NEW YORK, Dec 20: President Bush’s approval ratings have risen in recent weeks with Americans now expressing renewed optimism about the future of democracy in Iraq, the campaign against terrorism and the US economy, according to the latest Washington Post-ABC News poll.

Mr Bush’s overall approval rating rose to 47 per cent from 39 per cent in early November, with 52 per cent saying they disapprove of how he is handling his job.

His approval rating on Iraq jumped 10 per centage points since early November, to 46 per cent, while his rating on the economy rose 11 points, to 47 per cent. A clear majority, 56 per cent, said they approve of the way Mr Bush is handling the ‘fight against terrorism’.

The marked improvement in Mr Bush’s fortunes comes after months of erosion in the president’s political standing that tracked a series of problems afflicting his administration. The most significant was the continuing violence and mounting US casualties in Iraq, but high petrol prices and the federal government’s slow response to Hurricane Katrina also caused an increasing numbers of Americans to register doubts about Mr Bush’s leadership.

The Post-ABC News poll suggests that the massive turnout in last week’s elections in Iraq, coupled with a public relations offensive in which the president delivered five speeches and held one news conference in 19 days, have delivered a substantial year-end dividend to a president badly in need of good news.