Inside France’s Growing Democratic Disillusionment

While once regarded as a powerful and well-established democracy, the very future of France’s political system is increasingly uncertain. Political discontent is growing among the French population, widely attributed to Emmanuel Macron’s presidency. Macron’s unfulfilled promises have, in part, paved the way for the rise of the far-right Rassemblement National (“National Rally”) party, which received a significant increase in votes in the European Parliament elections in June 2024. In response, President Macron made a gamble: he called for snap legislative elections in France in the hope of bolstering support for his centrist party, Ensemble (“Together”). However, this decision backfired, resulting in a hung parliament and a coalition government rather than the desired majority.

The public has expressed dissatisfaction with the administration, some even calling for Macron’s resignation.

The scramble to find a prime minister who can successfully enact laws with the support of the hung parliament underscores the current weakness of political leadership in France. In the wake of Prime Minister Sebastian Lecornu’s reappointment—despite his initial resignation—France has been in the spotlight for its ongoing political instability. French citizens have gradually lost confidence in their political leaders, as evidenced by a poll in which 74 per cent of respondents reported having no trust in the presidency, fueling a phenomenon we know as political desensitization. 

Desensitization refers to a diminished emotional responsiveness, which, in the political context, translates to apathy or a lack of engagement with the political system. This may be mutually reinforced by low voter turnout, which is indicative of a frustrated population that does not view voting as an effective means of making their voices heard. Yet diminishing engagement with democratic institutions, such as elections, fundamentally undermines the purpose and strength of democracy. 

A notably low voter turnout was recorded in the 2017 French presidential election, with only 65.3 per cent of the eligible population casting a ballot, compared to 72 per cent in the 2012 election. This trend may be explained by a combination of factors, including the selection of candidates and the perception that key social concerns, such as declining standards of living, were left unaddressed, prompting many to abstain as a form of protest. The problem fundamentally stems from candidates’ lack of visibility, inadequate attention to citizen concerns, and an overall sense of dissatisfaction.

During the 2022 presidential election, abstention became the “third-largest party”, behind Macron and Marine Le Pen, leader of the Rassemblement National. Legislative elections just two months later had even higher rates of abstention, with over 50 per cent of voters abstaining. Since voting is not mandatory but rather regarded as a civic duty, French citizens have chosen to express their disapproval through abstention. However, this becomes problematic when it is used by the majority of registered voters, as it implies that no candidates are worth their vote. Because the success and viability of democracy fundamentally depend on societal participation, France’s recent low voter turnout is alarming.

As an alternative to abstention, some voters prefer to cast a blank ballot. Although it does not directly affect the election results, a blank ballot symbolizes disapproval of the choices presented. French law does not currently recognize this as a valid vote; however, there have been debates over whether a majority of blank ballots should necessitate new elections. This could help with representative democracy, but may also result in a government stalemate if new elections are repeated indefinitely, with no candidate emerging at the forefront.

Abstention can also have the opposite effect, whereby citizens’ unresponsiveness incites a sudden, temporary spike in voting, as has been the case with more populist movements. The Rassemblement National secured a historic number of seats during the 2024 snap legislative elections, which saw the highest voter turnout in nearly four decades. Despite the increased turnout, desensitization remains prevalent—albeit temporarily muted. 

The underlying disconnect between politics and everyday life is a significant contributor to desensitization. Not only do voters have concerns about politicians, but they are also becoming increasingly indifferent, which undermines the true representativeness of democracy. There is such widespread disbelief that politics can address society’s needs that many citizens have lost hope, which, in turn, leads to questioning of democratic institutions. The challenge to the electoral system posed by abstention further reduces its legitimacy. 

Political scandals also deteriorate institutional credibility. When Le Pen was found guilty of embezzlement from her own party, the French judicial system was questioned. The decision to render her ineligible to run for office for the next five years led to protests from far-right supporters. While France’s court systems are legally impartial, the erosion of public confidence undermines their institutions, potentially affecting the future delivery of court decisions. This illustrates the power of perceptions in weakening the legitimacy of the judicial system. Populist techniques have led to the belief that Le Pen was unjustly prosecuted, and the perception of a wrongful accusation threatens democratic institutions.

Similarly, the lack of trust in politicians reinforces desensitization. Macron was elected on a promise to restore confidence among the French public, but his presidency has instead deepened mistrust of politics and the democratic system. He vowed to listen to his constituents and erase any reason to vote for the far right. Ultimately, France has been left wanting by Macron’s delivery. If promises made to voters are not fulfilled, one starts to question the true efficacy of political leaders and the very guarantees offered by democracy.

Recent trends demonstrate that young French voters have low levels of democratic participation. The prevailing sentiment is that, since no candidate adequately represents society’s needs, the best course of action is not to vote at all, in the hope that political action will be taken. Protesting voting highlights a shift in the relevance of electoral participation, where the erosion of democracy is not questioned due to widespread desensitization to the issue. 

While democracy is not viewed as favourably as it once was, there remains disagreement over the most effective means of expressing political discontent. Some argue that abstention is the best solution, because it directly protests the electoral system. Social media networks have amplified the trend of abstention, with viral hashtags encouraging nonvoting. Meanwhile, others consider the abstention option hypocritical, as it is a citizen’s responsibility to vote. The lack of political change can be attributed to the failure to fulfill the civic duty established by French standards. This view regards democracy as providing the right to vote to bring about change and foster perseverance in the face of political challenges.

Despite a divided youth on voting, the overall consensus—based on the high rates of abstention in recent elections—suggests that the erosion of democracy is a pressing issue in France. Unfulfilled promises to make citizens feel heard, a rather unstable government, and a mass loss of confidence in institutions, along with low voter turnout, have mutually reinforced democratic backsliding to threatening levels. France’s political elites must work with their electorate to prevent further erosion of democracy.

Edited by Annabelle Zehner

Featured image: “French flag” by Anthony Choren is licensed under the Unsplash License.