On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s YouTube channel achieved a significant milestone by surpassing 20 million subscribers, solidifying its position as the most popular channel among world leaders. Modi’s channel outshines both his Indian and international counterparts, with the next highest-ranking leader, former Brazilian President Jair Bolsanora, having just 6.4 million subscribers—a fraction of Modi’s following. The president of Ukraine trails behind with 1.1 million subscribers, making it the third most popular channel among world leaders. In comparison, US President Joe Biden’s YouTube account has just 794,000 subscribers, ranking fourth on the list.
Prime Minister Modi’s channel consistently dominates the viewing department, amassing 2.24 billion views in December alone, a statistic 43 times greater than the second-highest, Ukraine’s Zelensky. Modi’s channel has garnered a remarkable 4.5 billion video views, setting the standard for political leaders on YouTube.
These achievements underscore Modi’s widespread popularity, consistently reflected in surveys such as Morning Consult, where he maintains a global leadership approval rating above 75%. Beyond the digital realm, Modi’s YouTube dominance mirrors his political influence in India and beyond, emphasizing the significant gap in opinion and subscribership between Modi and other Indian political figures and parties.
Among other global leaders, those with notable YouTube subscriber counts include Turkey’s Recep Tayip Erdogan (419,000 subscribers), France’s Emmanuel Macron (316,000 subscribers), Argentina’s Alberto Fernandez (81,200 subscribers), and Canada’s Justin Trudeau (69,600 subscribers).
A weekly poll by the US-based decision intelligence firm Morning Consult reveals that 76% of respondents approve of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, while only 18% disapprove, making him the world’s most popular leader. The poll conducted between November 29 and December 5, with varying sample sizes by nation, indicates approval ratings based on a seven-day rolling average of adult citizens. In India, the sample size typically ranges from 500 to 5,000.
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador comes in second on the popularity list, with 66% of respondents approving of his leadership and only 29% disapproving. Similarly, Swiss leader Alain Berset garners 58% approval and 28% disapproval. While PM Modi remains the most well-liked leader among those surveyed, the data reveals a slight decline in his approval rating from 78% on November 20 to 76%.