Poll shows pessimism over direction country is headed

AMMAN — A Centre for Insights in Survey Research opinion poll published on Tuesday revealed an increase in the number of Jordanians pessimistic about the path the country is taking, and an increasing agreement to completely shut the border to Syrian refugees. 

The centre, affiliated with the International Republican Institute (IRI), conducted the study through the Middle East Research Institute, with a sample of 1,000 individuals interviewed at their homes in November 2016, according to a statement from the centre. 

IRI Regional Director Scott Mastic said that in line with previous surveys, Jordanians feel dissatisfied with the economy, which he speculates is connected to the increasing belief that the Kingdom is going in the wrong direction. 

“The government clearly has to take serious steps, like combating unemployment, in order to address the fears that led to these negative numbers in the survey,” Mastic said, according to the statement. 

The poll shows that 58 per cent of the sample believe Jordan is going down the wrong path “to some extent” or “to a large extent” (34 per cent and 24 per cent respectively), while 71 per cent of the sample described the economy as “bad” (46 per cent) or “very bad” (36 per cent). 

Half of those polled expected the economic situation to “become worse to some extent” (36 per cent) or “much worse” (14 per cent), according to the statement. 

The statement said the pressures facing the Kingdom could have contributed to the rising support for closing the border to Syrian refugees whose increasing numbers, it said, place a burden on the Kingdom’s resources. 

Jordan hosts over 1.3 million Syrians, according to the latest population census. The UNHCR says 655,496 Syrians in Jordan are registered with it as refugees.

The number of participants who agreed with closing the border increased 13 percentage points, from 40 per cent in April 2016 to 53 per cent in the latest poll, the statement said, adding that 61 per cent of participants think that attitudes towards Syrian refugees are worsening. 

The response rate to the poll was 93 per cent, as 6 per cent did not receive the poll taker at their door and 1 per cent started taking the poll and then refused to go through with it. 

The poll was conducted with support from USAID, the statement said.