Jordan Times
Wednesday, November 9, 2005
Public confidence in
government shows slight increase
By Alia Shukri Hamzeh
AMMAN — A poll on public confidence in the
performance of Adnan Badran's government 200 days into its tenure showed a
marked difference between opinion leaders' persistent negative evaluation to the
28-member Cabinet and the positiveness shown by the general public.
According to the Centre for Strategic Studies' (CSS) survey, opinion leaders —
who were skeptical of the government's ability to shoulder its responsibilities
following 100 days in office — have remained skeptical.
The opinion leaders(comprised of 639 respondents), identified as senior
politicians, union leaders, former officials, academics and intellectuals, said
the PM and his team were successful in following through on only 6 out of 19
issues mandated by His Majesty King Abdullah upon the government's formation.
These issues include supporting the Palestinian and Iraqi causes, foreign policy
management, attracting local and foreign investments, increasing the number of
Jordanians covered by health insurance and developing the education sector.
The general public or national sample, however, was more positive towards the
governments' performance.
The percentage of respondents who believed the government was successful “to a
large extent” in shouldering its responsibilities grew from 8 per cent in the
first 100 days to 22 per cent now.
The national sample (comprised of 1,272 respondents) said the government was
successful in following through on 14 out of the 19 mandated issues.
In his letter of designation, the King mandated the government with tackling
poverty and unemployment, improving living standards, fighting administrative
and financial corruption, formulating democratic political parties and election
laws, achieving equal opportunities for citizens, achieving political
development, developing the public sector and the judiciary, enhancing
partnership between the public and private sectors and attracting investments.
Surveyed opinion leaders believed the government was not successful in tackling
most of the mandated issues. Approval ratings dropped on most of the questioned
issues when compared to those polled following the first 100 days. For opinion
leaders, the government did not succeed in fighting poverty (24 per cent, down
from 26 per cent following 100 days). The percentage of those who thought it
would prove successful in eradicating unemployment also dropped from 30 to 24
per cent.
Support from opinion leaders over the government's ability to fight corruption,
achieve a democratic party law and modern elections law also declined over the
same period. In terms of political development, only 38 per cent believed the
government could deliver, as opposed to 42 per cent after 100 days in office.
The national sample, however, revealed higher expectations over the same issues.
On poverty, those who said the government would succeed in tackling the issue
rose to 29 per cent after 200 days of the government's tenure from 22 per cent
in the first 100 days.
The general public also proved more positive about the government's efforts to
tackle unemployment, (32 per cent from 30 per cent), while expectations of
improved living standards was up to 34 per cent from 25 per cent, achieving
equal opportunities increased to 37 per cent from 29 per cent, and fighting
corruption was up to 41 per cent from 29 per cent.
On public sector development expectations of success also grew to 60 per cent
from the 51 per cent recorded after the first 100 days in office.
Tuesday's poll is the latest in a series conducted by the CSS to gauge public
confidence in successive governments since 1996.
The polls, carried out as governments are sworn in and after their first 100
days, six months and one year in office, are meant to measure expectations first
and then perceptions of performance by prime ministers and their teams among
opinion leaders and the general public.
Observers believe that the public's improved confidence in the government came
after the Cabinet managed to overcome a number of problems starting with a
resolved deadlock with Parliament and the recent measures to lift oil subsidies.
The national sample expectations of Badran's government had marked a record low
of 8 per cent 100 days after its formation.
Never over the past decade had public confidence in a government plunged below
10 per cent. The lowest approval rate of 11 per cent had been registered by the
government of former premier Ali Abul Ragheb after two-and-a-half years in
office.
The number of respondents pessimistic about Badran's performance had almost
tripled amongst the national sample reaching 24 per cent (from 11 per cent) and
more than doubled to 14 per cent (from 6 per cent) amongst opinion leaders.
In Tuesday's survey however, the percentage of those pessimistic within the
national sample dropped to 16 per cent, while it nudged down to 12 per cent for
opinion leaders.
Struggling for approval
But despite the increase in the percentage of public confidence in the
government as well as marginal increase in approval ratings by opinion leaders,
the highest percentage of people believe it has been “ completely unsuccessful
in shouldering its responsibilities” when compared to previous governments.
The CSS poll showed that on average, confidence in Badran's government remained
the lowest in approval ratings following 200 days in office when compared to the
three previous governments (since 1999).
Upon comparing the national sample's expectations of success for Badran's
government with that of Abdul Ra'uf S. Rawabdeh, Ali Abul Ragheb and Faisal
Fayez in the first 100 and 200 days, approval ratings are as follows: Rawabdeh
(73-71), Abul Rageb (70-67), Fayez (58-65), Badran (40 per cent-57 per cent).
Opinion leaders approval ratings during the same period were recorded as
follows: Rawabdeh (66 per cent-63 per cent), Abul Ragheb (71-63), Faisal Fayez
(64-71) and Badran (58-59).
The latest figures confirm a downward trend in the approval ratings of
successive governments, Braizat told The Jordan Times.
He said public trust in the ability of governments to tackle major issues of
concern is gradually declining, reflecting what analysts call a “confidence
gap.”
That gap is attributed to the fact that more and more people feel that the past
consecutive governments have been unable to improve their living standards.
According to the poll, citizens once again are saying that the government should
immediately tackle the main issues of unemployment, price hikes and the poor
economic conditions, poverty and corruption.
Of the surveyed national sample, 34 per cent placed unemployment as the top
priority, followed by worsening economic conditions with 32 per cent, poverty 23
per cent and corruption 2 per cent.
Opinion leaders placed economic conditions as a top priority with 20 per cent,
followed by unemployment (10 per cent) and poverty (9 per cent).