Euroscepticism is on the rise across Europe, according to new research from the Pew Research Centre which found that just 51 per cent of EU citizens hold a favourable view of the European Union.
The survey of 10 EU countries undertaken close to the eve of the British referendum on EU membership, found that the union is experiencing a sharp dip in public support in a number of its largest member states, including France, Spain and Italy.
In particular, the survey revealed widespread opposition to the principle of "ever-closer union", which was enshrined in the Treaty of Rome, and from which British prime minister David Cameron secured an opt-out in his renegotiation of the terms of Britain's EU membership.
Britain will be exempt from the principle – one of four concessions secured by Mr Cameron from EU leaders in February – should Britain choose to remain an EU member in the referendum of June 23rd.
Citizens vs Brussels
The Pew Survey of more than 10,000 people across 10 EU countries found that citizens favoured greater devolution of EU power rather than national governments ceding more power to Brussels.
Some 65 per cent of British respondents and 68 per cent of Greeks favour the return of some powers from Brussels to national governments.
While most Europeans surveyed agreed that a British withdrawal from the EU would be negative for the European Union, almost one-third of French respondents (32 per cent) said a Leave vote would be a positive development for the EU as a whole.
With just over two weeks remaining in the British referendum campaign, the survey also contained some clues about the possible voting patterns of the British electorate.
Young supporters
The survey found that, after France, British voters’ attitudes to the European Union were most likely to be shaped by age.
While 57 per cent of those aged between 18 and 34 and 46 per cent of those between 35 and 49 held a favourable view of the EU, this fell to 38 per cent for those aged over 50.
Those in the Remain camp in the British referendum campaign, including prime minister David Cameron, have urged young people to register to vote in the referendum, amid fears that a low turnout among young voters could skew the vote in favour of a Leave victory.
The Pew survey also reveals the possible voting preferences of voters along party political and ideological lines.
Labour backing
About 60 per cent of Labour Party supporters were positive about the EU, the survey found, compared to 43 per cent of Conservative Party backers.
Similarly, British voters who saw themselves on the left of the political spectrum were more likely to support the EU, according to the research. Some 69 per cent of those who regard themselves as left-wing had a favourable opinion of the EU, compared to just 31 per cent of those on the right of the political spectrum.
With some pollsters predicting that Labour voters could hold the key to the referendum outcome, there have been calls by senior figures in the Labour Party and the trade union movement for voters to endorse the Remain campaign, amid concerns that Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has failed to display sufficient political support for a Remain vote.
The leaders of 10 of Britain's biggest trade unions launched a joint appeal this week for a Remain vote, while former Labour leader Neil Kinnock joined a host of former party leaders, including Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, in urging Britons to vote to remain.
The latest poll by the Pew Research Centre, a Washington-based think tank, was undertaken between April 4th and May 12th this year.
