As geopolitical tensions rise in 2026, the latest Morning Consult tracker shows a widening gap between populist favorites and Western heads of state, who are struggling with domestic disapproval.

Between innovative policies and nationalist appeal, countries like India and Japan rank among the world’s top leaders in approval ratings. 

Yet, G7 countries like the United Kingdom and France fail to overcome high disapproval ratings amid high inflation, unemployment, and a housing crisis. 

TL;DR 

• India’s Narendra Modi has the highest global approval rating of 70%, indicating that bold policies and nationalism can elevate leaders above 60%, leaving others below 40% during tough economic times.
• Western G7 countries such as the U.S., the UK, and France rank low. Disapproval reached a new high of 77% due to inflation and housing problems, eroding public trust.

We culled all data from the Pro Morning Consult Ratings on World Leaders’ Approval, as of January 18, 2026. 

Approval Ratings of Global Leaders

The “Gold Standard” of Popularity

India’s Narendra Modi has the highest approval rating among global leaders, with about 70% support, according to Morning Consult data from 2026. 

This strong approval is due to his economic policies and his nationalistic and social appeal, which resonate with Indian voters even in tough global times.

Leaders like Japan’s Sanae Takaichi and Argentina’s Javier Milei also have approval ratings over 60% due to their bold reforms and charisma. 

In contrast, leaders such as the UK’s Keir Starmer and France’s Emmanuel Macron have approval ratings below 40%, at 23% and 15%, respectively.

Meanwhile, leaders struggling to reach 40% are usually dealing with public disappointment over inflation, immigration, or leadership problems.

The Western “Net-Negative” Trend: U.S., UK, France 

In 2026, approval ratings for leaders in the U.S., UK, and France are all low. 

• Donald Trump has 43% approval and 51% disapproval. 
• Keir Starmer has 23% approval and 68% disapproval. 
• Emmanuel Macron’s approval is only 15%, with 77% disapproval. 

This shows many people are unhappy, mainly because of economic problems.

This data story highlights a broader issue across the G7 countries, where high inflation and rising housing costs are eroding people’s trust in their leaders. 

What the Data Tells Us About Upcoming Elections

The current position of these ratings suggests that the upcoming election results will be more about dissatisfaction than support for leaders.

Disapproval is common in over half of the democracies in the data. 

For instance, in the United States, Donald Trump has a 51% disapproval rate. 

In Sweden, Kristersson’s 53% disapproval rate suggests possible instability ahead of the September 13 parliamentary elections. 

Voter dissatisfaction might lead to changes in government or stronger opposition parties.

Meanwhile, high approval ratings, such as Czech leader Andrej Babiš’s 60%, point to a more stable Senate election in October, supporting current leaders and reducing the risk of significant upheaval.

ELI5: Approval Rating of Global Leaders in 2026

The Approval Index serves as an indicator of a leader’s ability to enact foreign and domestic policy. 

While percentages reflect public opinion in each leader’s country, “Not Sure” is calculated as the remainder between “Approved and Disapproved”. 

The column labeled “Approved” indicates how many voters are in support of the leader, while “Disapproved” records the number of disappointments. 

India and Japan have the best leaders according to this approval data, with ratings of 70% and 63%, respectively.  

Democratic governments record the most disapproval, discouraging voter participation and suggesting possible election instability in 2026. 

Sources: 

Pro-Morning Consult | Politico | Atlantic Council | Wikipedia 2026 National Electoral Calendar