Trust in the government is a pillar for enhancing growth, investment, and achieving economic priorities

The poll showed an increase in the percentage of Jordanians who believe that things are moving in a positive direction, while 64 percent of respondents believe the government is capable of bearing the responsibilities of this phase. The results also showed that 48.2 percent of those who believe things are moving in the right direction attribute this to the prevalence of security and stability, compared to 20.4 percent who attribute it to development and reform.

The results indicated that 91 percent of the opinion leaders sample follow the government's actions, while 79 percent of the national sample and 75 percent of opinion leaders supported the Prime Minister's field visits as a means to observe citizens' conditions closely.

Economic expert Wajdi Makhamreh pointed out that the Center for Strategic Studies poll represents an important indicator for measuring Jordanian public opinion trends toward government performance, economic and living conditions, and public services, in addition to participation in the upcoming municipal elections.

Makhamreh noted that the importance of the poll, from an economic perspective, is not limited to measuring trust in the government, but extends to understanding the extent to which government policies and development projects are reflected in citizens' lives and their standard of living.

He added that the results showed that 56 percent of the national sample believe that things are moving in a positive direction, compared to 33 percent who see them moving in the wrong direction. The level of trust in the government to a large or medium degree reached 66 percent, while 64 percent saw it as capable of bearing the responsibilities of the phase.

He pointed out that these indicators reflect a limited improvement in the general outlook compared to the previous poll, with a large segment continuing to have reservations about general conditions, noting that trust in the government does not necessarily mean that citizens feel a tangible improvement in their incomes and living conditions.

Regarding economic conditions and the cost of living, Makhamreh explained that the results showed 69 percent support for increasing the minimum wage by 30 dinars to cope with the high cost of living, while 61 percent believed that fixing fuel prices helped alleviate living burdens. Additionally, 96 percent supported promoting Jordanian products and encouraging the establishment of factories and the provision of job opportunities.

He added that these results reflect the importance of three main economic files: protecting purchasing power, stabilizing commodity and energy prices, and enhancing local production. However, the success of these policies requires that wage increases and investment incentives be reflected in citizens' real income, productivity, and sustainable job opportunities.

He pointed out that unemployment, low income, and the high cost of living remain the most prominent challenges that require continuous treatment, as achieving economic growth is not enough unless its fruits are reflected in standards of living and employment.

Regarding services and government sectors, Makhamreh indicated that the poll results showed a positive trend toward a number of initiatives; 91 percent supported health initiatives and projects, and 72 percent reported an improvement in medical services after hospital expansions. In the education sector, 86 percent believed that building new schools contributes to addressing overcrowding, while 75 percent supported developing vocational education, compared to only 51 percent who expressed their willingness to encourage their children to enroll in it, highlighting the importance of linking it to actual job opportunities.

In the water sector, 91 percent expressed optimism about the success of the National Water Carrier project, while 89 percent of "Sanad" application users reported that electronic services saved them the trouble of visiting government departments, and 80 percent of visitors to comprehensive government service centers praised the speed of transaction completion. Furthermore, more than 73 percent believed that domestic tourism programs contributed to stimulating local tourism, while 97 percent supported the government school transport project.

Makhamreh added that these indicators reflect societal acceptance of a number of initiatives, but measuring their economic success requires evaluating their actual impact on the quality of services, citizens' costs, productivity, job opportunities, and the sustainability of government spending.

Regarding participation in municipal elections, he pointed out that the results showed that 34 percent of the national sample intend to participate in the upcoming elections, while 35.7 percent confirmed they would not participate, and 12.2 percent were unlikely to participate. The importance of these indicators is highlighted by the connection of municipal councils to daily services, such as sanitation, transport, urban planning, and infrastructure, in addition to the role of local participation in expressing service and development priorities.

For his part, financial and economic expert Dr. Mohammed Al-Hadab Al-Sarhan confirmed that the poll results reflect positive indicators of citizens' confidence in the government's ability to manage the phase, but they also reveal economic priorities that should form the basis of government work during the coming period.

Al-Sarhan pointed out that unemployment, lack of job opportunities, and low income topped the list of challenges at 49.1 percent, followed by poverty and cost of living issues at 18.6 percent, meaning that about 68 percent of citizens placed these issues at the top of their priorities.

He linked this to the growth of the Jordanian economy by 3 percent during the second quarter of 2026, and the decline in the unemployment rate among Jordanians to 21 percent, considering these indicators to reflect progress that should be built upon, but emphasizing the need to accelerate growth, expand the production base, and stimulate sectors capable of generating sustainable job opportunities.

He explained that the difference in priorities between citizens and opinion leaders, where 21.9 percent of opinion leaders focused on the economy and investment compared to 7.1 percent of citizens, reflects two complementary perspectives; the investor and the decision-maker view investment as a driver of growth, while the citizen measures its impact through job opportunities and income. Therefore, the success of investment policies should be measured by the volume of investments that have entered the production phase, the number of jobs created, and the value of their exports and purchases from the local market.

Al-Sarhan noted that the support of 96 percent of respondents for Jordanian products represents an opportunity to expand programs linking factories and major companies with local suppliers, which enhances value added, reduces reliance on imports, and expands opportunities for small and medium enterprises.

He pointed out that the results of government services carry economic dimensions that go beyond the level of direct satisfaction; providing government department services via the "Sanad" application means reducing time, transport costs, and transaction costs, while water security, which the National Water Carrier project targets, represents one of the fundamental factors for the sustainability of industrial and agricultural activity and investment attractiveness.

Al-Sarhan concluded by emphasizing that the poll results give the government an opportunity to build on existing trust and direct the next phase toward economic results more closely linked to citizens' lives, suggesting the adoption of quarterly follow-up indicators that measure job opportunities created for Jordanians, the development of real wages, investments that have moved to actual operation, and the extent of improvement in services and living costs in the governorates.

Economic expert Mounir Dieh said that the achievements made by Dr. Jafar Hassan's government over the past two years have been positively reflected in levels of public satisfaction, and that the Center for Strategic Studies poll shows an increase in the level of trust in the government and its Prime Minister, as a result of the efforts made, field visits, and continuous follow-up on issues that concern citizens.

He added that the government has taken measures and decisions over the past period that contributed to the improvement of a number of economic indicators, most notably economic growth, foreign reserves, tourism income, expatriate remittances, and national exports, in addition to the improved performance of the Amman Stock Exchange, the decline in unemployment, the stabilization of inflation, increased foreign investment flows, and higher investor confidence.

Dieh pointed out that the Prime Minister's field visits, the follow-up on the reality of health, educational, and infrastructure services, and listening to and addressing citizens' observations, contributed to improving the services provided and increased the percentage of those who felt an improvement in medical services and the conditions of public hospitals.

He stated that government measures since the beginning of the ongoing crisis in the Middle East aimed to mitigate its effects on the national economy and prevent them from directly and immediately impacting citizens. He added that the government bore part of the price increases and took measures to ensure the flow of goods and products and maintain safe stocks of them, which contributed to strengthening citizens' confidence in its ability to face challenges and maintain the stability of basic commodity prices.