Michelle and Barack Obama are the most admired woman and man in the world, reveals new poll

It's no secret that former first couple Michelle and Barack Obama hold a lot of respect and adoration in the hearts of American people despite leaving office four years ago. In fact, this sentiment has only grown stronger over the duration of Donald Trump's presidency while he set forth a slew of controversies, radical policy changes, Twitter wars, unpresidential comments about respected political figures, and gross mishandling of crises. As it turns out, it's not just America that has taken notice of the grace and thoughtfulness of the Obamas, as a new poll conducted by the British data firm YouGov revealed that the couple now holds the top spots for most admired man and woman in the world.

Released last week, the results of the annual poll revealed that former President Obama has ousted Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates from his position as the world's most admired man for the first time since YouGov started conducting the survey in 2014. Gates is now ranked the second most admired man in the world, followed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in third. Meanwhile, Michelle has held on to her position at the top of the list as the most admired woman in the world for the second year in a row. Angelina Jolie—who previously held the top spot—ranked second in the new survey, followed by Queen Elizabeth II. 

According to YouGov, the 2020 study was the largest it has conducted thus far, "with more than 45,000 people in 42 countries and territories being interviewed to compile the list." The firm explained that "the results are calculated from the combination of responses to two questions–whether a respondent admires the figure at all and then whether they are the figure the respondent admires the most. Each nation's results in the global compilation are also weighted to represent the country's population size."

The group also stated that Obama's rise in the rankings is mirrored by Donald Trump's fall, with the former television personality having slipped from the 14th to 15th position globally. "The former president tops the global list in 22 of the 42 countries and territories surveyed, including the USA. Trump performs best in the US (coming 2nd), South Africa (3rd), and Vietnam (3rd), but only ranks ahead of Obama in one country: Russia, where he places 11th to Obama’s 15th," the firm revealed.

This insightful new data comes not long after the Obamas broke their traditionally diplomatic stance to outright criticize their successor for his mishandling of the Coronavirus pandemic and the controversial policy record of the Trump administration. According to The Hill, admonishing President Trump as categorically unfit for the job in his address last month at the Democratic National Convention, Obama said: "I am also asking you to believe in your own ability — to embrace your own responsibility as citizens — to make sure that the basic tenets of our democracy endure. Because that’s what's at stake right now. Our democracy."

"This administration has shown it will tear our democracy down if that's what it takes to win," he added. "So we have to get busy building it up — by pouring all our effort into these 76 days, and by voting like never before — for Joe and Kamala, and candidates up and down the ticket, so that we leave no doubt about what this country we love stands for — today and for all our days to come." Obama's stinging remarks, which marked his most direct attacks against Trump to date, came just days after Michelle spoke her mind about the 74-year-old.

"Let me be as honest and clear as I possibly can. Donald Trump is the wrong president for our country," she said. "He has had more than enough time to prove that he can do the job, but he is clearly in over his head. He cannot meet this moment. He simply cannot be who we need him to be for us. It is what it is."