France saw mounting human rights challenges in 2024, including a sharp rise in hate crime and controversial surveillance during the Paris Olympic Games, Human Rights Watch has said in its annual World Report.
The NGO's 2025 World Report, published on Thursday, 16 January, calls into question the integrity of democratic institutions in terms of human rights around the world, with those in France no exception.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) reports that President Emmanuel Macron's gamble to hold snap elections to stem the rise of the far-right, following significant gains by Marine Le Pen's National Rally (RN) party in June's European Parliament election, in fact led to the amplification of racist and xenophobic rhetoric across the country.
This also coincided with a rise in hate crime targeting minorities and growing economic inequality, highlighting the political and social fractures to be found in France.
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Behind the Olympic dream
The much lauded Paris Olympic Games – while showcasing French panache on the global stage – also unveiled human rights concerns.
Preparations for the Games involved controversial "social cleansing" strategies which targeted marginalised groups, specifically migrants, while during the event discrimination against athletes – specifically bans on the hijab – spurred criticism from the United Nations and civil rights groups.
Reports also revealed abuse against homeless people and the deployment of intrusive surveillance technology, sparking fears over privacy violations and discrimination.
Human Rights Watch also condemned racial profiling in police identity checks, highlighting systemic racism issues.
Meanwhile, alarming statistics on hate crime – including a sharp increase in anti-Semitic and Islamophobic incidents – illustrated a normalisation of hate speech across political and media platforms in France.
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Erosion of freedoms
The report also reveals that environmental activists have faced increasing pressure as the government deployed excessive police force, restrictive bans and anti-terrorism laws to crack down on protests.
Press freedom has also suffered, Human Rights Watch says, after journalists investigating French arms sales to Israel and environmental issues were arrested, drawing condemnation from various press freedom groups.
Last year also saw the resumption of the destruction of informal settlements in Mayotte, France’s poorest and least developed department.
Before the devasatation of the Indian Ocean island by Cyclone Chido in December, France's approach to irregular migration, crime and disease on the island had failed to address urgent social issues.
New Caledonia separatists in Paris court over alleged role in deadly riots
New Caledonia overlooked
HRW reports a litany of failings in France over the rule of law, excessive police force and the right to protest. However, there is no mention in the report of how these issues have manifested in New Caledonia, the French territory in the South Pacific.
Following weeks of deadly clashes in 2024, separatist leaders were deported to the French mainland and incarcerated.
When questioned on this omission by RFI, Human Rights Watch said it would respond in due course.
