Iraq - The UK Conflict Stability and Security Fund in Iraq is funding the National Democratic Institute (NDI) to conduct independent public opinion research across Iraq (download polling report). The first of six surveys has been released today.
Public Opinion Research
Lebanese voters who participated in NDI's public opinion research following the country's long-awaited parliamentary elections on May 7 signaled dramatically increased optimism about the direction of the country, and held mostly positive views about the administration of the election itself. The results indicate that Lebanese voters cast their ballots with the country's stability in mind, with the hope that this could translate into economic development and job creation, which along with corruption and healthcare remain at the top of citizen policy priorities.
NDI Ukraine's latest nationwide survey (completed in December 2017) showed several important trends, including growing support for gender equality in political life. For the first time, more than half of Ukrainians (52 percent) support the equal participation of men and women – or more women than men – in political life.
NDI conducts public opinion research in Kosovo to ascertain public sentiment on important issues and to share public priorities and views as registered in the research with government, political, and civic leaders. Over the course of 2017, NDI conducted two rounds of research, both polls and focus groups, and in this publication are salient findings. Public sentiment in Kosovo is restive. Citizens desire reforms that will foster social cohesion, economic opportunity, and the rule of law. Tackling corruption cuts across all of these areas and remains at the forefront of citizen priorities.
As the Iraqi army's offensive against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) entered its fourth month in February 2017, NDI conducted 12 focus groups with citizens to gauge support for national institutions and gather expectations about post-liberation governance. Three unexpected findings from participants in the focus groups include:
Skopje, MACEDONIA - To inform the political parties, opinion leaders and civil society on public opinion, the National Democratic Institute (NDI), with financial support from the United States Agency for International Development, conducted the first in a series of three tracking polls (download PDF polling report) in March 2017. Follow-up surveys will be conducted in April and May of 2017. The methodology and political context are below.
To inform the political parties, opinion leaders and civil society on public opinion in Macedonia, NDI conducted the first in a series of three tracking polls. Survey data was collected through telephone CATI interviews from March 17th to March 21st, 2017 from a sample of 807 citizens of Macedonia, age 18 and older. The margin of error is + 3.46% at the midrange, with a 95% confidence level. Follow-up surveys will be conducted in April and May of 2017.
Through its USAID-funded program to empower and support political parties, NDI conducted 24 focus groups in six regions of Morocco to gauge citizens’ priorities and preferences in the months leading up to the October 2016 legislative elections. Focus group participants highlighted employment, education, and healthcare as their three top concerns, underlining the need for parties to address these issues in their campaigns. NDI also observed that participants were largely open to voting for women and youth candidates, with a number of participants expressing a desire for more women to run.