Macron's election puts France atop the 'soft power' rankingsJuly 18, 2017 - 17:17 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - France has leapfrogged the United States and Britain as the world's top so-called soft power, helped by the election of President Emmanuel Macron, a study of countries' non-military global influence showed Tuesday, July 18, according to AFP. While France has risen, Donald Trump's ascent to the White House has seen the U.S. slip from the top last year to third place in the Soft Power 30 study, compiled by PR company Portland Communications and the University of Southern California. Soft power measures a country's ability to secure international alliances and influence others through its attraction and appeal. The study uses polling in 25 countries and digital data to measure a country's influence. It takes into account factors such as the ability of countries to attract foreign students to its universities and tourists, as well as its cultural allure. France's rapid rise from fifth place last year, when it was in the doldrums under unpopular ex-president Francois Hollande, is partly due to the centrist Macron's election in May. But the country's diplomatic reach also played a key role. "France's greatest strength lies in its vast diplomatic network," the study says. "It is unrivalled in terms of membership to multilateral and international organisations, as well as in its diplomatic cultural missions. "With Macron having long campaigned for cooperation and integration, it is not unreasonable to expect France’s global engagement and influence to grow." France also remains the world's top tourist destination, the report said. The terror attacks that have cost the lives of more than 230 people since 2015 "have not stopped tourists flocking to France and enjoying its rich cultural offering, cuisine, and lifestyle," the report says. The top five countries by order are France, Britain, US, Germany and Canada. Japan has risen to sixth place from seventh, Switzerland is seventh and Australia slips to eighth. Photo. REUTERS/Eric Feferberg/Pool Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Czech-Armenian military cooperation discussed in Yerevan A delegation led by the Director General for the Industrial Cooperation Division of the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic visited Armenia. U.S. welcomes efforts to define Armenia-Azerbaijan border The United States welcomes efforts to define the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, says Vedant Patel. Biden honors resilience of Armenian people on April 24 U.S. President Joe Biden has issued a statement on the 109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Ex-Karabakh leader moved to solitary confinement cell in Baku, his son says David Vardanyan is the son of former Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan who who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. |