‘Majority of Jordanians oppose student participation in political parties’

AMMAN — Sixty-seven per cent of Jordanians oppose the involvement of university students in political parties, according to a recent survey by the Centre for Strategic Studies (CSS).

The survey, which comes as part of the Jordanian Index Poll Series, indicated that only one-third of citizens support the participation of university students in political parties.

According to the survey, fears of inciting discord and enmity are among the reasons behind the majority’s opposition to university students’ partisan affiliation.

Further, only 21 per cent of those surveyed were in favour of organising partisan activities on campus, the survey said.

Of those in support of on-campus partisan activities, 38 per cent said that such activities help create political awareness among students; 36 per cent said that they would enable students to contribute new ideas; and 11 per cent said they encourage students to affiliate with political parties.

Commenting on the survey’s findings, Samah Kharabsheh, a student at the University of Jordan, said that “today, it is important for young Jordanians to fully participate in the political process”. She noted that the “commonly held view” of university students’ involvement in political discourse might be among the factors impeding their political participation.

Meanwhile, Sara Younes, a student at one of Jordan’s private universities, said that organising political activities on campus always ends up in fights, and that is why she was never interested in anything related to politics.

“Our generation is unfairly placed in the political life; we need more awareness about partisan life,” she added.