Barometer 2026 French people living abroad: pensions, geopolitics and cost of living

 

 

Among the main concerns expressed by French people abroad, retirement comes first. It alone brings together a series of concerns linked to social rights, the retirement age and the anticipation of one’s long-term situation. Geopolitics emerges as a second concern, with the numerous international diplomatic conflicts which will take place in 2026. The costs of living, continuing to increase, are increasingly worrying French citizens residing abroad. Followed by access to education which is becoming more and more complicated, particularly financially.

On several themes, the perception of France is plummeting, from migration policy to foreign policy, although cultural influence remains valued among respondents. The results of the barometer also show that more than 42% of respondents are not considering returning to France.

 

Retraites : un système en France qui inquièteÂ

According to the study, retirement and social rights constitute the first concern expressed, with 40.3% of respondents concerned. Since September 2026, the legal retirement age has been 64 in France. A concern which seems legitimate, when we know that the retirement age was 61 years in 2005. The projections from the Retirement Orientation Council show a scenario which provokes reactions. If the system adjusts only by pushing back the starting age, the trend rises sharply, with an average age estimated at 64.4 years in 2030 and up to 67 years in 2070.

 

 

Administrative data confirms a difficulty in anticipating rights. These figures show a concrete problem: many expatriates are unable to properly prepare for their retirement in advance, during their expatriation. Among respondents aged over 45, 51.9% have not taken any retirement steps. Among those having initiated procedures, 41.2% reported obstacles, mainly linked to lack of information (42.6%), the complexity of international agreements (36.7%) and processing times (34.5%).

 

 

French people abroad impacted by global crises

Today, France is involved in several international conflicts, such as the war in Ukraine or the current crisis in the Middle East. This intensifies the concerns of French people abroad, who see their daily lives affected by these wars (inflation, stability). The geopolitical situation occupies 36.2% of responses, followed by the cost of living (30.6%) and access to health insurance (25.1%). With an increase in prices affecting the majority of countries. Expatriates are not spared. The data indicates a clear increase in the impact of global crises on daily life. 47.1% of respondents declared concrete effects of international upheavals, while 15.7% mentioned a strong impact. The cost of living is rising sharply in the hierarchy of concerns, going from 12% in 2019 to 30.6% in 2026.

Concerns vary depending on geographic areas. According to the responses to the study, French people living in Central Europe and Switzerland mainly express concerns linked to international stability. Those living in Spain and Portugal are more sensitive to inflation. Finally, those established in North Africa, West Africa and the Middle East are mainly concerned with access to healthcare and education.

 

 

Perception of France: An image of France in clear decline

The overall perception index for France reveals 44.7% negative opinions compared to 29.4% positive opinions. The survey bases these figures on eight dimensions: cultural and Francophonie influence, foreign policy, defense of human rights, support for French people abroad, governance and democracy, climate policy, economic attractiveness and migration policy. Out of the eight skills, only cultural and French-speaking influence holds the average with 50.8% of people with a positive opinion.

 

 

Conversely, migration policy (9.8%) records the lowest level, followed by economic attractiveness, democratic governance (23.8%) and support for French people abroad (24.9%). A relative majority of 51.8% believes that France does not effectively defend its interests internationally. This perception confirms a progressive deterioration observed since the first editions of the barometer.

 

Un accès à l’école française à l’étranger jugé inégal

One of the major issues which appears to be a pillar is French teaching abroad. 44% of respondents say they are not familiar with French educational systems (such as the AEFE or the FLAM associations). Among those informed, 72% consider access financially difficult, while 78.3% of schooling families express concern about the evolution of fees. For families choosing a French establishment in the AEFE network, tuition fees generally vary between 5,000 and 10,000 euros per year, depending on several factors such as the level (primary, middle or high school), location, and the scholarships awarded.

 

Studying abroad in 2026: what you need to know before you start

 

The data underlines a lasting settlement of French people outside France. 61.8% have resided abroad for more than eleven years and 43.4% have dual nationality. Attachment to French nationality, that is to say the bond of belonging and the identity felt with France, remains very high, with an average of 4.34 out of 5, despite strong integration in the host countries. At the same time, 42.1% of respondents say they exclude a return to France. The main factors associated with this position concern the quality of life perceived in the country of residence (52.2%), attachment to the host country (48.7%) and the negative perception of the French situation (43.5%). Settled for the long term, often with dual nationality and mostly without plans to return, French people living abroad embody a relationship with France that has become more distant, but still deeply present. A France left without being left: this is the paradox demonstrated by these data.