50% of French agree with limiting freedom of expression: media

PARIS - 50 percent of the respondents are in favor of "limiting freedom of expression on the Internet and social media" against 49 percent who are not in favor and 1 percent undecided, showed Sunday a poll of French Institute of Public Opinion (Ifop), cited by the newspaper Le Figaro.

Also, when reminding that "some Muslims feel attacked or injured by the publication of cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed", about 42 percent of the French think it's necessary to avoid publishing cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad, while 57 percent of the French said "these reactions shouldn't be taken account of and should continue publishing such caricatures".

According to the poll, 81 percent of respondents are in favor of "the forfeiture of the French nationality of those who are duel nationality and convicted of acts of terrorism on French soil," 68 percent think it should "ban the return to France of French citizens who are suspected to have gone to fight in countries or regions controlled by terrorist groups," and also 68 percent to "ban the French citizens to leave French territory for countries or regions controlled by terrorist groups".

However, 57 percent of the respondents are in favor of "other French military interventions in Syria, Yemen or Libya," while 63 percent are no longer in favor of an "intensification of French military operations in Iraq," showed the poll cited by Le Figaro.

The poll was conducted by telephone on Friday and Saturday among 1,003 French.