More than half of German and Italian citizens, as well as almost two thirds of Britons think that at least one country will withdraw from the European Union in the coming years, an Ifop poll for Sputnik showed Thursday, almost a year after the UK Brexit referendum.

MOSCOW — Friday marks the first anniversary of the Brexit referendum, in which the majority of UK citizens supported a decision to end its membership in the European Union. Against the backdrop of the referendum, the government of UK Prime Minister Theresa May officially launched the Brexit process on March 29.

Fifty two percent of German respondents and 57 percent of respondents from Italy, along with 64 percent of Britons said that at least one EU member state could leave the 28-nation bloc in next several years, the survey showed.

According to the poll, 55 percent of UK citizens, 50 percent of Italians, 42 percent of French respondents and 39 percent of respondents from Germany believe that more than one state would make a decision to withdraw from the union.

The survey added that at the same time 39 percent of Germans, 33 percent of the French citizens, 32 percent of respondents from Italy as well as 18 percent of UK respondents said that no one country would follow the United Kingdom in its decision to secede.

Sputnik launched the Sputnik.Polls project in January 2015 to conduct polls in Western Europe and the United States in cooperation with the leading research companies Populus, Ifop and Forsa. The project involves regular surveys on high-profile social and political issues.

Sputnik