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Berlin / Beirut (dpa) - Ten years after the Arab uprisings, there is still a high willingness to migrate in several countries in the region.
This is the result of a survey on behalf of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) in six Arab states, which is available to the German Press Agency.
In Lebanon and Tunisia, for example, around a third of respondents said they had thought about leaving their country in the past twelve months.
In Jordan it was 26 percent, in Morocco 19 percent.
A large majority gave economic reasons for this, it is said.
The target for potential migrants is therefore predominantly countries in the west, especially Europe.
In the age group between 18 and 29 are significantly more willing to migrate than among older people.
In addition, it is more likely that men want to emigrate than women.
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However, Lebanon is the only country where willingness increased compared to a 2018 survey - from 26 to 34 percent.
While it remained unchanged in Tunisia, according to the study (now 31 percent), it fell in Morocco, but also in Libya and Algeria (both 16 percent).
The study authors suspect the reason for this is the strict travel restrictions during the corona pandemic.
The rise in Lebanon is not surprising.
The country is experiencing one of the worst economic and financial crises in its history.
The explosion in the port of Beirut last August and the corona pandemic made the situation even worse.
More than half of the population lives in poverty.
In the KAS study, for example, less than one percent stated that the economic situation was good.
But even in Tunisia, only three percent see a good or very good economic situation in their country.
For comparison: In Morocco it is 39 percent.
The Arab uprisings began ten years ago in Tunisia.
It is also the only country in the region that has made the transition to democracy.
However, there have been several demonstrations against the government in the past few days.
The country has long suffered from a severe economic crisis.
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Support for democracy is also the lowest in Tunisia.
Only 33 percent answered yes to the question of whether their country should have a parliamentary system with free party competition.
In Libya it was 56 percent, in Morocco and Lebanon 51 each.
In Tunisia, the authors recognize frustration with a political system that has not noticeably improved people's lives.
61 percent also agreed with the statement that parliament should be abolished and replaced by a strong leader.
Nevertheless, in Tunisia there is not only shadow but also light, said Thomas Volk, head of the KAS regional program Political Dialogue South Mediterranean.
People would appreciate freedom of assembly, speech and freedom of the press.
There is also a high level of approval for civil society.
“That shows that there is a civil society,” said Volk.
"That is a positive result."
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In general, however, only relatively few respondents see a representative parliament as part of the solution.
Instead, a majority focus on a leader and his ability to make necessary reforms.
The region’s citizens are frustrated because governments have failed to address the key issues that led to the 2011 uprising, the authors said.
According to the survey, Germany enjoys a high reputation in the region.
In Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria, more than 70 percent have a positive image of Germany, in Libya and Lebanon more than 50 percent.
This is probably due to Germany's lack of colonial history in the region and the reception of refugees.
For the representative study, almost 11,000 people in Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Libya, Jordan and Lebanon were interviewed on the phone between October and December last year on behalf of the KAS.
It will be officially presented on Wednesday.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210126-99-169035 / 2
Thomas Volk on kas.de