As we all know, people's views on the near economic future tend to shape trust and optimism and, therefore, economic behaviors. In democracies, views on longer-term international issues tend to influence policymaking and voters' preferences. A science-based understanding of these views is therefore essential. The PEW Research Center which runs multi-year, multi-country studies offers key resources in this respect. Its latest findings on the economy and optimism in the publics' respective economic systems, on globalisation, and on international views of China will feed our own analysis of key domestic and international issues as a crucial period will start in France 8 months before the presidential election.