A new poll by research institute Elabe and news broadcaster BFMTV shows that 89 percent of French people believe France is doing badly, even as 69 percent report feeling well personally as the 2026 autumn back-to-work season begins.
The findings, published on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, reveal a sharp divide between individual well-being and national pessimism. Personal well-being recovered from a low of 59 percent in 2025 back to levels recorded in 2023 (69 percent) and 2024 (68 percent), with 9 percent of respondents describing their personal condition as very good.
Personal satisfaction varies significantly across income levels and political affiliations. Among respondents who reach the end of the month without financial constraints, 87 percent say they are doing well. In contrast, 56 percent of those who must restrict their spending to make ends meet report feeling poorly. Politically, 79 percent of voters supporting the right-wing party Les Républicains and 77 percent of supporters of the centrist coalition Ensemble report feeling good, compared with 68 percent for the left-wing alliance Nouveau Front Populaire and 64 percent for the far-right Rassemblement National.
National pessimism and emotional strain
Assessment of the state of France is overwhelmingly negative, with 89 percent stating the country is not doing well, including 38 percent who say it is doing not well at all. Only 10 percent offer a positive view of the nation's condition, matching the 90 percent pessimism level recorded during the same period in 2025. This negative outlook reaches 95 percent among citizens aged 50 and over and 97 percent among Rassemblement National voters, compared with 78 percent among young adults aged 18 to 34.
Worry is the dominant emotion inspired by the state of the country, cited by 63 percent of respondents. Exasperation follows at 41 percent, anger at 38 percent, and weariness at 29 percent, while hope is mentioned by only 11 percent of respondents. Among Rassemblement National voters, anger rises to 63 percent and exasperation to 54 percent. Young people stand out by citing fear at 32 percent and fatigue at 31 percent.
Elabe is an independent French market research and opinion polling company, while BFMTV is France's top 24-hour news network. The annual rentrée marks the return to work and school following the August summer break, traditionally serving as the start of the political season in France.
Summer crises and financial priorities
Environmental and economic disruptions over the summer heavily influenced public perceptions. Wildfires were the most noticed events, cited by 61 percent of respondents, followed by heatwaves and droughts at 45 percent, and rising fuel prices at 44 percent. Public judgment on state preparedness was severe, with 82 percent considering France poorly prepared to face heatwaves, droughts, and fires, and 55 percent stating that the government managed these events poorly.
Daily financial pressure remains a primary concern as the summer ends. Seventy-nine percent of French people say they are tightening their belts, with 26 percent doing so a lot. Financial restriction affects 90 percent of blue-collar workers and manual employees, compared to 59 percent of corporate managers and executives.
Consequently, purchasing power has established itself as the top priority assigned to President Emmanuel Macron and the government of Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, cited by 48 percent of respondents. Security ranks second at 32 percent, followed by public debt at 29 percent, healthcare at 28 percent, and immigration at 27 percent.
Priorities diverge sharply across political camps. Rassemblement National voters place immigration at the top of their demands at 61 percent, whereas Ensemble supporters prioritize reducing public debt at 43 percent. For Nouveau Front Populaire voters, expectations center on purchasing power, social injustice, healthcare, and climate change, reflecting deeply contrasting visions for the nation's future.
