Pakistanis will go to the polls Saturday in parliamentary elections that mark the first democratic transition from one elected civilian government to another in their country’s 66-year history. But support for democracy is thin in Pakistan, according to a Pew Research Center survey of Muslims around the world. By a nearly two-to-one margin (56% to 29%), Pakistani Muslims say they would prefer “a leader with a strong hand” over “a democratic form of government” to solve their country’s problems. This is among the lowest levels of support for democracy in the 37 countries and territories where the question was asked, as the chart on the right shows and a new Pew Research infographic illustrates.

In addition, most of Pakistan’s Muslims doubt that they can have any real political influence. Two-thirds of Pakistani Muslims either completely agree (53%) or mostly agree (13%) with the statement that “people like me don’t have any say about what the government does.” Just 25% disagree, either completely (20%) or mostly (5%).

The Pew Research survey of Pakistani Muslims (who make up 96% of the country’s population, according to a December 2012 Pew Research demographic study) was conducted in November 2011, well before the current election campaign. A more recent Pew Research poll, conducted in March of this year, shows that most Pakistanis think the country is headed in the wrong direction, and 83% give an unfavorable rating to the incumbent President Asif Ali Zardari of the Pakistan People’s Party.

More than a half dozen political parties are vying for seats in parliament, including some opposition parties that formally identify as religious or Islamic. In the survey of Muslims around the world, respondents were asked to compare Islamic political parties with other parties. A plurality of Pakistan’s Muslims say Islamic parties are about the same as other parties (39%). Just 10% say Islamic parties are worse, while 29% see Islamic parties as better than other parties.

More broadly, many of Pakistan’s Muslims think that religious leaders should have a role in politics. About half say that religious leaders should have either “some influence” (27%) or a “large influence” (27%) in political matters, while about a quarter say religious leaders should have “not too much influence” (12%) or “no influence at all” (14%).

Topics
ReligionPolitics & PolicyInternational AffairsImmigration & MigrationRace & EthnicityAge & GenerationsGender & LGBTQFamily & RelationshipsEconomy & WorkScienceInternet & TechnologyNews Habits & MediaMethodological ResearchOther TopicsPolitical IssuesU.S. Elections & VotersElection 2020Election 2018Election 2016Election 2014Election 2012Election 2010Election 2008Elections Before 2008Voters & VotingVoter DemographicsVoter ParticipationElection System & Voting ProcessElection NewsWorld ElectionsPolitical Parties & PolarizationPolitical TypologyPolitical DiscoursePolitical & Civic EngagementPolitics & MediaPolitical Ideals & SystemsDemocracyAuthoritarianismCapitalismSocialismCommunismPopulismNationalismPresidential ApprovalDonald TrumpAngela MerkelNarendra ModiVladimir PutinMore LeadersBill ClintonGeorge W. BushBarack ObamaGovernmentTrust in GovernmentSupreme CourtCongressFederal GovernmentMilitary & VeteransNon-U.S. GovernmentsState & Local GovernmentReligion & GovernmentProtests & UprisingsParty IdentificationPolitical AnimosityLeadersDemographics & PoliticsGenerations, Age & PoliticsGender & PoliticsEducation & PoliticsIssue PrioritiesAbortionDeath PenaltyDefense & National SecurityTerrorismWar & International ConflictNuclear WeaponsMilitary & VeteransDiscrimination & PrejudiceDrug PolicyFree Speech & PressGun PolicyHealth PolicyHealth CareMigration IssuesLGBTQ AcceptanceNational ConditionsPrivacy RightsCriminal JusticeDisasters & AccidentsReligion & GovernmentSocial Security & MedicareWorld LeadersWorld ElectionsGlobal Image of CountriesU.S. Global ImageChina Global ImageOrganizations, Alliances & TreatiesEuropean UnionBilateral RelationsInternational IssuesEnvironment & ClimateGlobal Economy & TradeInternational TerrorismNuclear WeaponsInternational TechnologyImmigration AttitudesImmigration IssuesIntegration & IdentityImmigration & Language AdoptionCitizenshipFamily ReunificationLegal ImmigrationRefugees & Asylum SeekersImmigration & EconomyHigh-Skilled ImmigrationVisas & EmploymentRemittancesRacial Bias & DiscriminationSegregationRace RelationsRacial & Ethnic IdentityRacial & Ethnic ShiftsRacial IntermarriageRace, Ethnicity & PoliticsRacial & Ethnic GroupsBlack AmericansAsian AmericansHispanics/LatinosHispanic/Latino DemographicsHispanics/Latinos & LanguageHispanics/Latinos & EducationHispanics/Latinos & IncomeHispanic/Latino IdentityHispanic/Latino VotersWhitesMore Racial & Ethnic GroupsReligious Identity & AffiliationBeliefs & PracticesInterreligious RelationsReligion & Social ValuesReligion & AbortionBiotechReligion & Death PenaltyReligion & LGBTQ AcceptanceReligious Freedom & RestrictionsNon-Religion & SecularismReligious Leaders & InstitutionsReligion & GovernmentReligion & PoliticsInternational Religious Freedom & RestrictionsReligious DemographicsGlobal Religious DemographicsReligion & ScienceKnowledge & EducationReligionsChristianityCatholicismOrthodox ChristianityProtestantismEvangelicalismPentecostalismMainline ProtestantismHistorically Black ProtestantismMormonismJudaismIslamMuslim AmericansMuslims Around the WorldBuddhismHinduismOther ReligionsReligiously UnaffiliatedComparison of ReligionsGenerationsGeneration ZMillennialsGeneration XBaby BoomersSilent GenerationGreatest GenerationComparison of GenerationsAgeTeens & YouthOlder Adults & AgingComparison of Age GroupsGender & PoliticsEconomics, Work & GenderGender Pay GapGender & LeadershipEducation & GenderGender RolesMotherhood & FatherhoodGender Equality & DiscriminationSexual Misconduct & HarassmentLGBTQ Attitudes & ExperiencesGender IdentitySame-Sex MarriageHousehold Structure & Family RolesFamily CaregivingMarriage & DivorceDivorceIntermarriageSame-Sex MarriageUnmarried AdultsParenthoodFertilityRomance & DatingFriendshipsEconomic ConditionsIncome, Wealth & PovertyBusiness & WorkplaceEconomic PolicyEconomic SystemsPersonal FinancesIncome & WagesEconomic InequalityPovertyWealthHomeownership & RentingMiddle ClassFuture of WorkEmployee BenefitsUnemploymentGender & WorkGig & Sharing EconomiesGovernment Spending & the DeficitGlobal TradeRemittancesStudent LoansRetirementBirth Rate & FertilityGenderTrust in ScienceScience News & InformationSTEM Education & WorkforceReligion & ScienceScience Funding & PolicyScience IssuesScience KnowledgeGene EditingClimate, Energy & EnvironmentFood ScienceHuman EnhancementMedicine & HealthSpaceVaccinesEnergyTechnology AdoptionDigital DivideTechnology Policy IssuesPolitics OnlineDigital News LandscapeLifestyle & Relationships OnlineEducation & Learning OnlineHealthcare OnlineOnline Privacy & SecurityNet NeutralityOnline Harassment & BullyingMisinformation OnlineTech CompaniesOnline ActivismCivic Activities OnlineOnline DatingSocial Relations & TechStresses & Distraction OnlineUser DemographicsTeens & TechChildren & TechOlder Adults & TechRacial & Ethnic Groups OnlineRural Residents & TechGender & TechEmerging TechnologyFuture of the Internet (Project)Artificial IntelligenceAlgorithmsAutomationBotsGig & Sharing EconomiesInternet of ThingsPlatforms & ServicesInternet ConnectivitySocial MediaMobileEntertainmentMore Platforms & ServicesFacebookTwitter (X)SmartphonesAppsTextingVideoGamingMusicOnline SearchE-CommerceEmailBlogsE-ReadingMedia & SocietyNews Media TrendsPolitics & MediaMedia AttitudesMisinformationFreedom of the PressNews KnowledgeMedia IndustryNews Platforms & SourcesDigital News LandscapeLocal NewsNews CoverageNews Content AnalysisMedia PolarizationElection NewsPresidents & PressTrust, Facts & DemocracyTrust in MediaFacts & Fact CheckingBots & MisinformationAmerican News Pathways 2020 ProjectState of the News Media (Project)TelevisionNewspapersAudio, Radio & PodcastsNews Audience DemographicsSocial Media & the NewsData ScienceDemographic ResearchAmerican Trends PanelInternational Survey MethodsSurvey MethodsTelephone SurveysNonprobability SurveysVoter FilesEducationLibrariesPersonal LifePublic KnowledgeOccupational GroupsMilitary & VeteransPoliceJournalistsHappiness & Life SatisfactionTime UseLifestyleDeath & DyingK-12Higher EducationStudent LoansElection 2004Election 2006Election 2002Unauthorized ImmigrationImmigration TrendsCOVID-19 & PoliticsAtheism & AgnosticismJoe BidenImmigrant PopulationsBorder Security & EnforcementTechnology & ImmigrationGender & ReligionYounger AdultsTaxesAge, Generations & TechBroadbandMedia Layoffs & EmploymentReligious Knowledge & EducationEducational AttainmentInternational Political ValuesOnline Random Sample SurveysScientists' ViewsJournalistsPoliceWar & International ConflictGlobal Tech & CybersecurityRace, Ethnicity & PoliticsReligious ExtremismU.S. Religious DemographicsCOVID-19 & ScienceReligious TypologyReligious CommitmentPope FrancisPope Benedict XVIPope John Paul IIGlobal HealthRecessions & RecoveriesGovernment Spending & the DeficitUnemploymentReligion & BioethicsYouTubeHuman RightsGlobal Balance of PowerReligion & PoliticsCoronavirus (COVID-19)CyberattacksOnline SurveysU.S. CensusEducation & Learning OnlineLeisureCOVID-19 & the EconomyCOVID-19 in the NewsSurvey BasicsResearch ExplainersInstagramEvolutionSize & Demographic Characteristics of Religious GroupsReligious Characteristics of Demographic GroupsNATOUnited NationsCOVID-19 & TechnologyRural, Urban and Suburban CommunitiesUnionsPew-Templeton Global Religious Futures ProjectElection 2022Israel Global ImageQualitative ResearchTestPartisanship & IssuesPolitical PolarizationU.S. DemocracyPolitical Parties
Alan Cooperman  is director of religion research at Pew Research Center.
James Bell  is Director of International Survey Research at the Pew Research Center.