Poll: 72% of French Believe There Are Too Many Immigrants in France, Study Shows

From 62% in April 2019 to 65% in April 2020, mistrust of others - that is, outside one’s close family, friends, or professional circle - rose to 72% in 2021, according to the Barometer of Fraternity conducted by the French Institute of Public Opinion (Ifop) for the Labo de la fraternité. Carried out via an online questionnaire between April 27 and 30, 2021, the study is based on a sample of 1,553 people, representative of French society aged 18 and over.

"The study reflects a rather harsh general discourse towards the migration phenomenon, whereas this is the first year we have tested this subject," admits Eric Thuillez, spokesperson for the Labo de la fraternité, the collective that brings together social cohesion associations. "But, as for the rest, we can point to ambiguities." In total, 71% of respondents think there are enough foreigners in France and want no more to be welcomed.

"In general, the impression emerges that the French are ready, on an individual level, to act for others, but on a national scale, they are rather opposed to public policies of opening up immigration, but also that would favor minorities to the detriment of the majority," says François Legrand, from the Opinion and Business Strategy department of Ifop, the institute that conducted the survey.