Do you think the security in France is bad? If you answered yes to this question, then you are one of the 60% of French people who think like you, according to an Ipsos Sopra-Steria survey for Radio France and France Television published this Thursday. That being said, depending on your age or who you are voting for, your answer may be different. What is the perception of security by the French, two months of the presidential election ?
According to this study, 46% of those questioned answered that the security situation in France was “rather bad” and 14% even considered that it was “bad”. 35% believe it is “rather good” and 5% that it is “good”.
Those under 35 are more optimistic than their elders, since 15% of them believe that the situation is good and 7% that it is bad. At the other end of the spectrum, retirees are 10% to consider that the situation is bad and only 1% to think that it is good.
According to the same pattern, the youngest are the most likely to believe that the situation has improved or at least not changed since the last presidential election. People over 60 are the most likely to think that the situation has gotten worse.
Perception of security and political sensitivity
The feeling of security also seems to be related to your political sensitivity. Supporters of Eric Zemmour are thus 62% to think that security is bad in France, 34% “rather bad” and only 4% believe that it is good or “rather good”. Supporters of France Insoumise, on the other hand, are 23% to think that security is “good” in France, and only 2% believe that it is bad. Between the two extremes, the political spectrum is divided more or less according to a rule which seems to be: the more a respondent is to the left of the chessboard, the more he is optimistic about the security situation in France, and vice versa.
It is interesting to note that, contrary to what the previous answers might lead one to think, it is indeed the under 35s who answer in the majority that they feel “often” insecure (19%, against only 8% for retirees). To the question “do you ever feel insecure”, 12% of respondents answer “often”, 46% “from time to time”, 35% “rarely” and 7% “never”.
Among the most concerns of the people questioned, “physical attacks” are the most feared. Then come burglaries, vandalism and then snatching.
What solutions?
How do the French imagine resolving insecurity in France? The most popular idea (by 91% of respondents) is to give more resources to justice. 90% believe that the police and gendarmerie must be reinforced, 86% that justice is too lax with delinquents and criminals.
82% of respondents also believe that more prison places should be built, but they are also 78% to think that it is necessary to plan more alternatives to prison for less serious offences.
Prevention or repression?
64% of respondents believe that to fight against insecurity, it is necessary above all to focus on repression, against 36% on prevention. If the percentages between the two proposals are fairly balanced among young and old alike and in all socio-professional categories, on the other hand the supporters of the Republicans, the National Rally and the Reconquest! (Eric Zemmour’s movement) are very clearly in favor of stronger repression (more than 80%). In the other political movements, the distribution between the two proposals is more balanced.
Which candidate on the subject of security?
Do you trust this candidate on the subject of security? To this question, Marine Le Pen is the one who collects the most votes (42% of respondents answer “yes”). She is followed by Eric Zemmour, Emmanuel Macron, Valérie Pécresse, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, Fabien Roussel, Christiane Taubira, Yannick Jadot and finally Anne Hidalgo (11% of respondents answer “yes”).