GETTY Support for the EU is plummeting, according to a new poll

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The survey, conducted between February 17 and March 3 and involving more than 18,000 people across Europe and the wider world, revealed rapidly growing euroscepticism. It also shockingly revealed former EU strongholds such as Belgium, Italy and France were now hotbeds of anti-EU sentiment. In Belgium, for example, 69 per cent of respondents said they believed the EU was now "on the wrong track".

In Italy the figure was 66 per cent, while in France it was 63 per cent and in the UK it was 57 per cent. Citizens of Spain, Hungary and Sweden also believed by a clear majority the European Union was on the wrong track.

GETTY The poll revealed growing euroscepticism across the bloc

And by a margin which is sure to set alarm bells ringing in Brussels, 57 per cent of residents across all EU states are concerned about the direction the bloc is taking. Gideon Skinner, Head of Politics for Ipsos MORI, said the poll revealed the depths to which the bloc had sunk.

These are the most eurosceptic countries Fri, February 24, 2017 Rising disenchantment with the dealings of EU is not just confined to the UK. Play slideshow 1 of 8

He said: "The widespread feeling is that public trust in the EU is at an all-time low, after a severe economic crisis that still leaves its marks, the refugee crisis, a wave of terrorist attacks and Brexit. "Europeans themselves... are relatively unhappy about the current status of the European project, perhaps related to disappointment over its impact on standard of living, especially since the financial crisis, and immigration, and a sense that it is out of touch.

"Particularly noteworthy are the negative attitudes to the achievements of the EU in Belgium, France and Italy, three countries that stood at the cradle of the European project." While he conceded people around the world, including residents of America, Canada and Australia who were involved in the poll, do see "some reason to celebrate" the bloc, the outlook is not good for the EU.

GETTY The EU's dealing of the migrant crisis is a major cause for dropping support

GETTY 57 per cent of Europeans believe the EU is "on the wrong track"