A new global survey examining how people perceive countries around the world has produced some unexpected results.
While several major powers have seen their international reputations decline, Hungary has managed to secure a place among countries viewed positively by global respondents, despite ongoing political debates surrounding the country.
The findings come from the 2026 Democracy Perception Index, compiled by Nira Data and the Alliance of Democracies Foundation, and were visualised by Visual Capitalist. The study surveyed more than 94,000 people across 98 countries, making it one of the largest international assessments of public attitudes towards democracy, governance and global influence.
Who tops the list of the world’s most disliked countries?
The survey ranked countries according to their net perception score, calculated from the difference between positive and negative views expressed by respondents worldwide.
Israel recorded the lowest score at -24, making it the most negatively perceived country in the study. Researchers suggest that ongoing conflicts in Gaza and tensions involving Lebanon, Syria and Iran have significantly influenced international opinion.
Afghanistan and North Korea followed with scores of -19, while Iran and the United States also appeared among the countries receiving more negative than positive assessments.
One of the survey’s biggest surprises was the position of the United States. Despite remaining the world’s largest economy and one of its most influential nations, the country received a net perception score of -16, placing it among the five most negatively viewed countries globally.
According to the report, America’s image has deteriorated for a second consecutive year, particularly in Europe and across the Americas.
Two countries are global favourites
At the opposite end of the ranking, stable and prosperous democracies continued to dominate. Switzerland and Canada jointly topped the list with net perception scores of +36, followed by Japan (+34), Sweden (+33) and Italy (+32).
Australia and New Zealand also performed strongly, while Singapore and South Korea were among the highest-ranked Asian nations. Analysts point to factors such as political stability, quality of life, diplomatic influence and open societies as key reasons behind the positive perceptions of these countries.
Hungary ranks among positively viewed nations
Although Hungary did not make the top tier, it still finished on the positive side of the ranking. The country placed 38th globally with a net perception score of +7, securing a position within the top 40. Among neighbouring and regional countries included in the survey, Austria, Poland and Ukraine all ranked ahead of Hungary.
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The people of Hungary show strong faith in democracy
Beyond international perceptions, the study also examined attitudes towards democratic institutions within individual countries. Here, Hungary performed unexpectedly well. Respondents in Hungary were among those most likely to believe that elections genuinely influence political change and shape the future of their country. The survey placed Hungary alongside South Korea and Taiwan on this measure.
Hungarians also ranked among the countries where people felt most confident in their understanding of political institutions and public affairs. Furthermore, when asked how important it is for their country to remain democratic, Hungary joined Greece and Sweden among the strongest supporters of democratic governance.
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