Mon dieu! One in six French people say they support ISIS

[flamingdem]

http://www.vox.com/2014/8/26/6067123/isis-poll?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=voxdotcom&utm_content=tuesday

(See charts at link)

Two polls released this week both ask a question that you would hope wouldn't need asking: how many people support the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS)? Unfortunately, in all four countries surveyed, the answer is greater than zero, and by a lot.

Here is a chart of the results of the polls. The first, by ICM Research, asked people in Germany, France, and the UK whether they had a favorable or unfavorable view of ISIS. The second, by the Palestinian Center for Public Opinion, asked Gazans whether they support or oppose ISIS. Here are the results.

First, a caveat: while the polls of Gazans and Europeans are similar, they are not totally identical. They were conducted by different polling agencies using different methods, and the different question could skew responses, as "support" is stronger than "favor." So keep that in mind when comparing the Gaza results to the others, although it is hard to ignore that ISIS could have a higher approval rating in France than in Gaza.

In any case, the big, scary, surprising, number here is France: 16 percent of those surveyed say they support ISIS. That's an awful lot. And that number gets even larger as the demographics get younger, as shown in this by-age breakdown published by Russia Today (the poll was commissioned by Russian state media, almost certainly to tar and/or troll Western countries, but that doesn't make the findings any less disturbing): (charts at link)

[pampango]

1. The rise of the far-right (strongest in France) may explain this.

It's no secret that far-right politics have been on the rise in Western Europe, which includes a growing willingness to embrace extremism and greater intolerance of all kinds. It is ironic but by no means impossible that far-right Islamophobia would rise in Europe alongside a greater approval of the Islamist group ISIS. Extremism is often reactive and ideologically contradictory.

Where the far-right is weakest, Germany, support for ISIS is the lowest. And Muslims represent approximately the same percentage of the total population in both.

[flamingdem]

2. The survey would work better if they asked about religious affiliation

since many Muslim youth in France lack employment and on top of that deal with the far right.

Not sure what the percent is of the population but I think it's the highest in Europe besides Britain.

[pampango]

3. Per wiki, Muslims are 7.5% in France, 5% in Germany and 4.6% in the UK.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_by_country

The percentage represented by Muslims is highest in France but not by an amount that would explain such a dramatic difference in support for ISIS. I think it is the dramatically stronger popularity of the far-right. The authors of the article, FWIW, thought it was probably elements on the far-right itself, even though they tend to hate Muslim immigrants, that express the most support for ISIS in light of its shared intolerance and bigotry (albeit aimed at different targets).

Extremism is often reactive and ideologically contradictory.

[flamingdem]

5. Thanks. I've read it's higher in Britain now

Different sources have different stats.

[muriel_volestrangler]

7. 4.6% is about right in the UK

2011 census: 4.8% in England and Wales (census tends to overestimate slightly, since some 'cultural but non-practising Muslims' will call themselves Muslim); 1.4% in Scotland
(Northern Ireland - Muslims are among the 0.8% 'other religions')

[flamingdem]

4. Here's the article quoted with more facts and stats

It's an editorial actually:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1016100943

[seveneyes]

6. Allowing the teaching of hate and jihad to youth will do that

Reaping what has been sowed.