World
FRANCIA Marine Le Pen faces backlash after denying discrimination in France
The National Rally leader said in an interview with CBS that there is no discrimination in France and that the country is the least racist in the world. France Info measured those claims against studies and official figures.
Marine Le Pen sparked controversy in France after saying in an interview with the U.S. network CBS that there is no discrimination in the country, including in access to jobs, and that France is the least racist country in the world.
According to France Info, the remarks drew surprise from people interviewed in the Paris region and were challenged by several studies on workplace discrimination and racism.
Cegos’ 2025 diversity barometer, cited by France Info, found that 12% of European employees said they had been penalized because of their ethnic background, compared with 18% in France. The outlet presented those figures as evidence against Le Pen’s claim that discrimination does not exist in the country.
Sociologist Jean-François Amadieu, a professor at Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University, told the broadcaster that such discrimination is well documented and can take different forms, including skin color or a person’s surname.
On racism more broadly, France Info reported that France’s Interior Ministry recorded 9,737 racist crimes and offenses in 2025, a rising figure. The National Consultative Commission on Human Rights also said racist behavior in everyday life is becoming more frequent.
Claire Lallemand, an adviser to the CNCDH, pointed on France Info to an Interior Ministry study stating that 1.7 million people consider themselves victims of a racist incident each year.
Le Pen later defended her position on social media. She said she was standing up for France and rejected the idea of so-called systemic racism. According to France Info, the National Rally also referred to an international study to support its argument.
Sources
About this piece. Written by El Notero with AI assistance, from reporting published by the outlet cited above. El Notero did no original reporting on this story.
