Since the start of the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, attention has focused largely on military escalation, regional security, and turmoil in global energy and commodity markets. Less attention has been paid to other potential consequences of the war, such as changing public opinion and the underlying frameworks through which regional and global actors are evaluated. With the recent signing of…
Background Egyptians are navigating a period marked by rising economic pressures, regional instability, and intensifying conflict across the Middle East. Against this backdrop, the ninth wave of Arab Barometer surveyed Egyptians on their views of economic conditions, governance, political reform, regional affairs, and media use. This factsheet highlights selected key findings from Arab Barometer’s public opinion survey in Egypt. How…
As the war involving Iran, Israel, and the United States continues to reshape the Middle East, data from recent public opinion surveys conducted in fall 2025 by Arab Barometer shed light on how publics across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) are weighing threats, alliances, and changes in the region. Across the Arab world, many still see Iran’s nuclear…
Food insecurity across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is already widespread and deepening. New Arab Barometer data show that large segments of the region’s population are struggling to meet basic nutritional needs. Now, the escalating war involving the United States, Israel, and Iran risks pushing millions closer to hunger, turning an already fragile situation into a more acute crisis….
On February 28, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed by an Israeli airstrike. From September-November 2025, Arab Barometer conducted nationally representative surveys in seven Middle East and North African countries, which included questions about support Khamenei’s foreign policy toward the Arab region. In no country did a majority describe them as good or very good. However, in many countries…
As citizens across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region welcome the holy month of Ramadan, concerns over economic conditions and food insecurity loom large. In 2022, Arab Barometer reported on the pervasiveness of food insecurity in several countries across the region. Four years later, little has changed for ordinary citizens. Indeed, prolonged economic struggles, coupled with conflict and…
News broke on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, that Seif al-Islam Gaddafi was killed at his residence in western Libya. While his death marks the end of a controversial figure, its political significance may lie less in the event itself than in how Libyans perceive him—and what his absence means for the future of Libya’s fragmented political landscape. According to Arab…
Leaders of great powers, rising powers, and regional players have long shaped the global geopolitical landscape. In the Arab world, their actions are followed closely. The region’s rich resources and growing investment opportunities make it a key arena for influence and competition. The latest Arab Barometer survey (September 2023–July 2024) shows how citizens across the Arab world view the foreign…
What drives individuals in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to pursue self-employment: internal or external personal attributes? How do these factors vary across different countries and economic contexts? This blog presents evidence from a two-level logistic estimation encompassing 12 countries from the MENA region and using data from waves six and seven of the World Values Survey…
The United Nations (UN) plays a critical role in addressing international conflicts, particularly in the Arab world. Yet, perceptions of the organization differ widely across the region, influenced by each country’s unique experiences and priorities. Using the findings from the Arab Barometer Wave VII (2021-2022) survey, this blog explores which Arab publics hold favorable views of the UN, what they…
The new administration’s decision risks further damaging America’s reputation in the region. Amid the whirlwind of executive orders and major policy shifts coming out of the White House, President Donald Trump’s decision to freeze the operations of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which administers most U.S. foreign assistance, threatens to have a wide impact around the world. If…
