ISLAMABAD (Kashmir English): A recent survey has found that Pakistan Tehreek e Insaaf (PTI) has lost its popularity among the youth, while Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) has gained support in comparison to last year.
The Political Survey 2026, conducted by the Research and Analytics Institute (RAI) of Pakistan, includes young citizens of Pakistan and has revealed important and far-reaching trends related to the country’s politics, governance, and state institutions.
As per the Political Survey 2026 on Youth Perceptions, PTI and PML-N have emerged in a near-parity contest among young voters.
While PTI’s support declines from 43 per cent to 36 per cent, PML-N has gained momentum, rising to 33 per cent from 24 per cent, indicating a shift toward a two-party competition among young voters ahead of the next general elections.
According to this survey conducted on more than 25,000 youth, although economic pressure continues to dominate the lives of youth, there has been a clear improvement in the overall direction of the country, government performance, and trust in institutions.
On one hand, there’s a growing sense of optimism, with 26% of respondents believing the country is heading in the right direction, up from 8% in 2024 and 21% in 2025. On the other hand, economic concerns continue to dominate, with unemployment, corruption, and poverty topping the list.
Other key findings include that 40% of youth are satisfied with the current government, up from 27% in 2025, with provincial governments outperforming the federal government.
The survey further said that honesty, integrity, and strong economic vision are the top qualities youth expect from leaders. Education, healthcare, social welfare, infrastructure, and economic reforms are the top priorities for youth, the survey said.
