GETTY Angela Merkel's approval ratings have plummeted

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The German Chancellor's approval ratings have plummeted in the countries hit hardest by Brussels' chaotic economic policies and the spiralling migrant crisis. She is now viewed with "no confidence" by huge swathes of the European population at a time when the EU is facing potential oblivion in the aftermath of the Brexit vote.

The results show a growing backlash against Germany from the rest of a bloc that feels Mrs Merkel has trashed their economies and unleashed huge levels of migration for her own country's gain. And the survey was carried out before Britain voted to leave the EU, with it likely that her approval ratings have sunk even lower still since the historic June 23 referendum.

EXPRESS The study lays bear the divisions in Europe

Many southern European nations have suffered terrible hardship and depression following the imposition of the euro, which has fuelled an economic boom in Germany by driving down the cost of its exports. Meanwhile many Balkan and eastern European countries blame Mrs Merkel for unleashing chaotic mass migration on their borders following her infamous welcome for the whole of the Middle East to settle in Germany. The new poll, by the respected US Pew Research Center, shows that the German leader's approval ratings are unsurprisingly lowest in Greece, which has been forced into abject austerity and poverty by Berlin. Asked how they view Mrs Merkel, 89 per cent of respondents in the stricken country said they have "no confidence", whilst just 10 per cent said they have "confidence" in her abilities.

EPA Mrs Merkel is especially unpopular in southern and eastern Europe

AFP She is especially unpopular in poverty-stricken Greece

And she is not much more popular in Hungary, which has been locked in a stand-off with Brussels after shutting its borders and putting up fences to keep out growing numbers of migrants and refugees. The country's prime minister Viktor Orban has openly blamed Mrs Merkel for sparking the migrant crisis, and 63 per cent of his population agree with him against just 29 per cent who view her favourably. Perhaps more worryingly for Eurocrats, the German leader's approval ratings are scarcely any better in one of the bloc's founding members Italy. Rome has been hit by a double whammy of EU failures - its badly stagnating economy has been bogged down by the Euro project and its borders have been thrown into chaos by huge numbers of migrants arriving on boats from Libya.

Many observers feel Italy could be one of the next countries to leave the EU after Britain with growing calls for a referendum, and the Pew research shows 59 per cent of its people have no confidence in Mrs Merkel, with just 33 per cent positive about her leadership of the continent. The German Chancellor is also deeply unpopular with her neighbours Poland - a country which has been locked in a bitter legal wrangle with Brussels over loss of sovereignty and the growing federalisation of the EU project. Poland has also reacted angrily to the migrant crisis and 55 per cent of people are unhappy with Mrs Merkel, compared to 33 per cent who feel she is a positive influence. Finally there is a growing backlash against her in Spain which, like Italy, has seen economic stagnation and shocking youth unemployment as a result of the Germano-friendly euro currency project.

There, 57 per cent of people have no confidence in Mrs Merkel whilst 40 per cent still hold her in high regard. The German chancellor does enjoy much higher approval ratings in her own country - where 73 per cent view her positively - and in much of wealthier northern Europe including Britain. However, researches noted that opinions of Mrs Merkel have "declined since 2014 in several countries" as Europe has been rocked by crisis after crisis over economics and migration. The biggest fall has been in Poland, where her approval rating has plummeted by 17 per cent in just two years, whilst she is also viewed favourably by 10 per cent fewer Britons today than in 2014.

Angela Merkel in pictures Tue, August 8, 2017 Angela Merkel has served as German Chancellor since 2005 and Leader of the Christian Democratic Union since 2000. We take a look at her political career in pictures. Play slideshow AFP/Getty Images 1 of 83 Angela Merkel through the years