in 2025.

The long-term trend on economic optimism however has improved. The significant gap between difficulty and prosperity which started to emerge in 2017 is now at its narrowest since then.

Our survey across 37 countries interviewed more than 37,000 adults aged 18+, each sample designed to be nationally representative of the adult population. When we explore demographic difference, we see younger citizens of the world are economically more confident (34% feeling 2025 will be more prosperous) than older citizens (20% among the 55+ year olds). And religion wise, Muslims (44%) around the world are significantly more economically optimistic than Christians (24%).
Finally, we also measured how happy people are relative to others across all 37 countries. Globally 58% report to be happy while 12% are unhappy. Regionally Southeast Asians are the happiest (73%) while those in South Asia are the unhappiest (36%) with China (86%) and Indonesia (85%) the happiest.

Sample Size and Mode of Field Work:

A total of 37,338 persons were interviewed globally from 37 countries. In almost each country a representative sample of around 1000 men and women was interviewed during October-December 2024 either face to face, via telephone or online. The margin of error for the survey is between ±3-5% at 95% confidence level.

Gallup International Association (GIA) is the leading global independent association in market research and opinion polling. For over 75 years Gallup International members have demonstrated their expert ability to conduct multi-country surveys on a comparable basis and deliver the highest quality. Our more than 100 members and partners are leading national institutes with a profound local knowledge of research methods and techniques, statistical sources, customs and culture differences of its own country and carefully selected by the Association Board. With only one member agency per country, members work together on a daily basis to share knowledge, new research techniques and tools, as well as to provide the most appropriate solutions to international research projects and service our clients to the best of our abilities.