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Brexit sparks surge in European support for EU

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AFP Brussels
Support for the EU in Europe has surged following Britain's shock vote to leave the bloc, according to a French opinion poll published today.

With Britain in post-referendum crisis, more people polled in six EU nations by researchers IFOP said it was better to be in the bloc than they did two years ago.

"Citzens are reacting to both the perceived impact of Brexit on the European project and on the economy of their own country, but also in terms of their own relationship to the EU," IFOP said.

In France 67 per cent of people agreed, up 19 per cent on 2014, in Germany 81 per cent (up 18 per cent), Italy 59 per cent (up four), Spain 81 per cent (up nine) and Belgium 75 per cent (up 10).
 

In Poland 89 per cent said it was better to be in the EU, but there was no previous poll in that country.

Reflecting the growing support for the EU, a majority of Germans (55 per cent), French (53 per cent) and Spanish (51 per cent) want the EU to make "no concessions" in exit talks.

In both Italy and Belgium it was 47 per cent while in Poland just 27 per cent said there should be no concessions.

All six nationalities said they would vote to stay in the EU if their countries held a referendum (53 per cent of French, 65 per cent of Germans, 52 per cent of Italians, 67 per cent of Spaniards, 61 per cent of Belgians and 84 per cent of Poles).

IFOP carried out the survey for the Jean Jaures Foundation and the European Doundation for Progressive Studies.

It surveyed 6,000 people online, comprising 1,000 individuals in each of the six countries.

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First Published: Jul 15 2016 | 9:32 PM IST

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