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French more supportive of a Brexit than the British are

The Local France
The Local France - [email protected]
French more supportive of a Brexit than the British are
Photo: AFP

A new poll shows there is more support for Britain quitting the EU in France than there is Britain, where voters must decide whether to stay or go in June’s referendum.

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It might sound like an April Fools’ Day joke, but it isn’t.

A new survey published in Le Parisien in France on Friday by Odoxa revealed how much support there was for a Brexit in the main countries in Europe.

The results show stark differences in enthusiasm towards Britain remaining in the EU throughout various countries in the bloc.

The Spanish are the warmest towards Britain staying the EU with 76 percent favourable to the UK staying in the EU, followed by the Italians (67 percent) and the Germans (65 percent).

Then there was a big drop to the British with only 55 percent in support of “Bremaining” in the UK.

That would clearly be enough to avoid a Brexit, which would disappoint a lot French people, given then only 54 percent of them are in favour of the UK staying in Europe.

President of Odoxa Gaël Sliman believes the recent demands made by UK Prime Minister David Cameron on other European countries as well as the anti-EU tone of the Brexit debate have left the French fed up with “perfidious Albion”.

“The irritation of the French towards the attitude of the British towards the EU is being to play a role as the demands from London seem to be abusive,” he said.

“In January 2013 it was far clearer that the French were against a Brexit,” Sliman added.

Last month The Local reported how French essayist Edouard Tétreau argued that a Brexit would be a “windfall for France and Paris”.

"In a few months the City of London will lose the essence of its raison d’être – to be the financial hub of Europe.

"But when it's transformed into an offshore (literally) fiscal paradise the City of London would force away all the banks and asset management funds who want to continue to operate in the European market, without the barriers caused by regulations and taxes that would be applied to London-based institutions once they are outside the Union.

"Thousands of managers, lawyers, financiers, and also the heads of the European subsidiaries of multi-national companies would have to leave the UK to remain within the EU to continue their work.

"Paris is easily the city, along with Berlin, that is best placed to welcome their talents.

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