Major European states don’t want to follow in the UK’s footsteps and vote for their own Brexit, new poll shows
Six months on from the UK's vote to leave the European Union, Brexit has failed to be as contagious as many expected it to be.
According to a new poll, voters in the EU's biggest states of France, Germany, Italy and Greece believe their countries are heading in the wrong direction, but support for the EU remains strong and they are not planning to copy the UK's departure.
Across 15 EU countries, the WIN/Gallup International online survey of almost 15,000 people found only a small rise in the number of people who would vote for their country to exit the organisation, up from 33 per cent to 36 per cent – in stark contrast to the domino effect some investors feared would be set off.
Read more: No Brexit effect on their business say managers – but watch the UK economy
The poll showed that despite voters being unhappy, support for the EU remained above 60 per cent in most of the largest member states.
In Greece, 89 per cent of voters thought their country was heading in the wrong direction, while 82 per cent in France, 79 per cent in Italy and 62 per cent and Germany felt the same.
The percentage of people in Germany, France and Belgium who would vote to leave fell from a year ago, although Finland and Greece saw an increase in support for leaving, up to 40 per cent from 29 per cent and to 46 per cent from 38 per cent respectively.
Read more: "Clean Brexit" could save UK nearly £40bn a year
Investors are closely watching for popular discontent on the rise in major EU states ahead of elections in France and Germany next year, and a likely vote in Italy.
Johnny Heald, managing director of ORB International (which conducted polling in the UK), said:
2016 saw the EU foundations severely shaken. What stands out is the overwhelming view from EU citizens that their countries are heading in the wrong direction – most noticeable in France and Greece – which makes fertile ground for right-wing populist parties.
Read more: UK must leave EU Single Market to realise Brexit opportunity – Mervyn King
The survey was carried out between 25 November to 7 December, before the 19 December attack on a Christmas market in Berlin.