A list of world leaders going viral on social media claims that only one has a higher approval rating than Russia’s President, Vladimir Putin.
The World of Statistics account on X claims that, according to data from Morning Consult Political Intelligence, WCIOM, KMIC, Putin has an approval rating of 79%. By comparison, just 23% of Brits were said to have a positive opinion of UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
However, Starmer – who has shrugged off a petition signed by more than 2.8 million people calling for another General Election – can perhaps take some comfort in the fact that Putin’s approval rating is only beaten by one world leader, according to the World of Statistics list.
That leader is Nayib Bukele, President of El Salvador. He, apparently, has a soaraway approval rating of 89%.
However, all might not be as it seems – both Russia and El Salvador are considered to be undemocratic. The Global State of Democracy Initiative says El Salvador has seen democracy decline during Bukele’s five years in power.
It says: “El Salvador exhibits mid-range performance in Representation and Participation and low-range performance in Rights and Rule of Law.
“Over the last five years, it has declined in several factors across all categories of democracy, notably in Credible Elections, Free Political Parties, Effective Parliament, Rights, Access to Justice, Civil Liberties, Judicial Independence and Predictable Enforcement.”
So, who is Nayib Bukele? He was born on July 24, 1981, in San Salvador, to a family of Palestinian descent – his father, Armando Bukele Kattán, was a prominent businessman and imam.
The 43-year-old is known for his charismatic leadership style and unconventional political approach. He began his career in the private sector, managing a family-owned business before transitioning into politics in 2012.
Bukele was elected president in 2019 as leader of the right-leaning Grand Alliance for National Unity (GANA) party. However, he has since distanced himself from traditional political ideologies.
He gained popularity for his urban development projects and efforts to reduce crime in these roles. However, his presidency has been marked by high-profile initiatives – and significant controversies.
In 2021, El Salvador became the first country to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender. Bukele framed this move as a way to promote financial inclusion and attract foreign investment – but the policy has been controversial due to concerns over its economic risks.
Bukele launched a high-profile crackdown on gang violence, which has long plagued El Salvador. His “state of exception” laws, suspended some constitutional rights – and led to the mass arrests of alleged gang members.
However, he has also invested in large-scale infrastructure projects – such as new airports, roads, and a planned futuristic city called ‘Bitcoin City’. Bukele portrays himself as a reformer, pledging to combat corruption – however, critics argue that his administration lacks transparency, and there are concerns about nepotism and misuse of public funds.
He has been accused of eroding democratic institutions – and removing and replacing judges and the attorney general with allies. He has also been criticized for attacking journalists and independent media outlets, accusing them of bias or serving special interests.
