A new poll conducted by the German demoscopic institute “Allensbach” has some very interesting information about the attitutes and perceptions of modern Germans towards current world leaders. How much has changed since the rise of W. to the Whites House and the nearly simulatneous election of a right-wing buffoon to the leadership of Italy!
From l’Unità:
At one time [in the not too distant past, I might add] France and Germany were sworn enemies, they declared war on each other on several occasions, they have always been in conflict on the question of borders and the carbon mines of the Saar. And yet, according to a poll conducted by the authoriatative German demoscopic institute “Allensbach” it turns out that todays Germans appreciate the Frence, see them as their most reliable and friendly allies, and consider current French President of the Repubblic Jacques Chirac the best leader to hold power in the modern world(!!)
And are there still some people out there who continue to mantain, in the face of this new evidence, that W. is not a genuine peace-maker? Hopeless war-mongers!!
And Berlusconi, after Bush, is the most disliked. It may have been his support for the war, it may be his arrogant tycoon temperament, it may be his colossal conflicts of interest which make of him a “negative” example to avoid, it may be his gaffes which have made him reknowned from north to south of the continent and even overseas, the fact is that Italy’s President of the councel is very unloved and is placed immediatly after Bush in Germany….
Can it all be explained by the war in Iraq? No, because:
Tony Blair, another member of the coalition which invaded that Middle Eastern country and Bush’s atrongest ally, comes out with a repectable fourth place finish (32% of preferences).
Blair falls substantually behind Chirac, however, who takes first place with 64% of favorable votes. Kofi Annan, with 58%, winds up sscond, followed by Russian president Vladimir Putin, at 34%.
In the classification for least like and admired:
George W. Bush tops the list with 70%.
And slighly behind, Silvio Berlusconi lands second at 58% unfavorable, the Italian leader who has distinguished himself for his public proclamations outside of Italy including a series of gaffes about which half of Europe is still laughing. That was his hand that stuck out making the sign of the horns in an offial photo at the Summit of European foreign minsters.
In case you don’t know what this means, I should explain that, in Italy, sticking out your index and pinky fingers in the sign of a horn, “le corna”, is used either as a means of protection from someone who has been bedeviled by the “evil eye” or it indicates that the person who you’re directing the horns at is a cuckold (“cornuto”). Either way it is profoundly offensive.
He was also responsible for the horrid joke about kapòs directed at the German Euro-parliamentarian Schulz who had criticed him on his conflicts of interestand his misuse of the television stations at his disposition.
Another interesting datum:
Perhaps it’s the fault of their government, but the Amercian people themselves have undergone a fall in popularity among the Germans. 36% of subjects declare that they do not love them, while only one in three appreciates them.
