Peiling: Fransen voor uitbreiding EU maar tegen toetreding Turkije (en)

A new poll in France has shown that French people are in favour of EU enlargement, but opposed to Turkey joining the Union.

The poll - conducted by CSA - saw 62 percent of voters in favour of enlargement, which will become official this coming Saturday (1 May).

But a similar percentage (61 percent) said they were against Turkey joining the European Union.

Moreover, this sentiment has increased from 55 percent in the last poll in November 2003.

The issue of Turkey has hit the headlines in France recently.

The centre-right UMP party of President Jacques Chirac has recently said that countries like Turkey "have no business" in the EU.

But Foreign Minister and former Commissioner Michel Barnier has warned against slamming the door on Turkey's eventual accession.

Member states will decide at the end of the this year whether Turkey is ready for accession negotiations based on a report by the European Commission, which will be published in October.

The survey took place between 20 and 22 April and 956 French voters were questioned.