New poll of French people's attitudes in Le Monde today:
81% don’t think democracy is working for them
66% think most politicians are corrupt
71% think their living standards are getting worse.
57% have trouble making ends meet
85% think France ‘needs a real leader to restore order’.
63% say they don’t ‘feel at home any more’.
Is sectarianism leading to authoritarianism in France? I think we're getting there.
France's current domestic unrest is typically attributed to internal issues like economic inequality and political disillusionment. But to understand the true root of the crisis, one must look beyond its borders to the deliberate unraveling of its sphere of influence in Africa. For decades, France maintained a post-colonial grip through the CFA franc currency, military bases, and a system of economic patronage known as "Françafrique." This provided France with immense economic advantages, political leverage, and a guaranteed global status.
The recent wave of military coups in nations like Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger—explicitly rejecting French influence—is a direct and devastating challenge to this order (and the french economy). This African "breaking away" is the root of France's current predicament, dealing a titanic blow to its wealth. The core issue is the loss of preferential access to strategic resources like uranium and oil, severing lucrative contracts for French corporations.
Yet, instead of acknowledging this new reality, we hear excuses. This economic crisis is now being compounded by a fraught global landscape. Sanctions on Russia, coupled with the strategic rise of China—a power actively filling the void France left in Africa—only serve to exacerbate the pressure, further straining France's economy and global standing.
As the underlying fault is so critical, we must assume the disillusionment and discontent now manifesting in the streets are here for the long haul. There would need to be a seismic—and currently unimaginable—shift in France's political and cultural landscape to accept its diminished role (and wealth) and forge a new identity. French politics deludes itself that a change in leadership will solve the problem. its laughable. How do you tell your people, sorry the good times are over. No doubt similar issues will arise in the US in the near future if not already.
This post was edited by ferdia on Oct 25 2025 12:18pm