Daily Research News Online no. 2626 - French, Germans (and British) Lose Faith in UN

French, Germans (and British) Lose Faith in UN

September 25 2003

The United Nations is considered to have lost its relevance to solving world problems by a majority of British adults and more than 40 percent in France and Germany, according to a new CNN / TIME poll conducted by TNS.

UN General Assembly talks now underway in New York and are still high on many leaders' agendas, but its resolutions carry less weight than supporters would hope. The poll suggests that, if the UN adopted a resolution to authorise the deployment of troops to Iraq, just a quarter of adults in France (24 per cent) and only 17 per cent in Germany would be willing to send troops from their own country. In Britain, just under six out of ten people feel that both France and Germany should deploy forces.

Q: Do you think the United Nations provides an effective means for the world community to solve its problems, or do you feel the UN has lost its relevance?
	3-country average %	Britain %	France %	Germany %
Provides an effective means to solve problems	44	27	46	54
Has lost its relevance	45	54	44	41
Don't Know	11	20	10	6

Source: TNS Poll for CNN / TIME

Marita Caraballo, Global Head of TNS Polling & Social, says that UN inaction around the time of the abortive 'second resolution' and the sending of troops and swift removal of Saddam Hussein without UN authorisation have affected perceptions of the organisation in many countries around the world. 'The impact of these events on the UN are perhaps more serious than initially expected and the findings show that even in France and Germany, where the UN is generally still well respected, there is growing concern among the public that the body is becoming increasingly ineffectual'.

Among other key findings, almost four out of ten people (38 per cent) felt that a major terrorist attack was likely in their country during the next 12 months. This figure was significantly higher in Britain (53%) than in France (43%) or Germany (25%).

TNS interviewed c.1,000 adults in each of Great Britain, France and Germany between 11th and 14th September.

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas unless otherwise stated.