2016 Lowy Institute polling: Australian opinion on British exit from European Union
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2016 Lowy Institute polling: Australian opinion on British exit from European Union

A majority of Australians think the United Kingdom should stay in the European Union, according to new Lowy Institute polling. In a decisive result, 51% of Australian adults say the United Kingdom ‘should remain a member of the European Union’, while only 19% say it should leave.

Further, when asked about the impact of Brexit on the European Union, most Australians anticipate that the EU will sustain some damage. Around a third of the population (29%) believe that Brexit ‘will lead to the break-up of the European Union over time’. A significant number (41%) say ‘the European Union will be damaged but it will recover’. Very few say that ‘there will be no impact on the European Union’ (11%). Photo: Flickr user Photography by eje.

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Executive Summary

These results are drawn from a nationally representative mobile and fixed-line telephone survey of 1002 Australian adults between 1 and 9 June 2016, conducted by Field Works Market Research on behalf of the Lowy Institute. The Poll’s maximum sampling variance is approximately +/- 3.1%.

Tables of questions and results

1. Firstly, thinking about the European Union and the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom will vote in June on whether to remain a member of the European Union or leave the European Union. Do you personally think the United Kingdom should:

 

Remain a member of the European Union

51%

Leave the European Union

19%

Don't know/no view

30%

 

 

2. Which one of the following statements comes closest to your own view about what might happen if the United Kingdom leaves the European Union? If the United Kingdom leaves the European Union:

 

The European Union will be damaged but it will recover

41%

This will lead to the break-up of the European Union over time

29%

There will be no impact on the European Union

11%

Don't know/no view

19%

 
Areas of expertise: Public opinion polling; Australian and international diplomacy, public diplomacy and consular affairs
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