Arabs back Turkey as a model for the new Arab states, according to poll

A majority of people in the Arab world believe that post-revolutionary states in the region should base their political system on that of Turkey, according to the latest opinion poll conducted between January 29 and of February 2 by a polling company which was commissioned by The Doha Debates initiative, which is funded by the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development. According to the poll which has questioned 1,001 people, 72 percent of respondents believe Turkey is a good model for Egypt, Tunisia and Libya, the states where the political regime was changed. The main reasons those surveyed gave for supporting the Turkish model were because Turkey is "close to the Arab world in regards to culture, religion and traditions," Turkey has become a well-respected country and the Turkish model has integrated Islam into politics which "fits into the needs of the Arab world".