Public Opinion
Public opinion can play a critical role in political and electoral development in a country and research in this area highlights the complex collection of opinions that impact the political process. The International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) understands the tide of public opinion becomes more crucial during elections and has developed research tools to gauge these sentiments, using them to inform project activities and better understand the political context of individual nations.
Through the Center for Applied Research and Learning, public opinion research approaches are developed for each country context, with no one-size-fits-all approach. This method has unearthed findings across the globe on voter education, elections, government, social status and much more.
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Director, Monitoring and Evaluation and Public Opinion Research
Related Content
24 Feb 2022 | News and Updates
IFES President and CEO affirms that IFES stands with Ukraine.
29 Jul 2020 | News and Updates
Understanding voters’ fears about going to the polls amid COVID-19 is crucial to creating a safe voting environment. Having conducted nationwide surveys in three countries, IFES has some preliminary...
3 Jan 2020 | Survey
In 2019, IFES conducted a nationwide public opinion survey to examine perceptions of the integrity of Nigeria’s 2019 elections, the electoral process and citizens’ Election Day experiences. The...
6 Dec 2018 | Survey
In 2018, IFES – with the support of USAID – conducted a nationwide household survey exploring public opinion of the political situation in Libya and voter intentions to participate in future...
28 Feb 2018 | Survey
In 2017, IFES – with the support of USAID – conducted a nationwide household survey in Libya on citizens’ intentions to vote and engage in future electoral events in the Libyan transition. The survey...
3 Nov 2017 | News and Updates
Iraq has undergone dramatic change in the past decade. The U.S.-led war in Iraq that began in 2003, and the subsequent de-Ba’athification process led by the Coalition Provisional Authority, spike in...
1 Dec 2015 | Multimedia
On October 1, 2015, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) hosted “Assessing Nigeria’s Historic 2015 Elections” on Capitol Hill, a discussion of Nigeria’s recent general elections...
1 Oct 2015 | Publication
The mood in Nigeria is extremely upbeat following the peaceful conduct of the 2015 general elections, which led to the first democratic transfer of power in the country’s history.
12 May 2015 | News and Updates
The rise in global social media has significantly shifted the ways in which citizens are able to engage with candidates, parties, electoral officials, and with each other throughout the electoral...
2 Apr 2015 | Survey
Ahead of Nigeria's national elections in February, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) conducted a pre-election public opinion survey.
1 Jul 2014 | Survey
Through its national electoral surveys, IFES has provided public preparedness and public perceptions data for all stakeholders. The most recent of these electoral surveys, conducted in June 2014 in...
18 Sep 2013 | Survey
Major decisions are being made that will impact Libya's future as a democratic nation. IFES' latest survey sheds light on Libyans' perceptions about women's roles and rights in public and private...
19 Jul 2013 | Survey
Cambodians head to the polls on Sunday July 28 to elect a new National Assembly. In April and May, IFES commissioned a nationally-representative survey of 1,752 voting-age citizens and 10 focus...
26 Apr 2013 | Survey
IFES’ Applied Research Center (ARC) conducted a global survey of practitioners in gender equality and women’s empowerment in 40 countries where IFES is active. The survey identifies key...
28 Mar 2013 | Survey
From August 17-29, 2012, IFES partner Index Kosova conducted fieldwork and data processing to determine public opinion in Kosovo. The survey covered a sample size of 1,520 Kosovars and aimed to...
21 Mar 2013 | Survey
On July 7, 2012, Libyans went to the polls and elected the General National Congress (GNC) in a major step that helped put their country on the path toward democracy.
21 Mar 2013 | Survey
IFES conducted a survey of voting-age adults in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) through face-to-face interviews in the fall of 2012. The survey was designed to evaluate civic and voter...
15 Mar 2013 | Survey
Results from a public opinion survey conducted by Ipsos and IFES in Venezuela in January 2013.
25 Feb 2011 | Publication
The SWMENA survey investigated the extent to which women in Lebanon had access to formal healthcare. The survey also examined issues of affordability, quality of care, utilization, and proximity to...
7 Dec 2010 | Publication
The Status of Women in the Middle East and North Africa (SWMENA) is a gender-focused research project that evaluates the status of women in three countries: Lebanon, Morocco, and Yemen
6 Dec 2010 | News and Updates
CAIRO (December 5, 2010)— The latest nationwide survey conducted by the Status of Women in the Middle East and North Africa (SWMENA) project finds that while majorities of both Yemeni women and men...
30 Sep 2010 | Survey
In August 2010, IFES contracted Polling Center of Jakarta to conduct a nationwide public opinion survey with a sample size of 2,500. Interviews were conducted in all 33 provinces and the survey is...
22 Jun 2010 | News and Updates
RABAT—A national survey on attitudes towards the political, economic, social and legal status of women in Morocco released today by the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) and...
21 Jun 2010 | Publication
This topic brief presents the main findings from the SWMENA survey in Morocco on paid work and employment. It includes analysis of participation by Moroccan women in the formal economy through...
21 Jun 2010 | Publication
Before conducting the SWMENA survey, NGOs in Morocco that work on several aspects of women’s issues completed a short survey to identify their data needs. One of the main challenges identified by...
21 Jun 2010 | Publication
One of the principal objectives of the SWMENA survey was to examine the level of popular support for law reforms that have the potential to enhance women’s participation in the social and...
21 Jun 2010 | Publication
This topic brief presents the main findings on educational attainment and aspirations from the SWMENA survey in Morocco, a survey of 2,500 women and men 18 and older, fielded in 2010.
21 Jun 2010 | Publication
The SWMENA survey, in addition to gathering information about women’s and men’s economic, social and political status, investigated the extent to which women in Morocco had access to formal health...
21 Jun 2010 | Publication
This topic brief presents the main findings from the SWMENA survey in Morocco on civic and political participation. It includes an analysis of civic engagement through membership in different...
21 Jun 2010 | Publication
This topic brief presents key findings from the SWMENA survey in Morocco. One portion of the survey examined the extent to which women enjoyed freedom of movement without pressures from family or...
21 Jun 2010 | Publication
The Status of Women in the Middle East and North Africa (SWMENA) is a gender-focused research project that evaluates the status of women in three countries: Lebanon, Morocco, and Yemen
19 May 2010 | Publication
Last week at the annual World Association for Public Opinion Research Conference, Rola Abdul-Latif and Lauren Serpe of IFES’ Applied Research Center presented their paper, "The Status of the Women in...
8 May 2010 | Multimedia
In anticipation of local elections at the end of the month, IFES organized and sponsored live, televised candidate debates for the post of mayor of Tbilisi, Georgia, together with Georgian Public...
4 May 2010 | Multimedia
This video asks in a reflective manner the capacity of the Filipino electorate to channel tangible and lasting political change in the country's tarnished socio-political climate. It conveys the...
22 Apr 2010 | Multimedia
Starting at the end of May and through early September, Burundi will hold its first set of elections since all rebel movements laid down their arms and officially ended Burundi’s long civil war. “If...
4 Feb 2010 | Survey
In anticipation of Tajikistan's February 28th Parliamentary and local elections, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, the world’s premiere election assistance and democracy...
26 Jan 2010 | Publication
The data collected after Kosovo’s first elections since declaring independence offer a unique snapshot of a young country optimistic, yet continuing to struggle with economic issues and divisions...
20 Nov 2009 | Publication
Using public opinion data from 18 Latin American countries, as well as aggregate data on the institutional design of EMBs, this study examines how attitudes towards Election Management Bodies (...
14 Nov 2009 | Publication
Assessing the Impact of Electoral Management Bodies' Autonomy and Capacity on Citizens' Perceptions of Election Quality
4 May 2009 | Multimedia
The video conveys a picture of the existing void between governance and citizen participation. It illustrates the socio-political issues facing the Philippine government and society.
29 Nov 2008 | Publication
Description: Does African dependence on foreign aid undermine the evolution of representative institutions? Using cross-national data and public opinion data, Olufunmbi M. Elemo, a PhD candidate in...
3 Nov 2008 | News and Updates
Jamie Dettmer explains why Americans should celebrate their democracy - The Kojo Nnamdi Show
19 Aug 2008 | Multimedia
Pagkakaiba is a short film in filipino with english subtitles that looks at the similarities of all people versus the differences that divide us.
5 Aug 2008 | Survey
This report details findings from the IFES post-election public opinion survey in Kosovo. This is the 7th public opinion poll IFES conducted in Kosovo since 2000.
15 Jun 2007 | Publication
Under a joint project of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the U.S. State Department (EUR/ACE), Democracy International (DI) conducted a comprehensive study of efforts to...
3 Nov 2006 | Multimedia
Thousands of protesters are taking to the streets of Kyrgyzstan's capital to call for the resignation of President Kurmanbek Bakiev. The president said in a televised address that he would not step...
31 Jan 2005 | Publication
The main objective of this paper is to encourage open debate and reform action in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region on the need to create the legal and political enabling environment...
31 Dec 2003 | Publication
This investigation combines techniques of qualitative and quantitative research. The specific goal of the study is to increase the knowledge of the post electoral opinions and perceptions...
31 Mar 2003 | Publication
This report summarizes the IFES Civic Education Project in Kazakhstan from 2002-2003. The report includes diagrams from the Civic Education Course, Civics tournament, Student groups and...
30 Nov 2002 | Publication
This report summarizes IFES’ technical election assistance and civil society projects in Uzbekistan. The report provides a critical and objective analysis of the electoral code with...
5 Oct 2000 | Publication
In the run-up to Uganda's referendum of June 2000, a national survey was conducted of a representative cross-section of 2271 adult Ugandan citizens. The survey covered all four regions of the...