A new poll conducted by the French Institute of Public Opinion (IFOP) from September 6 to 7, 2016, on the eve of the Dalai Lama’s visit to France, finds that 86 per cent of the French public feels President François Hollande “has to officially receive the Dalai Lama in the name of Human Rights.”

The Dalai Lama is scheduled to visit France from September 12 to 18.

According to the poll conducted by telephone, this belief transcends all age groups, all social backgrounds and all political affiliations, but with a higher proportions among Socialist supporters (91%) the Republicans (LR) (88%) and the National Front (81%).

French Senator André Gattolin, who has deep interest in the Tibetan issue, said: “This result shows that, despite the pressure from the Chinese authorities towards the West, the French give massive support to the recognition at the highest level of the State of the role of the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan cause. I recall that Barack Obama received on June 15 the Dalai Lama to the White House, despite the warning from China.”

The details of the poll, in French, can be found on Ifop’s website.