- 46% of French respondents reported experiencing racist attacks or unfair treatment
- Visible minorities faced the highest discrimination, with religion as a key factor
- 80% of Black and 70% of Arab individuals reported discrimination experiences
About 46% people in France said that they have experienced racist attacks or unfair treatment at some point in their lives, according to a broad survey published on Thursday, by the International League Against Racism and Antisemitism (LICRA), in partnership with the IFOP polling institute.
The report noted that people from visible minorities reported the most problems. Religion emerged as the second major factor for discrimination, French newspaper Le Monde cited the report.
It noted that the experiences varied heavily among the responders based on factors like religious affiliation. They said that these experiences have resulted in them losing trust in society and feeling isolated. A number of them have even considered leaving France.
The report, which was focused on mapping “French people's exposure to racist behaviours", interviewed 14,025 people aged 15 and older between August and September 2025.
Its publication comes as the issue has picked up fresh momentum in the French political circles after the election of several candidates from diverse backgrounds in the municipal elections in March. Subsequently, a wave of attacks targeted some key figures. For instance, Bally Bagayoko, the new mayor of Saint-Denis, was among those targeted and called for a public rally on April 4, Le Monde reported.
"This comprehensive study allows us to quantify, document, and argue so that this issue is brought back to the political agenda," said Mario Stasi, the president of LICRA. "This survey demonstrates the massive and undeniable nature of racism in France,” Stasi was quoted as saying by Le Monde.
According to the report, about 80% of people perceived as Black reported discrimination. For Arabs, the data stood at 70%. Even 39% of those perceived as White reported such experiences, showing that racism is affecting a wider part of society.
“One of the sensitive topics addressed in the study is the issue of ‘hostility toward Whites' – as the study phrases it – a theme regularly used by the far right. It is a phenomenon that exists, and we felt it was impossible to ignore, even if, clearly, the frequency, intensity and consequences are not the same as for visible minorities," Francois Kraus, director of IFOP's political division, told Le Monde.
The report noted that religion also emerged as a key factor in experiences of racism. About 79% of Muslims said they had faced discrimination. For Jews, the data stood at 69 %. Around 52% of the victims said that due to these developments, they had changed their behaviour to stay safe. These included avoiding certain streets or hiding identities. This was widely reported among Muslims and Jews. While 81% of Jews reported undertaking such measures, for Muslims the figure was 58%
