One in Six People in This European Country Support the Islamic State, According to a New Poll

Roughly 16 percent of people in France have a positive view of the Islamic State, according to a poll conducted by ICM Research for the Russian state news outlet Rossiya Segodnya. That breaks down to roughly one in every six people.

The polling agency said it interviewed 3,007 Europeans from July 11-21; 1,000 people were surveyed in Great Britain, 1,006 in France, and 1,001 in Germany.

Image via ICM Research

Overall, the results are what you might expect: only 2 percent said they view the Islamic State "very" favorably, while 7 percent said they view it "somewhat" favorably.

But a closer look at the numbers reveals that roughly 16 percent have a favorable view of the Islamic State in France.

AP

The respondents were asked: "From what you know, please, tell me if you have a very favorable, somewhat favorable, somewhat unfavorable or very unfavorable opinion of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant otherwise known as ISIS?"

Three percent of French respondents had a very favorable view of the Islamic State, while 13 percent had a somewhat favorable view.

One should always be skeptical of polls commissioned for a Russian state news outlet, but the results seem to confirm what many Europeans are fearful of: that an increasing number of people are being radicalized by extremist groups like the Islamic State.

(H/T: Vox)