Europeans significantly overestimate the size of the Muslim population in their countries, according to a survey.
The Ipsos Mori poll found that French people overestimated the proportion of the country's Muslim population by the greatest margin, The Guardian reported, with other countries including Belgium, Germany and the U.K.
The average French person thinks the country is 31 percent Muslim. The true figure is closer to 7.5 percent, based on a 2010 estimate.
In Germany, residents believe over 20 percent of the population is Muslim. The true figure is closer to five percent.
Both France and Germany have elections in 2017 where hard-right populist parties are likely to condemn Muslim immigration.
The issue is not only relevant to European countries; in the U.S., citizens believe about 15 percent of the population is Muslim when the true figure is well below 5 percent.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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Josh is a staff writer covering Europe, including politics, policy, immigration and more.
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