http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4246098.stmThursday, 15 September 2005, 00:00 GMT 01:00 UK
Americans 'back church leaders'
Forty percent of people in the US would like religious leaders to be given more power, a Gallup poll commissioned by the BBC World Service suggests.
In the US and Canada, 49% of people said they trusted religious leaders, compared to a global average of 19%.
This would seem to confirm the view of many that religion played a big role in President Bush's victory, analysts say.
The results for 14 Spanish-speaking Latin American states suggest there is little trust in politicians.
Only 4% of Latin Americans questioned said they trusted politicians - compared to 13% of people globally - and just over one-third felt that elections in their country were free and fair.
BBC regional analyst James Painter says that with several presidential votes coming up in the region, it will make sober reading for politicians.
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