Survey: More Than 90% of Jordanian University Students Have Never Engaged in Party Activities
A public opinion poll conducted by the Institute of Politics and Society, with support from the Dutch Embassy, explored the perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors of Jordanian university students toward the political modernization project, partisan engagement, and the evolving campus environment. The findings revealed that nearly 89.6% of students believe political modernization has represented a positive turning point in youth involvement in public life, while only a small minority expressed reservations. Students also gave a favorable assessment of the most recent parliamentary elections held in 2024, viewing them as an indicator of the state’s commitment to the path of political reform.
When it comes to obstacles hindering youth participation in partisan work, fear of social or security repercussions ranked first at 29.3%, followed closely by weak political awareness at 29.1%, and low trust in political parties at 21%. Despite the fact that 84.5% of respondents described parties as essential institutions for political life, more than 90% had never participated in any partisan activity, and nearly 70% had not reviewed party programs during the 2024 elections.
Student participation in campus elections also remained modest: approximately 62.9% of students abstained from voting in the most recent student elections held mid-2024, following the adoption of the political modernization laws, compared to only 36.7% who participated. The results further indicated that tribal affiliations remain the most dominant force in student life, accounting for more than half of the scene, ahead of regional or partisan blocs. Regarding gender disparities, about 90% of students indicated that men are more politically engaged than women in both campus politics and student elections, underscoring an additional challenge that calls for more effective policies to empower women in academic and political spheres.
The students also voiced strong support for further reforms in the campus environment: 88% expressed approval for reforming student electoral systems, while more than 91% supported providing training programs to strengthen the capacities of student unions and enhance their role in public life. The findings point to a widespread perception of the need to develop curricula and university systems that integrate academic learning with political engagement, thereby raising students’ awareness of public issues.
Regarding perceptions of political parties, the poll showed the Islamic Action Front Party leading with 16.3%, followed by the National Charter Party with 11.9%, and the Irada Party with 4.9%. Other parties garnered less than 2%, indicating that students’ political awareness remains concentrated around a limited set of parties.
As for methodology, researcher Mohammad Al-Hajjooj, who supervised the poll, explained that the study encompassed students from eight Jordanian universities—both public and private—ensuring balanced representation across geographic regions, institutional types, and academic disciplines. The sample size amounted to 896 respondents, selected using a simple random sampling formula at a 95% confidence level with a margin of error of 3.72%. Data collection took place between August 14 and 28, 2025.
To address disparities in student body sizes, adjustments were introduced to ensure appropriate representation of smaller universities. The study employed a non-proportional stratified sampling method, guaranteeing no fewer than 80 respondents from each university, with additional participants allocated to larger universities. To strengthen the generalizability of results, statistical weighting was applied based on the ratio of each university’s total student population to its actual number of respondents.
This survey forms part of a broader study implemented by the Institute of Politics and Society under the “Generation of Modernization” project, in partnership with the Dutch Embassy in Amman. The study aims to analyze the student landscape in Jordanian universities in terms of organization, available space for political activity, and levels of political participation. It also seeks to explore students’ attitudes toward political and partisan engagement on campus, assess the effectiveness of the legal and institutional frameworks governing student activities, and provide practical recommendations to strengthen an enabling environment for political and partisan participation under the modernization laws.
The Institute stressed that the findings represent a vital step toward understanding the new generation’s perceptions of political modernization in Jordan, while also highlighting persisting challenges such as the gender gap, weak partisan involvement, and the dominance of traditional social structures in student life. The Institute further emphasized that these results provide a knowledge base to assist policymakers, political parties, and universities in developing more responsive policies. It concluded that sustaining reforms in the campus environment, fostering trust in political parties, and expanding youth empowerment programs will reinforce the trajectory of political modernization in Jordan and enhance young people’s capacity to play an active role in shaping the country’s political future.
To read the full survey, click here.