Almost a quarter of French people have given up their rights due to the complexity of administrative procedures, according to a survey published on Monday by the country's Defender of Rights.
In 2016, 39 percent of French people were experiencing difficulties with cumbersome administrative procedures. By 2024, this had soared to 61 percent.
The survey found that 23 percent of public service users had given up something they had a right to in the last five years, due to the complexity of the procedures involved.
Respondents also reported they had given up their rights due to negative experience with the authorities, with 50 percent saying they have experienced discrimination from a public service.
Those struggling come from all social and educational backgrounds, and age groups – although while older people had previously reported being the most comfortable in dealing with administration, this is no longer the case.
According to the Defender of Rights – France's independent institution to ensure the protection of citizen rights, which conducted the survey – this is due to the digitisation of these procedures.
French government will use AI to modernise public services
Getting in touch
To overcome the difficulties users experience, the government has set up a network of service centres, named France Services, staffed by advisors who can help guide them through complex bureaucratic processes.
Serge arrived at a France Service centre in Boulogne-Billancourt, west of Paris, with a pile of documents. With the help of Alice, an advisor, he put together his pension application.
"Thank goodness she's here!" he said. "They asked for additional information. There were some things I didn't understand. I couldn't do it on my own."
‘It's a fairly common request, so we give them the information. Then they do the rest themselves,’ Alice added.
Getting in touch with France's administrative bodies to obtain the right information was the most common hurdle encountered by users, followed by difficulty making an appointment.
Serge didn't even try to call his pension fund, feeling discouraged before he began.
"When you call, you get voicemail. It's not easy to get through to them," he explained.
There are more than 2,800 France Services locations across the country, with the aim that all French people should live within 20 minutes of one of the centres, and last year the government pledged to open 300 more by 2027.
Benefits bureaucracy estimated to save French state billions in unpaid welfare
Online access
In the office next door, Michel needs to renew his vehicle registration.
While he already had the access codes for the dedicated website, this is not always the case for users who come to Rémi Lafonpuyo, manager of this France Services centre.
He said: "To access online services, you need to have an account. This means that users need to be able to access their emails on their phones, because security codes are required. This already requires a minimum level of technical proficiency."
He added that often he has to start by setting up an email account for people who don't have one. Currently less than half of people in France say they are able to complete online procedures without any help.
This article has been adapted from the original version in French.
