Publication

This policy brief examines the implications of the results of the 2007 Voice of the People survey of public opinion, which examines the emergence of global public opinion as a superpower. It also asks which of the great powers will succeed in capturing the global imagination. The findings reveal a world that is neither unipolar nor keen to return to traditional power politics, with the EU being one of the most popular world powers. However, the paradox of the EU's power is that its strength may be rooted in the perception of its weakness and that while legitimacy is an important element in global politics, the EU must not make the mistake of confusing popularity with power.