A global survey conducted in 101 countries reveals that the proposal to create a world parliament elected by citizens now enjoys more support than opposition across most of the world. According to the report Global Public Opinion on a World Parliament, released by the organization Democracy Without Borders, 40% of respondents say they support the initiative, while 27% oppose it. Another 33% have not yet formed an opinion.
OThe survey, carried out by Nira Data, interviewed more than 117,000 people in countries representing around 90% of the world’s population, making it the largest study ever conducted on the topic. The research comes amid multiple global crises—such as climate change, armed conflicts, and the weakening of international cooperation—which have reignited the debate on the need to reform global governance.
The results indicate that support for a world parliament is strongest among groups historically marginalized from centers of power. Young people, low-income individuals, ethnic minorities, and residents of large cities tend to support the proposal more than older populations, higher-income groups, or those living in rural areas.
O relatório também destaca um padrão regional claro: o apoio é significativamente maior no Sul Global. A África Subsaariana apresenta os níveis mais elevados de apoio líquido, sem nenhum país da região registrando maioria contrária à proposta. Na América Latina e no Caribe, o apoio cresce ainda mais quando se excluem Estados Unidos e Canadá da média regional.
The report also highlights a clear regional pattern: support is significantly higher in the Global South. Sub-Saharan Africa shows the highest levels of net support, with no country in the region registering a majority opposed to the proposal. In Latin America and the Caribbean, support increases even further when the United States and Canada are excluded from the regional average.
For Maiara Folly, Executive Director of Plataforma CIPÓ, the data point to a growing demand for greater democracy in the international order:
“The data from this global survey show that citizens of the Global South are at the forefront of calls for a democratic world parliament. This proposal aligns with Plataforma CIPÓ’s vision of the need for more transparent, participatory, and results-oriented global governance—one in which citizens and those who represent them, including parliamentarians, play a stronger role, especially in strengthening oversight and implementing international commitments.”
According to the authors of the study, the high proportion of neutral responses reflects low public awareness of the proposal, indicating room for greater debate and engagement. In a context where multilateralism is being questioned, the report points to the existence of a global base open to discussing new forms of democratic representation beyond the nation-state..
