As France prepares to ease its strict lockdown, a poll has shown that support for the draconian measures aimed at halting the coronavirus spread has dropped below 50% for the first time, reports The Guardian.
The French government will announce details of its plan to slowly ease restrictions across the country from 11 May, including the phased reopening of schools, on Tuesday. The proposals will be introduced to the Assemblée Nationale and put to a vote of MPs.
A survey published this weekend showed that less than half the population – 43% – now supports the maintaining of strict “confinement” measures, down eight percentage points from the previous week.
However, if the confinement ends, 82% want the government to make free masks available to the general population. The poll by YouGov for the Huffington Post showed more than three quarters of French people support the continued ban on sporting and cultural events and almost as many say workers should be urged to work from home if they can.