France’s Minister of the Economy, Finance and Industrial, Energy and Digital Sovereignty Roland Lescure, right, and Bank of France Governor Emmanuel Moulin speak to the press on Sept. 15, 2026.

Hundreds of thousands of people in France have taken to the streets in protest in recent weeks. The protesters have cited underfunded and overcrowded schools as a major reason, as the country also deals with a growing debt crisis .

About this research This Pew Research Center analysis looks at how people in France view their country’s economic situation. It comes amid widespread protests in France .

Why did we do this?

Pew Research Center does research to help the public, media and decision-makers understand important topics. We have studied economic views in countries around the world for more than two decades.

Learn more about Pew Research Center and our international surveys .

How did we do this?

We surveyed 1,006 people in France from Feb. 9 to April 17, 2026.…