A new poll tracking young Arabs’ attitudes throughout the Middle East finds they express a high level of confidence in Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and his leadership, with 63 percent supporting his appointment, 64 percent viewing him as a strong leader, and 59 percent saying Mohammed bin Salman will lead Saudi Arabia in the right direction, Al Arabiya reports.
The attitudes inside Saudi Arabia, however, are even more supportive.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Support for the new Crown Prince among Saudi youth is overwhelming, with 91 percent of young Saudis supporting his appointment, 97 percent considering him a strong leader, and 90 percent saying Mohammed bin Salman will move the country in the right direction.
Polling firm PSB Research conducted 3,500 face-to-face interviews with men and women aged 18-24 in 16 Arab nations, between January 21 and February 20, 2018.
For the broad-reaching reform programs within Saudi Arabia, both non-Saudis and Saudis alike give the new direction high marks. 88 percent of young Arabs across the region support the decision to allow women to drive, and 86 percent support the anti-corruption drive.
Al Arabiya has more findings from the poll:
• Youth say the past decade – shaped by the Arab Spring and ISIS – has left the Middle East drifting off course
• To steer the region in the right direction, action is needed on jobs, education, corruption and the fight against terror
• Young Arabs are convinced that ISIS – and its ideology – will be completely defeated
• While young Arabs increasingly turn to social media for their news, they see al Jazeera as the least trusted news sources
• Inspired by the Digital Revolution, future Arab entrepreneurs turn to the tech sector, which offers plentiful opportunities in the region.
