CSS issues public opinion poll on current gov't

AMMAN — The Centre for Strategic Studies (CSS) on Monday announced the results of a public opinion poll on Prime Minister Bisher Al Khasawneh’s government, two years after its formation, as well as other challenges currently facing the population.

The poll, titled “Two years after its Formation: Jordanians’ Opinion of Dr. Bisher Al Khasawneh’s Government”, was conducted in the period between October 2 through 7. 

The sample size consisted of 1,200 respondents aged 18 years and above, and had an equal gender distribution. Respondents were selected at random from 150 locations, representing the entirety of the Kingdom.  

The poll aims to probe citizens’ perceptions and analyse public discourse regarding the government’s ability to fulfill its mandates, according to the CSS publication.

The poll added that areas of concern for Jordanians include the following, in descending order of magnitude: Economic conditions, the cost of living, high unemployment rates, and the spread of corruption and Wasta (nepotism).

About 11 per cent of those surveyed believe that the government has been successful in providing job opportunities to the unemployed.

The top domestic challenges facing Jordanians include the persistent problem of unemployment and a lack of job opportunities, according to the poll.

According to the poll, 23 per cent of Jordanians believed that economic policies and measures have helped reduce reliance on foreign labour, fight poverty (21 per cent), cut the unemployment rate (18 per cent), curb the rise in prices (18 per cent), while only 15 per cent said government policies helped to stem the rise in fuel prices.

The poll also showed that Jordanians believed that the government succeeded in supporting the Palestinians (59 per cent) and supporting the armed forces (56 per cent), as 52 per cent of those polled said it focused on tourism and managed to improve and diversify the tourism product.

Forty-seven per cent of the respondents said the cabinet succeeded in consolidating the rule of law, noting that the Jordan Armed Forces- Arab Army and the General Intelligence and Public Security Directorates have the confidence of a vast majority of Jordanians, Petra reported.

The poll also indicated that most Jordanians have low levels of faith in their fellow citizens, as “69 per cent said that they can’t trust the majority of people living in Jordan”.

“About 94 per cent of Jordanians said that they only trust their family members,” the poll added.

In terms of governmental reform, the majority of the poll’s respondents said that the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Labour are the ministries most in need of amendments.