According to a survey conducted by Ipsos BVA for La Tribune Dimanche, a majority of French people are feeling pessimistic about the country’s economic situation. The survey, conducted on May 10th, revealed that 30% of respondents consider the country’s debt and deficits to be among their top three concerns, following purchasing power and the future of the social system. Supporters of the presidential camp (Renaissance, MoDem, and Horizons) are the most worried, followed by those of the PS (33%) and the RN (33%).
This worry stems from the acceleration of inflation, which rose by 2.2% year-on-year in April, up from 1.7% in March, driven by the price of oil. The French also feel that the government has limited ability to act on fuel prices. The government has implemented targeted assistance at the pump instead of general aid, in line with Brussels’ recommendations. However, the stagnant growth is also concerning. According to the latest estimates from Insee, the GDP did not increase in the last quarter.
In addition to concerns about the country’s economic situation, the same survey shows that 88% of French people are worried about the state of the global economy. Factors such as the war in the Middle East and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz are impacting the price of oil and disrupting exports to the American market due to new tariffs imposed by Donald Trump. Despite the president’s willingness to reduce them, the tariffs, especially the 15% on EU exports to the US, remain high.
