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Poll: Public support for Estonia's EU membership remains strong

Xinhua, February 2, 2017 Adjust font size:

Public support for the European Union (EU) remains strong in Estonia with more than 75 percent of the population backing the country's membership in the bloc, a new poll commissioned by the Estonian government shows.

According to the survey, 77 percent of respondents generally support Estonia's membership in the EU, which is a slightly more than in 2015 when public support for the EU had decreased.

Authors of the survey said sudden and worrisome events in the world last year might have caused Estonians appreciate their country's membership in the bloc.

"Brexit and Donald Trump's victory in the U.S. presidential election caused concerns about potential threats to Estonia's security. In this situation, former euros-skeptics probably started doubting the need to leave the EU," said Turu-Uuringute research manager Vaike Vainu.

The percentage of respondents firmly supporting Estonia's membership in the EU grew from 43 percent in 2015 to 48 percent in 2016, while the percentage of respondents opposing membership in the bloc fell from 19 percent to 14 percent.

The poll also revealed that 49 percent of the population is aware of Estonia's upcoming presidency of the Council of the EU in the second half of 2017. Enditem