The Gap between Demand and Performance.
These differences in perceptions of the UN are driven by both individual factors within the public (e.g., demographic traits and ideological disposition) and institutional factors related to the UN itself. While individual factors are outside the UN’s control, the UN can respond to institutional factors.
Scholars have generally focused on two types of institutional factors: procedures and performance.
Procedures refer to how the UN operates. For example, there is evidence that the public sees global governance institutions as more legitimate when they include nonstate actors in decision making. Conversely, there is evidence that the public sees international organizations as less legitimate if powerful states have institutionalized influence such as veto power.
Performance refers to how the UN actually delivers—and that is what I focus on here. There is strong evidence that the public legitimacy of international organizations is tied to their capacity to deliver. It is therefore unsurprising that there is broad public support for the UN to do more, not less. A 2026 analysis by Global Nation found that nearly two-thirds of respondents believed “international bodies should have the right to enforce solutions” to certain problems—a marked increase from the prior year (64%, up from 57%, across the 31 countries surveyed). Only 22% of respondents to the 2026 UN Foundation survey said they distrusted the UN because it interfered too much in the affairs of individual countries—far lower than the 56% who were dissatisfied that the UN cannot enforce international law or protect human rights.
This speaks to the gap between what people want the UN to deliver and how they rate its performance. In a 2026 UN Foundation survey, 84% said they believe the UN remains necessary—including 32% who believe it is “more necessary than ever”—but more than half added the caveat that it is also struggling to deliver results. Similarly, in the US, only 32% of respondents in a 2025 Gallup survey said the UN was doing a good job, but 60% said the UN is necessary. A 2026 survey of African youth found that 94% had a positive view of the UN, but only 72% thought it was “effective in helping African countries address their biggest challenges.” As others have noted, what we’re seeing is a “failure of supply, not demand.”
Performance refers to how the UN actually delivers—and that is what I focus on here. There is strong evidence that the public legitimacy of international organizations is tied to their capacity to deliver. It is therefore unsurprising that there is broad public support for the UN to do more, not less. A 2026 analysis by Global Nation found that nearly two-thirds of respondents believed “international bodies should have the right to enforce solutions” to certain problems—a marked increase from the prior year (64%, up from 57%, across the 31 countries surveyed). Only 22% of respondents to the 2026 UN Foundation survey said they distrusted the UN because it interfered too much in the affairs of individual countries—far lower than the 56% who were dissatisfied that the UN cannot enforce international law or protect human rights.
This speaks to the gap between what people want the UN to deliver and how they rate its performance. In a 2026 UN Foundation survey, 84% said they believe the UN remains necessary—including 32% who believe it is “more necessary than ever”—but more than half added the caveat that it is also struggling to deliver results. Similarly, in the US, only 32% of respondents in a 2025 Gallup survey said the UN was doing a good job, but 60% said the UN is necessary. A 2026 survey of African youth found that 94% had a positive view of the UN, but only 72% thought it was “effective in helping African countries address their biggest challenges.” As others have noted, what we’re seeing is a “failure of supply, not demand.”
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