Iraq Poll: Attitudes of Iraqi University Students Towards Democracy Reveals Mixed Picture

March 21, 2005: A poll released today reveals that 75% of Iraqi university students view democracy positively and 58% believe Iraq will be a democratic state within 5 years.

The poll, conducted by the Iraqi Prospect Organisation (IPO) among 834 students in Baghdad, Basra and Mosul, said that many of Iraq’s youth have a poor understanding of democracy coloured by years of dictatorship and today’s widespread instability.

“The results demonstrate that on the one hand Iraq is a fertile ground for democracy to take root,” explained Ahmed Shames, IPO Chairman, “On the other hand there are many non-democratic ideas which are held by a sizeable minority of Iraq’s youth. The long-term success of democracy in Iraq will be dependent on efforts that tackle these misunderstandings.”

The poll is available online and the Iraqi Prospect Organisation is a network of young Iraqi men and women working to promote democracy in Iraq.