AR

Individual Motives and Voter Turnout in the Arab World: What Role Does Perceived Regime Democracy Play?

Volume 9|Issue 1| Feb 2026 |Arab Opinion Index Analysis

Abstract

​This paper examines how citizens’ assessments of the level of democracy in their political system shape their likelihood of voting. To address this question, we draw on data from the eighth Arab Opinion Index, conducted in 2022 across nine Arab countries: Jordan, Tunisia, Algeria, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Egypt, Morocco, and Mauritania. The data is analysed using binary logistic regression. The findings indicate that individuals who hold a positive view of the level of democracy in their country are more likely to vote, regardless of objective indicators suggesting that the political system is non-democratic.
Download Article Download Issue Cite this Article Subscribe for a year Cite this Article

​Assistant Professor, Political Science and International Relations Program, Doha Institute for Graduate Studies.

Research Associate at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies.

× Citation/Reference
Arab Center
Harvard
APA
Chicago