Nearly three-quarters of Arab-Israelis want new political leadership ahead of elections, poll finds

Nearly three-quarters of Arab respondents believe their community urgently needs new public figures and political leadership to represent it, according to a new survey published Wednesday amid growing divisions in Arab politics ahead of the Knesset elections.

The survey, conducted by the Afkar Institute among 402 participants from the Arab sector, found that 74% of respondents believe the community urgently needs new leadership to represent it and meet its expectations.

The findings come as the political system within Arab society is increasingly focused on the approaching elections, against the backdrop of disputes and divisions among the Arab parties.

According to the survey, 64% of respondents strongly or very strongly agreed that their personal trust in public and political figures is lower than it was in the past.

A similar picture emerged regarding younger members of Arab society. Some 61% of respondents said the younger generation is less willing than before to trust people holding public office.

Trust in political leadership declines

The most striking finding concerns the desire for a change in the individuals leading the community. Seventy-four percent of respondents said Arab society urgently needs new public figures and leadership to represent it.

The figure may indicate that criticism is directed not only at the specific conduct of the Arab parties, but also at the figures identified with the existing political establishment.

Of the 402 respondents, 45% had an academic education, something the poll's organizers said was a relatively high proportion of academics in the sample, giving significant representation to the views of the educated segment of Arab society.

The findings were published as questions surrounding the future of the Arab parties, including whether they will run together or separately in the elections, continue to dominate political discussion within Arab society.

The crisis of confidence reflected in the survey could become a significant factor in the election campaign, including with regard to voter turnout and the ability of the current leadership to mobilize public support once again.