A new Ipsos poll reveals a growing sense of optimism for 2025, with 71% of respondents believing it will be a better year than 2024. This marks a slight increase from last year's outlook and suggests a potential return to the higher optimism levels seen in the past decade, which fluctuated between 75% and 80%.
This positive trend extends to economic optimism, with 51% anticipating a stronger global economy in 2025. While this is an improvement from the decade-long low of 46% in 2022, it still falls short of the mid-50% range observed at the end of the last decade. Emerging markets like Indonesia (82%), China (79%), and Thailand (67%) demonstrate particularly strong confidence in the global economic outlook, likely reflecting their robust growth in 2024.
Personal well-being appears to be a significant factor contributing to this optimism. A majority of respondents (75%) plan to make personal resolutions for 2025, with many expecting improvements in their mental (69%) and physical (69%) health. This focus on self-improvement may be a direct response to the challenges and uncertainties of recent years, including the pandemic and ongoing global instability.
Also read: World's Most Optimistic Countries Going Into 2025
Interestingly, long-term optimism also shows promise, with 52% believing that people in their countries will feel more optimistic about the future in 2025. Indonesia (88%) and China (86%) again lead the way in this category.
"While the overall global averages reflect slight improvements in optimism, significant country-level variations exist," the report notes. For example, optimism about a better year in 2025 is highest in Indonesia (90%) and lowest in Japan (38%). Similarly, confidence in a stronger global economy varies widely, ranging from 82% in Indonesia to 25% in France. These variations highlight the diverse economic and social contexts influencing individual outlooks.
Despite the overall positive trend, challenges persist. Concerns about climate change, political polarization, and economic inequality continue to weigh on global citizens. However, the rising tide of optimism suggests a growing belief in the possibility of a brighter future.
