Fewer and fewer Arabs identify themselves as Muslims over the past six years, according to a public opinion poll of Arab Barometer project at Princeton University, which conducted the survey for the BBC.
Wars, civil conflicts and general turmoil in the region seem to result in a substantial reduction in the percentage of Muslims, especially in the under-30s. Researchers asked residents of 10 countries and Palestinian territories if they identify as “not religious.”. Since the last survey, in 2012-2013, the percentage was 8%. This year, it was 13% in the general population and 18% in the under-30s. Respondents also said they have lost confidence in religious leaders and political parties.
The percentage is higher in the “Arab Spring” countries and Most of the increase is in Egypt, Libya and Tunisia, according to The Times. Analysers consider that the rise of extreme Islamist parties is one factor, which turned people away from religion.
In Tunisia, this percentage is over 30% (and reaches 50% for the 18-29 age-group), while in Libya the percentage is 25%. Algeria, Lebanon and Morocco follow with the highest percentage of non-Muslims. On the contrary, Yemen is the only country where the percentage of Muslims has increased compared to 2012. In Egypt, President Mohamed Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood organisation was thrown out from the army after a year in power, in 2013. Libya plunged into a civil war between Jihadists sympathizers to the Brotherhood and rival factions.
Source: protagon.gr
