A significant shift in public sentiment has positioned France among countries experiencing a notable surge in residents contemplating emigration. Recent data indicates that over a quarter of French adults are now considering a permanent move abroad, a stark increase from the previous year. This growing desire to leave coincides with a sharp decline in confidence in national institutions and a political climate perceived as increasingly unstable.
Julien, a restaurant entrepreneur, exemplifies this trend, having relocated from Paris to Tbilisi, Georgia, in December. He cited a downturn in customer numbers at his Parisian establishment, noting that people could no longer afford to dine out as frequently. Beyond the economic pressures, Julien expressed a profound disillusionment with what he described as a “lack of opportunities,” a “monstrous tax burden,” and an overall “very bad atmosphere” in France. His experience reflects a broader unease that is palpable even among those who, like Antoine, an engineer in Paris’s luxury goods sector, have not yet made the move. Antoine, despite his affection for his hometown, feels an increasing pull to depart, recalling a sense of “acceptance of others” he found in Canada that he no longer perceives in France, lamenting what he sees as pervasive animosity. He also faces material challenges, noting that without an inheritance, homeownership in his native city remains out of reach, despite a management career.
The scale of this growing sentiment is underscored by a Gallup survey, revealing that 27% of adults in France would consider moving abroad permanently if given the chance, a substantial jump from 11% just a year prior. This unprecedented rise, the largest annual growth in desire to emigrate since the institute began tracking the question in 2007, places France in a unique position globally. The shift is deeply intertwined with a dramatic erosion of public trust. Confidence in the national government plummeted to 29%, a 13-point drop within a year. Similar declines were observed in trust towards the judicial system, now at 50%, and financial institutions, at 42%. Notably, no other European Union member state recorded a comparable average decline across these indicators in the past year.
Benedict Vigers, a senior editor at Gallup in France, highlighted the severity of this decline. He noted that while confidence in French institutions typically remains stable, and had even improved since President Emmanuel Macron took office in 2017, all that progress has been undone in a mere 12 months. This loss of faith unfolds against a backdrop of significant political instability, marked by successive prime ministers and a lack of parliamentary majority since the surprise dissolution of parliament in June 2024. This political paralysis has fueled repeated censure motions against budget proposals and contributed to a substantial drop in Macron’s approval rating, which reached an all-time low of 28% this year, a stark contrast to his 61% rating in his first year.
Economically, the outlook is equally bleak, with 67% of French citizens believing their situation is deteriorating, placing France among the most economically pessimistic OECD countries, trailing only Greece since 2015. Julien also emphasized the political climate as a significant factor in his decision, citing the “instability at government level” and a perceived disconnect between the populace and its political bodies. For Antoine, concerns about the political future are paramount, describing the current atmosphere as “ultra-morose” and expressing deep worry about the rise of the far right ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
While some, like Adèle who moved from Lyon to Leipzig for a career change, found greater flexibility abroad for professional transitions, others have chosen to return. Hadrien and Sophie, bankers who spent several years in Toronto, eventually came back to Paris, acknowledging that while France isn’t perfect, it offers advantages such as more holidays and a lower cost of living compared to Canada, where they found income tax to be similar but expenses much higher. They believe the prevailing narrative sometimes exaggerates the country’s woes. However, Clément, who moved to Toronto in 2023, remains deeply “disgusted” by the French political situation, feeling unrepresented and believing a “turning point has been reached” with a visible societal divide. The Gallup data reinforces this sentiment, showing that nearly half of French individuals with low confidence in institutions are considering leaving, a significantly higher proportion than among those who maintain high trust. As President Macron’s final term concludes in 2027, the formidable task of rebuilding eroded public trust will undoubtedly fall to his successor.
