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This was the result of an investigation carried out by the German “Konrad Adenauer” Foundation in six Arab countries, and which was seen by (dpa) today, Tuesday.
In Lebanon and Tunisia, for example, around a third of those polled in both countries said they had considered leaving their country in the past twelve months. The percentage of those who mentioned it in Jordan was 26% and in Morocco 19%.
The vast majority gave economic reasons to think about immigration, and the main desired destination was Western countries, especially Europe. According to the survey, the readiness to migrate rate in the 18-29 age group was higher than in the older age group, and the readiness rate for men was higher than for women.
However, Lebanon is the only country where the desire to migrate has increased compared to a 2018 survey – from 26 to 34%. While the percentage has not changed in Tunisia – according to the study (currently 31 percent) – it has decreased in Morocco, as well as in Libya and Algeria, to 16 percent each. The study authors believe the reason for this is the strict travel restrictions during the Corona pandemic.
This increase in Lebanon is not surprising, as the country is going through one of the worst economic and financial crises in its history. The catastrophic explosion in the port of Beirut last August and the outbreak of the Corona pandemic made the situation worse. More than half of the population lives in poverty. Less than one percent in the poll by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation said the economic situation is good in their country.
Even in Tunisia, only 3% of the people questioned think that the economic situation of their country is good or very good. By way of comparison: in Morocco this percentage is 39%.
Tunisia started the Arab uprisings ten years ago, and it is also the only country in the region to have made the transition to democracy. However, there have been several protests against the government in recent days. The country has long suffered from a serious economic crisis.
The poll also recorded a decline in support for democracy in Tunisia to its lowest level so far, with only 33% of Tunisians polled responding ‘yes’ to whether their country should have a parliamentary system with free competition between parties. In contrast, support in Libya reached 56%, and in Morocco and Lebanon 51% each.
In Tunisia, the study authors noted frustration with the political system, which did not significantly improve people’s lives. And 61% of those polled agreed with the claim that parliament should be abolished and replaced by a strong leader.
The head of the regional program at the Foundation for Political Dialogue in the Southern Mediterranean, Thomas Falk, said there were nonetheless bright spots next to the darkness in Tunisia, explaining that citizens value the freedom to assembly, expression and freedom of the press, adding that there is also a high level of support for society. Al-Madani said: “It indicates the existence of a civil society. It is a positive result.”
In general, relatively few respondents see representative parliament as part of the solution. In contrast, the majority focus on the need for a leader capable of making the necessary reforms. According to the study’s authors, citizens of the region are frustrated that governments failed to address the main issues that led to the 2011 uprisings.
According to the survey, Germany enjoys a good reputation in the region. In Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria, Germany enjoys a positive reputation with more than 70% of those polled there, and their percentage in Libya and Lebanon is over 50%. The study authors attributed this most likely to Germany’s lack of colonial history in the region, in addition to hosting refugees.
The study, which was conducted during the period October to December of last year, included around 11,000 people in Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Libya, Jordan and Lebanon by telephone. The foundation will officially publish the results of the study tomorrow, Wednesday.
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