The results of Gallup’s annual survey on the credibility of the leadership of the four great powers of America, Germany, China and Russia this year mark the third consecutive time Germany has taken the top position, with a

Meanwhile, the US ranked second with a much lower rate, at 33%, only slightly higher than China’s rate of 32%.

`At the beginning of a new decade, America’s global image is currently weaker than that of the two previous administrations,` Gallup’s report said, pointing out the negative effects of America’s unilateralism and xenophobia.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel (left) and US President Donald Trump at a meeting on the sidelines of the NATO summit in the UK in December 2019.

Other recent polls also support this trend.

This view is especially harsh in Europe, where former US president Barack Obama won much more sympathy than Trump.

The surveys were all conducted before Covid-19 broke out globally.

`People are surprised by the impact of a lack of leadership, or divisive leadership, unable to unite forces to solve the problem of the pandemic,` Thomas Kleine-Brockhoff, vice president

While the US `lost points` because of its handling of the Covid-19 crisis, Prime Minister Angela Merkel’s Germany `shined` when it was assessed as effectively controlling Covid-19 based on scientific and

`Germany’s response to the pandemic has highlighted its existing strengths: an efficient government, low debt, a reputation for industrial excellence that helps protect the export industry, even

Political leadership is also said to be an important factor that helps Germany `score points` with the world.

This is clearly demonstrated through the Covid-19 crisis, when Mrs. Merkel’s domestic popularity skyrocketed right at the `sunset of her term`.

Unlike Trump, Merkel deftly navigates Germany’s complex federal political system, resolutely pushing for stricter restrictions and blockades than some state leaders intend.

As a result, along with her leading role in reaching a crucial EU budget deal last week, Merkel looks set to leave politics with a much finer legacy than many expected.

`Perhaps this is the first time in 16 or 15 years that Mrs. Merkel has the opportunity to walk into a brilliant sunset instead of a storm,` said Stefan Kornelius, the German Chancellor’s authorized biographer.

However, the same may not happen to Trump, when his re-election campaign encountered a public health disaster.

`The irony is that if Trump just put in a little effort and said a few words about national unity, he could actually stand in a very strong position, the economy could reopen and the people could earn

However, aside from the pandemic, experts evaluate Trump as just a `catalyst` for a change in global views about America’s power in the world.

`Who can take America seriously after what has happened?` Matt Duss, foreign policy advisor to US senator Bernie Sanders, said about the Trump administration’s response to Covid-19.