The distrust of the French towards the political sphere is intensifying. A similar trend exists among our European neighbors, but with less vigor.
Less than four months before the European elections, the French seem increasingly distrustful of politics. In any case, this is what the latest study carried out by OpinionWay for the Center for the Study of French Political Life. A survey carried out in January 2024, using the quota method, among a representative sample of 3,514 people in France, and published Tuesday February 13.
“Democracy does not work well” for 2/3 of French people
First of all, the survey clearly demonstrates the questioning of democracy, which does not “work well” for 68% of respondents, an increase of 4 points in one year. A similar trend is observed among our European neighbors, notably in Italy with an increase of 5 points over one year (63%) and in Germany (+8 points, 47%).
If the French are dissatisfied with the head of state, Emmanuel Macron at 60%, the Germans are dissatisfied with their chancellor Olaf Scholz at 68%. That’s a dizzying increase of 23 points in one year. In addition, politicians are judged as “rather honest” by only 30% of French people, compared to 45% across the Rhine, and 26% on the other side of the Alps, in Italy.
23% of respondents want “the army to rule the country”
Only 18% of French people think that their opinion is “taken into account” by political decision-makers. Also, 37% of them feel distrustful of them. A figure, slightly higher than those observed in Germany and Italy (30%).
More surprising, no less than 23% of respondents in France would like “the army to run the country”, a figure increasing by 4% between January 2023 and 2024, while 83% say they are in favor of a democratic political system. Although it does not “work” optimally for a large majority of them, its format remains widely popular. Finally, of all the participants in the survey, 23% do not position themselves on the French political spectrum, while a majority of French people (27%) are on the right.