Arab Barometer has conducted the most comprehensive publicly available survey in Jordan during a critical time marked by resurfacing economic and governance challenges, compounded by the October 7 Hamas attack and the ongoing Israeli military campaign in Gaza. Results from the survey strongly suggest that the impact from the war in Gaza not only shaped views of international actors but also influenced perceptions of domestic issues in Jordan.
Between November 29, 2023, and January 10, 2024, Arab Barometer research network conducted face-to-face interviews with 2,400 Jordanians. The survey covered a wide range of topics, including the economy, political trust, civil liberties, international relations, women’s status, and environmental concerns.
The survey was carried out by the Center for Strategic Studies, Arab Barometer’s national partner in Jordan. The previous survey in Jordan was conducted in 2022.
Key Findings from the Arab Barometer survey in Jordan 2023-2024 include:
Perceptions of Israel’s Gaza War as a Genocide: Jordanian Perspectives
- Many Jordanians characterized the events in Gaza as “genocide” (44%) or “massacre” (28%), reflecting severe perceptions early in Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. The survey was conducted about seven weeks after the start of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and concluded about three months after Hamas’s Oct 7 attacks.
- Jordanians overwhelmingly perceive their country as the foremost defender of Palestinian rights (66%), followed distantly by Qatar (34%). Additionally, about a quarter (24%) believe Egypt defends Palestinian rights, while 17% attribute this role to Turkey, and 12% to Saudi Arabia.
- Conversely, the United States is widely seen as committed to defending Israeli rights (81%), followed by the European Union (33%) and the United Nations (29%). Additionally, 22% of Jordanians say the UAE does so compared with 15% for Saudi Arabia.
Impact of Israel’s Gaza War on Jordanian Views of Global and Regional Relations
- Jordanians’ favorability towards Western countries, particularly the United States and the United Kingdom, has markedly decreased since 2022, with the U.S. seeing a significant drop of 23 points to 28% and the UK declining by 11 points to 39%. Support for the U.S. is about on par with Iran, which is only viewed favorably by a quarter of Jordanians. This decline reflects Jordanians’ perceptions of Western support for Israel during the war in Gaza.
- In contrast, there has been a notable increase in favorability towards Russia and China among Jordanians. Favorability towards China increased by 16 points to 67%, while Russia saw an increase of 8 points to 47%. These shifts suggest a reevaluation of global alliances by Jordanians, possibly influenced by these countries’ positions on the Gaza war compared to Western powers.
Economic Challenges
- 57% of Jordanians view the economic situation as the country’s most pressing challenge, with corruption trailing significantly at 23%.
- Only 22% rate the current economic conditions as good or very good, marking a notable increase of 7 points since 2022 and a reversal of declining perceptions observed from 2016-2022.
- This change could be attributed to either the end of COVID or declining inflation, or possibly to a rally-around-the-flag effect due to the support of Jordan’s government for Gazans.
- Lack of jobs is identified as the primary economic concern by 32% of Jordanians, followed by inflation (22%), low wages (20%), and poverty (14%).
- Despite slight improvements, optimism about Jordan’s economic future remains low at 27%, up three points from 2022 but significantly lower than 2012 levels (42%).
Food Insecurity
- Food-related challenges underscore economic difficulties, with 72% citing availability and 76% affordability as significant concerns. Nearly two-thirds of Jordanians report running out of food before having money to buy more, reflecting a 20-point increase over two years, and highlighting the increasing challenge of securing sufficient food for many Jordanian families.
- Food security challenges are widespread across MENA, yet many Jordanians perceive them as domestic issues, primarily attributing them to government mismanagement (43%) and inflation (27%), with smaller percentages citing wealth inequality (10%), climate change (4%), and the war in Ukraine (3%).
Economic Priorities and Public Preferences for Government Action
- Resolving Jordan’s economic challenges will necessitate significant reforms, although there is no consensus on the preferred government actions; most Jordanians prioritize job creation (37%), followed by raising wages (27%) and limiting inflation (20%), with minimal support for other options like educational reform, foreign direct investment, and small business support.
- Jordanian citizens prioritize reducing the cost of daily necessities over long-term improvements in basic service quality.A clear majority (62%) of Jordanians prioritize increasing subsidies as the main focus for government spending in the coming year. Only 13% prioritize health care and 12% the educational system, with 5% or fewer citing priorities such as infrastructure or national security, indicating a strong preference for measures that reduce the cost of daily necessities over improving basic service quality.
Trust in political institutions
- Trust in political institutions in Jordan has seen a reversal, with notable increases in confidence observed in the government (39%) and Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh (38%), likely influenced by Jordan’s vocal support for the Palestinian cause during Israel’s war in Gaza, especially as reflected in Arab Barometers survey conducted in late 2023 and early 2024. Trust levels in civil society organizations remains stable since 2022 (45%).
Government Performance
- Ratings of government performance in Jordan, which had been declining since 2016, have shown a reversal with satisfaction increasing by eight points since 2022 to reach 45%, although urban residents and wealthier individuals tend to be more satisfied.
- Jordanians express highest satisfaction with government performance on civil defense (96%), followed by electricity provision (86%), internet access (79%), water supply (76%), and trash collection (66%), while healthcare and education receive somewhat lower satisfaction ratings (62% each).
- Meanwhile, government ratings on economic issues are notably low, with only 19% satisfied with efforts on income inequality, 15% on inflation, and 13% on job creation, contrasting sharply with high satisfaction (89%) for providing security and order, suggesting the country’s economic challenges are strongly driving overall ratings of government performance.
Corruption
- Perceptions of corruption in state institutions remain high, with 82% of Jordanians citing it as a significant issue, although this has declined from 88% in 2022. Meanwhile, 46% in early 2024 believe the government is actively addressing corruption, up from a third in 2022 but still below levels in 2016 and earlier.
Migration
- A significant portion of Jordanians, particularly younger males with higher education levels, are considering emigration. In early 2024, 42% of Jordanians expressed a desire to leave their homeland, up from 22% in 2016, with economic reasons being the primary motivation.
- Younger Jordanians aged 18-29 are especially inclined to emigrate, with 54% having considered leaving. Higher educational attainment also correlates strongly with the desire to emigrate, as half of those with a college degree wish to leave compared to 38% with a secondary education or less.
- Despite economic motivations driving emigration from Jordan, only 19% of potential migrants are willing to leave without the required documentation.
Political Engagement
- Interest in politics among Jordanians has increased since 2022, with a quarter in early 2024 expressing some level of interest, marking an eight-point rise. Unlike many MENA countries, youth engagement in politics is comparable to older age groups, but significant disparities exist based on educational attainment.
- Jordanians demonstrate significant political engagement through their participation in peaceful demonstrations, which surged to one-in-five (21%) in the 12 months leading up to the survey period of late 2023 and early 2024—an unusually high rate globally. This sharp rise from three percent in 2022 is likely due to eased COVID-era restrictions and a strong public response to the war in Gaza.
- Boycotting brands is another common form of political action among Jordanians, with 63% reporting having done so. Given the timing of the survey after the outbreak of the war in Gaza, it is possible that this level was elevated given calls to boycott brands seen as supportive of Israel.
- Other forms of political actions include contacting government officials through wasta (12%) or via social media (9%), as well as making political statements through artistic endeavors (12%) and signing petitions (7%).
Freedoms
- Recent years have shown fluctuations in the degree to which basic rights are seen as guaranteed, with a notable decline in perceptions of guaranteed freedom of speech from 77% in 2016 to 36% in 2022, likely impacted by COVID-related restrictions. However, there has been a substantial recovery since 2022, with 59% in early 2024 expressing that this freedom is guaranteed to a great or medium extent.
- Recent years have seen a notable increase in Jordanians’ perceptions of their freedom to demonstrate peacefully, rising from just 25% in 2022 to approximately half (51%) believing this right is guaranteed. The earlier drop in 2022, likely influenced by COVID-related restrictions on public gatherings, has been followed by a significant recovery, partly driven by visible protests in response to the Israeli military campaign in Gaza.
Understanding Democracy beyond elections
- Jordanians strongly say democracy is the best political system (84%) but they understand democracy in a much broader manner than regular free and fair elections. Instead, they are more likely to define it as ensuring basic human rights are protected and providing basic necessities to all citizens.
Arab Barometer’s survey in Jordan 2023-2024 also includes:
Views of Gender Equality and Workplace Challenges
- Despite significant support for gender equality in certain aspects of life, such as marriage rights (92% affirm equal rights in marriage decisions) and political representation (71% support a women’s quota for parliament and 69% favor reserved cabinet seats for women), biases persist. A majority of Jordanians believe men are better suited for political leadership (74%) and that men should have the final say in family decisions (59%).
- Perceived barriers to women’s employment in Jordan include a lack of available jobs (27%), childcare issues (17%), low wages (16%), and bias against women (14%). Women are significantly more likely than men to cite childcare as a barrier (21% vs. 13%), while men are more likely to perceive bias against women as a limiting factor (19% vs. 9%).
Environmental Concerns
- Water-related issues are foremost concerns for Jordanians, with about half (47%) highlighting challenges such as lack of water resources (28%), pollution of drinking water (17%), and pollution of waterways (2%). Other notable environmental concerns include trash or waste management (12%), air quality (9%), and inefficient energy use (9%).
- The majority of Jordanians support key environmental actions to mitigate climate change: 95% prioritize developing alternative energy, 75% favor phasing out fossil fuels, and 74% support setting a common date to phase out polluting cars, underscoring Jordanians’ potential willingness to support significant changes in the name of protecting the environment.
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ENDS //
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