EU Country Populations Increasingly Pessimistic – Record Numbers Want to Emigrate

According to a study published a couple of weeks ago, trust in French institutions plunged last year, and at the same time, the desire to leave France has grown.

More than one in four French citizens are now considering permanently moving abroad, the Gallup survey shows. The increase has been steep and rapid — in 2024, only eleven percent were open to leaving the country.

Factors such as political instability and persistent economic pessimism are cited as reasons. The figures place France at the top among countries with the highest annual increase in the desire to emigrate since the institute began asking this question in 2007.

Trust in the government dropped to 29 percent, a decrease of 13 percentage points in one year. Confidence in the judiciary (50%) and in financial institutions (42%) also declined sharply. In 2025, no other EU member state showed a comparable average decrease for these indicators.

Dissatisfaction with President Emmanuel Macron is widespread, with record-low approval numbers and 67 percent of French people believing their personal situation is getting worse.

Poor Atmosphere

One of those who has left France is Julien.

“I no longer felt happy in France,” says the restaurant entrepreneur, who is now based in Georgia’s capital, Tbilisi, to Euronews.

He describes a country lacking opportunities for entrepreneurs, “a monstrous tax burden,” and above all “a very bad atmosphere overall.”