Gaza War reshaped Palestinian society: priorities shifted from growth to basic services; trust mixed but satisfaction fell; civil liberties eroded. Public still values democracy yet increasingly favors a strong leader who can deliver stability. Politically, Fatah’s support has collapsed, while Hamas has maintained its base, but the largest group is the politically alienated. Social norms grew more conservative. This landscape…
An overview of findings on specific countries across the region based on our survey data.
Lebanon: Public Opinion Report 2024
The citizens of Lebanon are suffering. Most citizens say they struggle to cover their monthly expenses, there has been a sharp increase in food insecurity, and all citizens, regardless of income, suffer near daily electricity outages. Lebanese citizens lay the blame for the pervasive socio-economic ills at the feet of their government. No one has confidence in the government’s ability…
Palestine 2023: Palestinian perception of international actors and international relations
Palestinians see the Israeli occupation as the most critical threat facing Palestine and their most preferred countries are Turkey, Qatar, and China. In a comparison between China’s and U.S. foreign policies, the Palestinian public views China’s policies more positively than those of the U.S. on all issues at hand. Wide-ranging opposition to Arab normalization with Israel remains as strong as…
Country Reports
A selection of reports on key topics of interest across the Middle East and North Africa region produced by Arab Barometer team.
Democracy in the Middle East and North Africa 2023-2024
Findings from Arab Barometer Wave VIII surveys make clear that while citizens across the region have come to realize democracy does not represent a panacea for all their country’s problems, they remain most supportive of it compared with other political systems.
Migration Attitudes in the Middle East and North Africa (2023-2024)
Migration has been a major issue affected the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region has for decades. Many citizens across the region have sought to leave their homelands in search of life in foreign countries. Arab Barometer has been monitoring attitudes toward migration in the region since 2006. The newest Wave VIII surveys between 2023 and 2024 reveal that…
Gender Attitudes and Trends in MENA: the Effects of Working Women (2023-2024)
Gender equality continues to be elusive in many parts of life in countries across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Although there is widespread support for women enjoying equal rights, there has been some retrenchment on these issues in recent years. Even greater declines are found when looking at support for women having equal roles in public and private…
Topic Reports
Arab Barometer team frequently presents survey results on the MENA region at all various kinds of outreach events including, but not limited to academic and non-academic conferences, workshops, and round table debates. We provide select presentations here.
Regional Public Views & Great Power Competition Amid Escalating Conflict
Regional Public Views & Great Power Competition Amid Escalating Conflict Key Findings from Arab BarometerWave IX • Erosion of Western legitimacy: MENA publics increasingly view the United States and key European allies as one-sided and selectively committed to international law, contributing to a broader loss of credibility. • Rising acceptance of alternative powers: China, Russia, and Iran are gaining ground…
Public Opinion in Lebanon 2021-2022
Key Findings From Arab Barometer Wave Seven: Trust in political actors is extremely low and has fallen over the last decade with the notable exception of the LAF. The economy & corruption are seen as the country’s biggest problems while there is wide concern about growing inequality. Lebanese want the government to lower the cost of living, create jobs, &…
Women and COVID-19 in MENA
Key Findings: Women more concerned about COVID-19 than men COVID-19 increased family stress Perceptions of gender based violence tended to decrease during the pandemic Structural barriers to work more pressing than cultural barriers
Presentations
Arab Barometer data are widely used by the academic and non-academic research community. A partial list of such publications can be found here.
A long way to liberalization, or is it? Public perceptions of women empowerment in the Middle East and North Africa
This paper explores the question of what explains public opinion of women empowerment in the Middle East and North Africa. Muslim societies have often been accused of conservatism toward empowerment, stripping women of equal access to education and opportunities. However, many predominantly Muslim societies in the MENA region seem to be on the way to implement change to provide women…
The Mounting Wave: Protest Participation in Sudan from 2011 to 2019
This article analyzes the evolution of protest participation in Sudan from 2011 to 2018 using the data provided by the Arab Barometer Surveys. It finds that participation evolved substantially in both size and demographic determinants, reflecting the strong deterioration of the population’s socio-economic conditions over the last decade. The Arab Barometer surveys are the only cross-country source of data available…
From virtual space to public space: The role of online political activism in protest participation during the Arab Spring
This study examines the relationship between online social media use and protest participation during the Arab Spring, pro-democracy movements that swept across vast parts of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). What role did online communication media play in individual decisions to participate in these high-risk political activities? We address this question by drawing on microdata from the Arab…