Ugly politics

In the latest and final public opinion polls published by the New York Times/CBS News on Thursday ahead of the US elections on Tuesday, more than eight in 10 respondents claimed to be repulsed by the campaign. The majority also said they consider both of the leading candidates to be dishonest and hold an unfavorable general view of them.

Voter discontent with the political system and politicians is not restricted to the United States, however. It is fast becoming a global phenomenon.

In France, for example, President Francois Hollande has broken all precedent, with just 4 percent of respondents expressing their support in a recent poll. In Greece, 91 percent have said that they are not satisfied with the way that the government has been handling its affairs and 79 percent are also unhappy with the opposition and the job it is doing, according to a Public Issue poll.

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