Broad worldwide public approval for Pope Francis
December 11, 2014
Pope Francis enjoys great popularity all around the world, but especially in Catholic countries, a new survey by the Pew Research Center shows.
The Pew study finds a median of 60% favorable ratings for the Pontiff in the 43 countries studied. Only 11% have an unfavorable view of the Pontiff; the remainder did not give a rating.
Europe (84%) and Latin America (72%) provided the highest “favorable” ratings for the Pope. Africa (44%) and Asia (41%) lagged behind. But the lower ratings in those regions was due mostly to the high proportion of people who expressed no opinion: 40% in Africa and 45% in Asia.
The highest negative rating for the Pope came in the Middle East, at 25%. An equal number in that region viewed the Holy Father favorably, with 41% giving no rating.
The Pew study found a marked difference between the responses of Catholics and non-Catholics, most notably in Latin America. But there, too, the difference was caused primarily by the number of people who did not offer a rating.
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