France REJECTS non-EU migrants: Majority of public say country is experiencing 'great replacement'

Marcus Donaldson
Wed, 22 Apr 2026 18:18:10 +0000

A majority of French people now believe their country is experiencing the “great replacement”, a demographic crisis for native populations linked to non-European immigration.

According to data from the CSA Institute, 60 per cent of respondents had raised alarm over the major shift in France's population.

The research found concerns over the scale and pace of non-EU immigration were largely consistent across generational and political divides.

While over-50s were the most likely to say the great replacement was occurring, younger respondents also shared that view.

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Supporters of Marine Le Pen’s National Rally party, now led by 30-year-old Jordan Bardella, were among the most likely to be alarmed by demographic change in France.

However, a notable share of left-leaning individuals also expressed fears over the shift.

The CSA survey also explored attitudes towards migration more broadly.

A majority of respondents said they believed there were too many immigrants in France today, a long-held position in French public opinion.

Respondents cited pressure on public services, cultural change and questions around integration as major concerns.

Despite public outcries, non-EU immigration into France has continued to rise over the past decade, chiefly originating from North Africa, sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East.

The foreign-born population has increased by more than a fifth since 2014 to around 9.3 million people, roughly 14 per cent of the population.

Annual inflows have remained consistently high, reaching nearly 300,000 long-term arrivals in 2024, according to the OECD’s International Migration Outlook 2025 report.

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Around 380,000 first residence permits were issued to non-European nationals in 2025 alone, driven largely by students, family reunification and so-called humanitarian routes.

High net migration has increasingly offset France’s slowing native birth rate.

The cumulative effect has resulted in a clear demographic change, pushing the issue to the forefront of French politics.

Britons appear to share the concerns of those across the English Channel, intensified following the massive influx of the so-called “Boriswave”.

Non-EU migration has dominated Britain’s population flows over the past decade, with net migration peaking at 944,000 in 2023.

While this fell to 204,000 by mid-2025, non-European nationals continued to account for the bulk of arrivals.

As a result, an Ipsos poll found 50 per cent cited immigration as a major concern and 30 per cent named it the single biggest issue, well ahead of the economy.

The ONS also revealed roughly 60 per cent of British adults identified immigration as an important national issue, up sharply from just over 40 per cent in 2022.