Jordanians are feeling less optimistic about Hani Al Mulki’s government in 2018 than they did last year.

A public opinion poll carried out by the Center for Strategic Studies has found that 68% of Jordanians feel that “things are moving in the wrong direction,” just a year and a half after Al Mulki’s government was formed.

Many of the poll’s respondents blamed things going sideways on the increase in commodities’ prices and the worsening of the economy as a whole.

The skeptical respondents said that the government has failed to take responsibility for the hike in prices, to fight corruption and to find a solution for unemployment.

In fact, 50% of the 1848 people questioned said that they expected their financial situation to worsen in the next 12 months.

Two-thirds of the respondents said that their financial situation is worse today than it was a year ago.

Thirty-five percent of the respondents - all aged over 18 - said that they’ve found it the most difficult to pay for their electricity bills.

Meanwhile, 26% said that they’ve struggled to pay for food and drinks, while 10% have struggled with paying for their university tuition fees.

During the past two months, many of the citizens surveyed said that budgeting had to be a big part of their plan to get by:

42% of resppondents bought less commodities.
23% borrowed money to buy commodities.
18% postponed buying expensive commodities.

Also during the past two months:

39% said they paid more for their electricity bill.
31% paid more for food and drinks.
10% paid more for transportation.