UN happiness survey published - Spain is pretty unhappy

The UN report is pleasant reading for global happiness leaders Denmark, Norway, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Sweden. But Spain / Portugal / Ireland and Greece — have less reason for joy. Spain is now rated by the UN as the 38th happiest country in the world, while Italy is 45th, Greece comes 70th and Portugal finds itself at the lowly position of 85. Spain has also been among the hardest hit since from the 2005–07 period to the 2010–12 period, recording the sixth greatest decline in happiness in the UN study. This fall — far higher than can be explained by relatively minor falls in gross domestic product — could be put down to "respondents’ perceived freedom to make key life choices" and "increases in perceived corruption in business and government", the report's authors concluded. They also cited the huge influence of unemployment on reduced happiness. The UN report recommends that governments spend more on mental health to increase the wellbeing of their citizens.  

I think if the citizens changed their politicians everyone would be a lot happier!

Interesting that the UK is ranked 22nd, and Germany 26th!