Y&R recently teamed up with U.S. News & World Report and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania for the second annual Best Countries Report.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the United States’ reputation suffered following the 2016 presidential election, with our country falling three positions to the number seven in the Overall Best Countries Ranking. Nearly 75 percent of respondents claimed to have lost respect for U.S. leadership following the election.
The United States does remain the most powerful country in the world, however, followed closely by President Trump’s “new best friend” in Russia. (We feel like that should be China, but what do we know?)
Switzerland topped the Overall Best Countries Ranking, with former number one Germany falling to number four. Canada held fast to the number two position while the U.K. stayed at number three, perhaps a bit surprising in light of the Brexit vote. Rising stability in Japan saw the country climb two positions to number five.
What does this all mean? The world is in disarray, with accepted norms upended.
“Our data captured widespread global concern for the social and geopolitical changes that cast many nations into uncertainty and turmoil,” Y&R BAV Consulting chairman and CEO John Gerzema said in a statement. “The new rankings reflect people’s desire to restore some sense of order by rewarding nations they perceive as championing neutrality, stability and diplomacy.”
Best Countries Overall:
1. Switzerland
2. Canada
3. United Kingdom
4. Germany
5. Japan
6. Sweden
7. United States
8. Australia
9. France
10. Norway
Check out the full results here.