U.S. President Donald Trump (L) shakes hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin as they pose for a group picture during the 25th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Da Nang, Vietnam, in November. File Photo by Michael Klimentyev/EPA/Sputnik/Kremlin Pool

Jan. 11 (UPI) -- U.S. President Donald Trump is viewed much less favorably worldwide than his predecessor, Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to poll by Gallup International Association and CVoter International.

Just 31 percent of respondents worldwide have a favorable view of Trump compared with 58 percent with an unfavorable view. He is the only world leader among 12 names where a majority view him unfavorably. Trump also had the widest difference between favorable and unfavorable views at 27 percent.


In 2015, Obama had a favorable view from 59 percent of the respondents.

Over two years, Putin had gone from 33 percent favorable view to 43 percent. Putin polls favorably in most regions of the world but has low appeal in the United States at 14 percent and Europe at 28 percent.

"President Trump is clearly dividing people in the way his predecessor did not. This means that the world is looking to other world leaders to fill this key role," said Kancho Stoychev, president of Gallup International Association. "Russian President Putin has seen his favorability increase significantly but he still needs to convince others, as he remains divisive. Nevertheless, for the first time in a global poll a Russian leader is ranked before the U.S. one."

Trump's favorable rating in the United State is 35 percent. In Russia, it's 24 percent. His lowest is 7 percent in Germany.

Pope Francis has the highest favorability at 56 percent, including 75 percent of those surveyed in Latin America and 66 percent of those living in Europe.

In second place is German Chancellor Angel Merkel with 49 percent favorable and 29 percent unfavorable. She is slightly ahead of new French President Emmanuel Macron at 45 percent favorable and 24 percent unfavorable.

"Despite her domestic political battles, a new world order leaves Germany's Angela Merkel as the most favorable world leader with newcomer Emmanuel Macron not far behind, which given he only formed his political party a little over 18 months ago is a remarkable achievement," Stoychev said.

Among other leaders, China President Xi Jinping is favored by 37 percent, British Prime Minister Theresa May is at 38 percent and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is at 30 percent.

The most unpopular leader is Iranian President Hassan Rouhani at 24 percent, followed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at 25 percent and Saudi Arabia King Salman bin Abdulaziz al Sau at 26 percent.

A total of 53,769 people were interviewed globally. In each country a representative sample of around 1,000 men and women was interviewed face to face, via telephone or online.The margin of error for the survey is between 3 and 5 percent.