These developments have left many French citizens dissatisfied with the country’s economic situation. A CSA poll conducted for CNews, Europe 1 and Le Journal du Dimanche in September 2026 found that 66% of respondents considered France’s economic performance under Macron to be poor.
The biggest concern is public debt.
When Macron came to power in 2017, France’s public debt stood at approximately 2.263 trillion euros. By the end of the first quarter of 2026, it had risen to 3.5361 trillion euros—an increase of nearly 1.273 trillion euros over nine years.
Figures show that public debt now represents 117.5% of the country’s gross domestic product, compared with 115.7% at the end of 2025. During the first quarter of 2026 alone, the debt increased by 75.6 billion euros.
This means France now owes its creditors more than the value of everything its economy produces in one year.
The debt problem has worsened during several periods, including the Covid-19 pandemic, when the government spent heavily to support citizens and businesses, as well as during the sharp rise in energy prices. Current debates are focused on how the government can reduce spending that exceeds its revenues without placing an additional burden on the population.
Unemployment Rises Again
Macron had set a target of bringing unemployment close to 5%, but that goal has not yet been achieved.
In the second quarter of 2026, France’s unemployment rate reached 8.3%, up from 8.1% in the previous quarter. The number of unemployed people rose to 2.7 million, an increase of 62,000 in just three months. Compared with the previous year, the number of unemployed people had increased by 261,000.
This is the highest unemployment rate recorded since the Covid-19 period in 2020 and, excluding that period, the highest level since 2019. However, unemployment remains lower than the levels recorded in mid-2015.
Adding to these challenges, household purchasing power has also declined. In the second quarter of 2026, France’s gross domestic product recorded no growth, remaining at 0%, while per capita purchasing power fell by 0.6%.
