In a tribune published in Le Monde, experts highlight that 40% of French people want to engage in civic and political life, forming an underutilized reservoir. This comes at the start of 2026, a period leading from municipal elections to the presidential vote, amid a climate of fatalism and discouragement.
In early 2026, France enters an intense political phase, spanning municipal elections to the next presidential vote. Yet the atmosphere is overshadowed by fatalism toward electoral outcomes and deep discouragement in the French relationship with politics, as evidenced by opinion polls. Global events, from Davos to Nuuk via Kiev, heighten this distraction and lead to notable political lethargy: disinterest in budget debates and low media attention on the municipals.
In several major cities, a 'strange campaign' is unfolding, with some candidates deliberately sidestepping political dimensions. This appears paradoxical, as mayors remain the most trusted elected officials, enjoying 68% confidence compared to just 20% for deputies, per the 2025 'Fractures françaises' survey.
The tribune's authors – Bruno Cautrès and Blanche Leridon from the Institut Montaigne, along with Didier Barbé, president of the Centre d'information civique – offer a more balanced view. Their report 'Démocratie: les nouveaux chemins du civisme', drawing on a Verian survey of 3,000 French people aged 16 and over, confirms disenchantment but illuminates significant civic appetite. These 40% eager for engagement form an untapped potential that could offset the prevailing apocalyptic tone in public discourse.
