With the Legacy of the Arab Spring Waning, Arab Youth are Uncertain Whether Democracy Could Ever Work in the Middle East

DUBAI, UAE, April 21, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --

Confidence among Arab youth that the Arab Spring would bring positive change across the Arab world is declining and as a result they are uncertain whether democracy could ever work in the Middle East, according to the 7th Annual ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller Arab Youth Survey, released today.

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When asked whether they agree or disagree with the statement "democracy will never work in the region", 39 per cent of Arab youth agree it will never work, 36 percent think it could work while the remaining 25 percent are unsure. Conflicting views are further highlighted when youth are asked to name the biggest obstacles facing the region with just 15 percent citing lack of democracy, down from 38 percent in 2014, 43 percent in 2013 and 41 percent in 2012. In 2011, "living in a democracy" was the most important desire for 92 percent of Arab youth polled.

Similarly, confidence that the Arab Spring would bring positive change is declining. In 2015, just 38 percent agree that the Arab world is better off following the Arab Spring, compared to 54 percent in 2014, 70 percent in 2013, and 72 percent in 2012.

Polling firm PSB conducted 3,500 face-to-face interviews in 16 Arab countries with exclusively Arab national men and women aged 18-24 from January 20th to February 12th, 2015.

The rise of ISIS is seen as the biggest obstacle facing the region and fewer than half of Arab youth are confident their national government can deal with it.  The rise of ISIS is a major concern for Arab youth with nearly three in four (73 percent) concerned with the group's growing influence and almost two in five (37 percent) citing it as the biggest obstacle facing the Arab world. At the same time, fewer than half (47 percent) are confident their national government can deal with this new threat.

As unemployment remains a major concern in the region, many young Arabs are keen to start their own business. When asked to comment on how concerned they are about unemployment, the majority (81 percent) say they are "concerned" while nearly two in five (39 percent) are looking to start a business within the next five years.

In-depth results are available on arabyouthsurvey.com.