Poll 4: Domestic Politics and Issues

President Hassan Rouhani is still the favored candidate for the 2017 presidential election, but his predecessor, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has made significant gains in public opinion, according to a new University of Maryland survey. While large majorities said they had a favorable view of Rouhani’s efforts to improve national security and international relations, Iranians had a more mixed view of his economic policies.

Also, about one third of respondents said civil liberties have increased during Rouhani’s presidency. He had campaigned on a platform that included opening up Iranian society and has largely fallen short on his promises. Yet a majority were optimistic that civil liberties in Iran will increase in the next two years.  

The telephone poll of 1,007 Iranians was conducted June 17–27, 2016, for Center for International and Security Studies at Maryland by IranPoll.com. The following is a rundown of key results on domestic politics and issues. 

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dp2

 

dp3

 

 

civlib1

 

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In your opinion, how successful or unsuccessful has President Rouhani been thus far in doing each of the items that I will be reading you?

Improving the economic situation of our country

  May 2015 January 2016 June 2016
Very successful 14.7% 9.4% 5.9%
Somewhat successful 56.2 54.7 50.1
Somewhat unsuccessful 17.1 20.5 27.8
Very unsuccessful 8.8 11.4 14.2
DK/NA 3.2 4.1 2.0

 

Reducing unemployment

  May 2015 January 2016 June 2016
Very successful 3.5% 3.6% 1.4%
Somewhat successful 38.3 33.0 24.3
Somewhat unsuccessful 24.5 26.6 34.4
Very unsuccessful 28.6 30.0 38.4
DK/NA 5.2 6.8 1.5

 

Improving the security situation of our country

  May 2015 January 2016 June 2016
Very unsuccessful 45.7% 49.3% 50.2%
Somewhat successful 40.6 36.6 39.5
Somewhat unsuccessful 5.9 6.9 5.2
Very unsuccessful 4.3 3.1 3.5
DK/NA 3.5 4.2 1.6

 

Increasing civil liberties

  May 2015 June 2016
Very successful 12.9% 13.0%
Somewhat successful 51.0 59.0
Somewhat unsuccessful 14.2 13.3
Very unsuccessful 7.2 4.9
DK/NA 14.7 9.8

 

Improving Iran's relation with European countries

  May 2015 January 2016 June 2016
Very unsuccessful 30.1% 27.9% 19.2%
Somewhat successful 52.3 52.2 57.5
Somewhat unsuccessful 5.6 6.7 18.1
Very unsuccessful 3.1 4.5 1.3
DK/NA 8.9 8.7 4.0

 

Reducing sanctions

  May 2015 June 2016
Very successful 14.5% 9.1%
Somewhat successful 55.4 49.9
Somewhat unsuccessful 14.1 25.1
Very unsuccessful 10.4 13.5
DK/NA 5.6 2.4

Click here for Poll 1: Iranian Views on Nuclear Deal

Click here for Poll 2: Iranian Views of the US

Click here for Poll 3: Views on Foreign Policy, Regional Conflicts

Click here for more information.