IPU global poll finds that world’s MPs are cautiously optimistic despite global challenges
On the eve of International Day of Parliamentarism and the IPU’s 135th anniversary on 30 June 2024, the IPU is presenting the findings of its first global perceptions poll of the parliamentary community.
The IPU polled members of parliament and related stakeholders from around the world to gauge their levels of optimism, their perceptions of the greatest challenges facing the world and their own countries, and their sense of safety working in parliaments.
Current MPs express cautious optimism
Topline results reveal that sitting parliamentarians are generally optimistic about the future, with more optimism expressed about their own countries than about the world. Very few respondents reported feeling highly pessimistic, with “somewhat optimistic” being the most common response.
Climate change tops the list of concerns
Globally, respondents ranked climate change (43%) and war (27%) as the top two issues facing the world. When asked about challenges in their own countries, climate change (29%) remained the primary concern, followed by social and economic inequality (20%) and weakening democracies (13%).
Majority of stakeholders feel safe in parliaments
75% of those polled felt safe working in parliaments, with nearly 60% of current MPs expressing an intention to seek re-election. Respondents who felt unsafe were more likely to be former Parliamentarians, less optimistic about the world, and less likely to recommend politics as a career.
Politics as a career choice?
The greatest negative sentiment in responses to the poll concerned whether respondents would recommend politics as a career to their children. Only 40.2% said yes, with 30.1% undecided and 29.7% saying no.
Sample and process
Approximately 800 people from the global parliamentary community responded to the IPU poll between 14 and 21 June 2024. Current and former MPs comprised 37% of the sample, while current and former parliamentary staff made up 33%. The remaining respondents identified as “other”.
The gender ratio was 58% male to 42% female. Respondents hailed from Africa (38.5%), Europe (25.8%), Asia (19.2%), the Americas and the Caribbean (13.2%), and Australia and Oceania (3.3%).
The IPU global perceptions poll will be conducted annually to track changes in sentiment and parliamentary priorities over time.
The full report will be available shortly on request. Please contact press@ipu.org
The 148th IPU Assembly in Geneva ©IPU
