The global geopolitical climate is increasingly worried by the French. According to a survey carried out by the Yougov Institute, 55 % believe that a third world war is likely in the next ten years.
The investigation, carried out in several Western countries, shows that France is today one of the countries most concerned about this scenario. If 13 % of respondents consider a world war “Very likely” and 42 % “Quite probable”the French are ahead of the Spanish (50 %), the Italians (46 %), the Americans (45 %) as well as the British and the Germans (41 %each).
Confidence in the French armies
More than two thirds of those questioned fear the use of nuclear weapons in the event of a conflict, and a majority considers that such a conflict would cause unpublished damage in the history of humanity. Between a quarter and half of the respondents even fear a massive extinction of the world’s population.
Despite this anxiety, the French remain relatively confident in the ability of their army to protect the nation: 44 % of them deem their armed forces capable of defending the interests of the country, far ahead of Italy (16 %) but behind the United States, where 71 % of citizens claim to believe in American military power.
Identified threats: Russia, Islamism and transatlantic tensions
Asked about the possible causes of a future conflict, Europeans massively point Russia as the main threat (between 69 % and 82 % depending on the country). Islamist terrorism rose to second place in the podium of international concerns. In parallel, more than one in two French people (53 %) perceives recent tensions with the administration of Donald Trump as a worrying factor for the continent.
Finally, to the question of whether atrocities similar to those of the Nazi regime could reproduce, pessimism prevails once again. A majority of Americans (52 %) responds in the affirmative, against 31 % of Spaniards, the most optimistic. A fact revealing a vacillating geopolitical climate.
