Poll shows majority of students avoid political activity fearing ‘problems, strife discrimination’
URL: https://www.jordannews.jo/Section-109/News/87-of-Jordanians-unaware-of-the-new-Political-Parties-Law-20667
AMMAN — An opinion poll conducted by the Center for Strategic Studies and published on Wednesday shows that the vast majority of Jordanians, 87 percent, have no knowledge about the newly approved Political Parties Law, and only 13 percent said that they had heard or knew about it, according to Al-Mamlaka TV.
The poll also indicates that the vast majority of Jordanians, 94 percent, do not follow any of the activities or events related to the Jordanian political parties, and only 2 percent think of joining political parties.
At the same time, 10 percent of Jordanians believe that among the most important factors that ensure the success of new parties are credibility, goals, programs and clear plans, 5 percent believe that one of the most important factors of success is ensuring that parties operate freely and independently, while the vast majority, 67 percent, admit not knowing what the success factors are.
On the other hand, 8 percent of Jordanians believe that in the coming stage, partisan life in Jordan is bound to fail if personal interests take precedence, 6 percent attribute failure to the absence of clear programs, goals, and plans, while 68 percent have no knowledge of what could lead to the failure of partisan life in the country.
According to the poll, only 8 percent of Jordanians expect partisan life in Jordan to succeed, half of the Jordanians sampled, 51 percent, do not expect it to succeed, 41 percent have no opinion, and only 16 percent of Jordanians believe that practicing partisan life in Jordan will succeed. The vast majority of Jordanians, 84 percent, believe that political party action has not been successful so far.
Twenty-two percent of Jordanians believe that tribes will be a factor in the success of parties in the next stage, 30 percent believe that they will be a factor in the failure of political parties in the next stage, and 47 percent do not know.
Students and parties
According to the poll, the majority of Jordanians, 67 percent, oppose the participation of university students in parties for fear of problems, strife and discrimination, and only 33 percent support such participation.
The vast majority of Jordanians, 79 percent, oppose the formation of parties and party activities at universities, and only 21 percent support it.
The reasons for supporting the establishment of partisan activities at universities are: spreading partisan and political awareness among students, 38 percent, students’ participation with new ideas, 36 percent, and encouraging party affiliation, 11 percent. Reasons for not supporting the establishment of partisan activities at universities are: focus and interest in education, 50 percent, fear of discrimination and sedition, and consequently, problems and violence, 36 percent, lack of confidence in parties, 6 percent.