A recent worldwide survey conducted by Ipsos explored global citizens’ opinions on the past year and their outlook for the future. The survey revealed that 73% of respondents believe their country had a challenging year, marking a slight improvement compared to the previous year (2021).

The Ipsos Global Predictions for 2023 report, which included data from 36 countries, indicated that over half (56%) of respondents globally considered 2022 a difficult year personally. Similarly, 73% felt the same way about their respective countries. These figures show a positive shift from the responses received in 2021 (58% and 77%, respectively) and a more substantial improvement from 2020, where the sentiment was significantly more negative.

In contrast to the global trend, Singaporeans expressed a more optimistic view. While 57% of Singaporean respondents acknowledged that their country faced difficulties, this figure represents a considerable 23-point decrease compared to the previous year’s sentiment.

The economy in 2023

!function(){“use strict”;window.addEventListener(“message”,(function(e){if(void 0!==e.data[“datawrapper-height”]){var t=document.querySelectorAll(“iframe”);for(var a in e.data[“datawrapper-height”])for(var r=0;r<t.length;r++){if(t[r].contentWindow===e.source)t[r].style.height=e.data[“datawrapper-height”][a]+“px”}}}))}();

Looking ahead to the new year, Singaporeans expressed mixed views, with 55% believing the global economy will improve in 2023. Personal optimism was slightly higher, with 64% of respondents expecting 2023 to be better for them than the previous year. However, this figure reflects a 15% decline from the previous year’s sentiment as inflation has taken precedence over the fading pandemic.

A significant majority (87%) of Singaporeans anticipate prices will rise faster than incomes in their country. Furthermore, 6 in 10 Singaporeans predict a global stock market crash in 2023. Anticipated increases in interest rates (83%) and unemployment (71%) also contribute to the overall economic concerns.

Despite anxieties surrounding rising prices, Singaporeans maintain confidence in their country’s economic stability. While nearly half (46%) of global citizens anticipate their countries might require financial assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in the coming year, only 35% of Singaporeans share this concern for their nation.

World security in 2023

The Ipsos report highlighted that world security remained a top concern in 2022, with ongoing conflicts and escalating international tensions. The potential for these conflicts to worsen has fueled worries about the use of nuclear weapons.

Over half (56%) of Singaporean respondents believe that the use of nuclear weapons is a probable scenario, a significant increase from the 40% who held this view the previous year. This anxiety is notably higher in neighboring Indonesia (69%) but considerably lower in China (40%). Regarding the war in Ukraine, 39% of Singaporeans anticipate its resolution in 2023, while another 40% believe it will persist.

The potential for technology to disrupt also raises concerns. Almost half (48%) of Singaporeans believe that a foreign government-backed cyberattack could trigger a global IT shutdown, compared to the global average of 44%.

This pervasive anxiety has even influenced perspectives on catastrophic cosmic events. Notably, 27% of Singaporeans now consider an asteroid impact on Earth likely in 2023 (up 6% from the previous year), while 22% anticipate an alien visitation (an 8% increase).

Environment in 2023

Globally, most people anticipate more severe consequences from climate change in 2023. In Singapore, 70% of respondents believe the country will experience more frequent extreme weather events in the coming year. Additionally, 60% believe 2023 will be the hottest year on record. However, there is a glimmer of hope for a technological solution, with 43% of Singaporeans believing a breakthrough to halt climate change is likely. Indonesia demonstrates the highest optimism at 76%, while Japan remains the most pessimistic at 14%.

Expectations for significant progress in addressing climate change remain modest. Notably, there has been a decline from 67% to 43% in the number of respondents who anticipate people flying less frequently than they did in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic. This shift is likely driven by a desire to resume international travel as global restrictions ease.

Society in 2023

With a return to normalcy, 63% of Singaporeans do not anticipate further COVID-19 lockdowns in the country next year. In China and South Korea, approximately half of the respondents (43% and 44% respectively) share this sentiment. The majority (82%) in Indonesia expressed strong confidence in the absence of future lockdowns in 2023.

The lasting impact of COVID-19 on work patterns remains uncertain. However, 46% of Singaporeans believe that implementing a four-day workweek will become standard practice for businesses in the country during 2023. Simultaneously, the belief that virtual worlds will become increasingly central to people’s lives has decreased by 15% from the previous year, settling at 57%.

Globally, one in three respondents (34%, up from 28% last year) believe that tolerance and acceptance will grow within their respective countries. In Singapore, this sentiment is shared by 52% of respondents, marking a 13% increase from the previous year.