As a continuation of the World of Opinions Center’s project to monitor Jordanians’ attitudes toward local issues, the center conducted a survey to explore Jordanians’ opinions on political participation and the 2020 parliamentary elections. Through a questionnaire consisting of 25 questions, the study sample reached 393 responses from Jordanian men and women. Data was collected between October 11–28, 2020, by sending an electronic link to a purposive sample of Jordanians who had participated in previous surveys conducted by the center, who then forwarded it to their peers following the snowball sampling methodology.

Key Findings:

  • 86% of Jordanians follow local political affairs.
  • Social media is the primary platform for expressing political views and orientations.
  • 63% believe that youth do not play an active role in political life, and that civil society organizations, the media, and the family environment are the factors that contribute most to developing political participation among Jordanian youth.
  • 55% of the survey participants are active in public life.
  • 61% support a political party with a religious background, while the nationalist orientation is the closest alternative for those who do not prefer a religious background for political parties.
  • 63% believe there is no correlation between participating in parliamentary elections and national belonging.
  • 59% do not support holding the elections amidst the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, and 57% do not support holding them under the current Defense Law.
  • 49% confirmed their desire to participate in the parliamentary elections.
  • 79% have settled on their choice of candidate, and the most important selection criterion is the candidate’s ability to perform a legislative and oversight role, prioritizing the nation’s interest over personal interests.
  • Distrust in MPs, democracy, and the election law are the most prominent reasons for non-participation in the upcoming elections.
  • 50% believe that political parties and the Islamist movement are the groups most negatively affected by the current election law.
  • 52% have heard of or known someone who sold their vote in previous parliamentary elections.
  • 70% will not abide by the consensus of their tribe, family diwan, or association when choosing their candidate in the upcoming elections.
  • 64% support the participation of Jordanian expatriates living abroad in the parliamentary elections.
  • 83% believe there is official interference in favor of certain candidates.
  • Economic reform, combating corruption, and amending the election law are at the top of the priorities that the next parliament must address.
  • 49% believe that the Independent Election Commission has not taken adequate safeguards to ensure the integrity of the upcoming electoral process.
  • 62% believe that the government blocks official media coverage of the opposition’s activities and stances.
  • 35% consider Jordan to be a democratic country.
  • Online news websites are the primary source for following local, regional, and international breaking news.
  • 72% spend the most time on Facebook compared to other social media platforms.

 

You can download the survey report from the “Publications” section.