A clear majority also said they believed that the Middle East is more democratic today than in 2004.
The results of the poll contradict the vote at a recent session of the Doha Debates where 64% said they believed progress towards democracy had come to a halt in the region.
The survey, conducted by YouGovSiraj between 6th and 11th October, questioned 935 respondents from a total regional online panel of 149,000 in the Gulf, Levant, Iraq, and North Africa.
Four out of ten respondents cited western interference as the primary impediment to greater democracy in the Arab world, with 28% blaming Arab policy makers.
The UAE was seen as the most democratic country in the Arab world, receiving exactly a quarter of the vote, with Lebanon a close second. But 70% of respondents said they wanted more democracy in their country of residence.
In all, the survey showed overwhelming optimism among Arabs about their democratic prospects: 90% say women should have the right to vote; 77% feel that democracy is a source of strength for a nation; and 81 per cent believe that democracy is compatible with Islam.
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Large majority in Arab world favours stability over democracy
- Qatar: Wednesday, October 29 - 2008 at 11:59
- PRESS RELEASE
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Almost two thirds of Arabs would choose stability over democracy, according to a poll commissioned by the Doha Debates, a forum for free speech in Qatar.
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Posted by Siba Sami AmmariWednesday, October 29 - 2008 at 11:59 UAE local time (GMT+4)
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About the Doha Debates:
The Doha Debates are a unique forum for free speech in the Arab world. Chaired by Tim Sebastian, the internationally renowned award winning broadcaster, the series has been broadcast on BBC World since January 2005. BBC World reaches nearly 300 million people in more than 200 countries.
The Doha Debates are hosted and funded by the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development. The Foundation is a private, chartered, nonprofit organization committed to the belief that a nation's true wealth is in the potential of its people. Chaired by Her Highness Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser al Missned, the wife of the Emir, it seeks to develop that potential through a network of centres devoted to education, public health and research.
Press contact:
Patrick Forbes
Associate Director
Bell Pottinger Middle East
Qatar Financial Centre
P.O. Box 23245 Doha, Qatar
Qatar Mob: +974 5885345
UK Mob:+ 44 7768640406
UAE Mob: +971 507241838
Fax: + 971 4 390 8109
The Doha Debates are a unique forum for free speech in the Arab world. Chaired by Tim Sebastian, the internationally renowned award winning broadcaster, the series has been broadcast on BBC World since January 2005. BBC World reaches nearly 300 million people in more than 200 countries.
The Doha Debates are hosted and funded by the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development. The Foundation is a private, chartered, nonprofit organization committed to the belief that a nation's true wealth is in the potential of its people. Chaired by Her Highness Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser al Missned, the wife of the Emir, it seeks to develop that potential through a network of centres devoted to education, public health and research.
Press contact:
Patrick Forbes
Associate Director
Bell Pottinger Middle East
Qatar Financial Centre
P.O. Box 23245 Doha, Qatar
Qatar Mob: +974 5885345
UK Mob:+ 44 7768640406
UAE Mob: +971 507241838
Fax: + 971 4 390 8109
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