Over 40 per cent of Americans say a U.S. civil war is likely to happen within a decade as political polarization and street violence grow, local media reports.

According to the survey conducted by the Britain-based data company ‘YouGov’ and an Economist, around 43 per cent of Americans believe a civil war is at least somewhat likely in the next 10 years.

Among strong Democrats and Independents the figure was 40 per cent, but among strong Republicans, it was 54 per cent that see a civil war somewhat likely.

The findings follow similar results in other polls.

The report said most experts believe a full-scale armed conflict, like the American civil war of 1861-65, remains unlikely, “many fear an increase of jagged political division and explicitly political violence.”

Since the Capitol attack on January 6, 2021, fears of political violence have grown, indicating that heated rhetoric from supporters of former U.S. President Donald Trump has somewhat stoked the public fear, said the report. 

(Xinhua/NAN)