Petra Monitoring Report: Digital Debate On Government Affairs Intensifies In 2025 Amid Economic Growth, Stability

(MENAFN- Jordan News Agency)

Amman, December 30 (Petra) – A monitoring study conducted by the Digital Analysis Unit at the Jordan News Agency (Petra), using advanced tools to track and analyse social media platforms and digital media sources, showed a marked increase in public debate and engagement with government affairs in Jordan during 2025 compared to 2024.
The reports heightened interaction coincided with an economic year described by experts as pivotal, marked by stability and growth despite ongoing external challenges.
The total volume of content related to government affairs in 2025 reached 2.8 million news items and direct digital posts, representing a 191.7% increase year-on-year. Total interaction with the content amounted to around 22.6 million digital engagements, reflecting a 145.6% increase compared to 2024.
Analysis of debate trends revealed a near balance between positive and negative content. Positive content accounted for 20.8% of the total, compared to 20% classified as negative, while neutral content dominated with 59.2%.
This distribution indicates that most online activity focused on news dissemination, reposting and information-following rather than opinion-driven or expressive commentary.
Year-long monitoring showed clear surges in discussion at several points, with the highest levels recorded in the final quarter of 2025, alongside notable increases during the second quarter.
These peaks typically coincided with periods of heightened public interest, such as major policy decisions, service-related or economic issues directly affecting Jordanians, announcements of major projects and programmes or the implementation of regulatory and governmental changes.
Linking digital discourse to economic performance, the report noted that the surge in public engagement came at a time when economic experts, in an assessment published by Petra, unanimously agreed that national economic indicators reflected the Kingdom's capacity to adapt to external pressures and structural challenges.
The year witnessed tangible improvements in key sectors and a gradual transition from "managing stability" to "creating more productive and inclusive growth," with a focus on job creation, stimulating investment and balancing economic reform with social considerations.
Experts highlighted real GDP growth of 2.7% during the first half of the year, inflation remaining low at approximately 1.8% and foreign reserves reaching $24.6 billion in November figures that underscore monetary stability and the economy's resilience to shocks.
From a communication perspective, the dominance of neutral content suggests that a large segment of the public was actively seeking information and interpretation.
This underscores the importance of explanatory content particularly material addressing "what this means for the citizen" over the mere reporting of decisions or headline indicators.
At the same time, the near-equal proportions of positive and negative content, despite generally favourable economic indicators, point to a gap not in data availability but in translating economic progress into its tangible impact on employment, living standards and service delivery.
This challenge was repeatedly emphasised by experts, who stressed that growth must be productive and inclusive, generating job opportunities while preserving financial and monetary stability.
In a broader contextual analysis of 2025, the report found that government communication throughout the year centred on five recurring themes: economic modernisation and the executive programme; field-based government action and legislative reforms affecting Jordanians; sovereign and security-related issues; major service projects implemented through partnerships; and water, health and education as national priorities.
These topics consistently elevated public discussion and in some cases, increased polarisation when not supported by clear, timely and explanatory messaging.
The monitoring concluded that managing public communication in a year characterised by stabilisation and the laying of foundations for more balanced growth requires unified messaging, simplified and verifiable data, rapid responses to frequently asked questions and a greater emphasis on explanatory content.
Such an approach would help transform heightened public interest from passive observation into deeper understanding, greater trust and constructive engagement that supports the national reform process.

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