Gloomy Predictions? Bulgaria's Take on 2024!

Bulgarians seem to mirror the prevailing global sentiment of cautious optimism tinged with apprehension as per the latest annual Gallup International Association survey. Surveying 40,428 individuals across 41 nations worldwide, the study sheds light on Bulgaria's outlook for the forthcoming year.

As the curtains draw on 2023, findings reveal that 38% of Bulgarian respondents anticipate a less favorable 2024, contrasting with 18% who hold optimistic prospects. An additional 31% foresee continuity in the upcoming year, while the remainder abstain from prediction. Both optimists and pessimists have shown a decline over the past year, while those expecting status quo have risen.

Economic expectations paint a similar picture, with merely one in 10 Bulgarians foreseeing prosperity in 2024. Around 49% brace for economic difficulties, while 29% expect a stagnant situation. This persistence of economic pessimism has slightly diminished by 11 percentage points since the previous year.

Regarding global peace, Bulgaria's outlook remains clouded, with a mere 9% anticipating a peaceful year ahead, while 46% foresee escalating strife. A third of respondents expect a status quo in terms of peace and conflict.

In terms of nuclear risk, 40% perceive a moderate threat, 26% fear a substantial risk, and 12% believe otherwise, with a notable consistency in public sentiments over the past year.

The global panorama depicts a more balanced sentiment, with two in five individuals worldwide anticipating a brighter future, a quarter projecting a downturn, and around 30% foreseeing continuity akin to the current year.