87% of French worried about Middle East conflict, majority call Iran strikes 'bad thing'

A total of 87% of the French are worried about the ongoing Middle East conflict, including 44% who are "very worried," according to a survey done by Elabe for broadcaster BFMTV published Thursday. The figure marks an increase from 81% from a March 18 survey, when 32% said they were "very worried." A total of 12% of respondents said they are not worried.

Views on the war

One-quarter of respondents view the Israeli-US offensive against Iran as a "good thing" while a clear majority – 57% – said it was a "bad thing" and 18% had no opinion. The conflict increases the risk of attacks in France, said a supermajority of 82%.

Economic concerns

More than 80% cited the impact of the conflict on prices, with diesel reaching €2.18 ($2.52) per liter last week, the highest since 1985, and 67% expecting fuel shortages in the coming months. The survey reflects growing European anxiety over the war's economic repercussions, including rising energy costs and supply disruptions.

Conflict context

The entire region has been on alert since the US and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, killing over 1,340 people according to Iranian authorities, including former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, as well as Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets. For weeks, Tehran has maintained effective control of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for energy supplies, only allowing vessels of nations Iran calls "friendly countries." The strait, through which roughly 20 million barrels of oil normally passed daily, has been effectively disrupted since early March.