Although the majority of Arabs believe Syria\u2019s President Basher al-Assad should resign in the wake of the regime\u2019s brutal treatment of protesters, fewer Syrians are supportive of an immediate leadership change.<\/p>\n
According to the latest opinion poll commissioned by The Doha Debates, Syrians are more supportive of their president with 55% not wanting him to resign. One of the main reasons given by those wanting the president to stay in power was fear for the future of the country.<\/p>\n
That level of support is not mirrored elsewhere in the region with 81% of Arabs wanting President Assad to step down.<\/p>\n
They believe Syria would be better off if free democratic elections were held under the supervision of a transitional government.<\/p>\n
The poll\u2019s finding support the result of November\u2019s Doha Debate in which 91% of the audience called for President Assad to resign.<\/p>\n
If President Assad resigns, Syria\u2019s relations with Turkey, Lebanon and the United States are expected to improve while relations with Iran and Israel will worsen, according to the opinion poll findings.<\/p>\n
The poll conducted by YouGov Siraj questioned more than 1,000 people in the Arab world between December 14 and 19.<\/p>\n
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