The Thomas More Institute analyzes fifty years of French political decline

From Valéry Giscard d'Estaing to Emmanuel Macron, the Thomas More Institute takes stock of the political decisions that have weakened democracy and French institutions.

In 1974, French industry was of comparable weight to that of Germany. Today, it represents 9.6% of our gross domestic product (GDP), compared to 18% in Germany. Deindustrialization is unfortunately only one of the consequences of the decisions which, according to the Thomas More Institute, have sunk France over the last fifty years.

“Things, in 1975, were not over. The scenario could have turned out differently,” denounce Jean de Belot, Tarick Dali and Jean-Thomas Lesueur, coordinators of the report, recalling that France lost 40% of its arsenal and its industrial jobs between 2000 to 2019 and that it saw its international market shares fall (from 4.7% in 2000, these rose to 2.2% in 2024). Above all, they explain, “the social over-attractiveness/economic under-attractiveness couple weighs down the economic engine of the country, the competitiveness of the “France” economic site and that of its companies. It scares away investors and innovators, and attracts…