“A distraught France in search of tranquility”. The title of the survey established by the Elabe research firm in partnership with the Montaigne Institute and the SNCF already gives clues about the state of mind of the French.
Thought on a national scale, it is based on the daily lives of women and men to understand “what builds their opinions, motivates their vote or their abstention, produces anger, joy, sharing, withdrawal or weariness”, then offers a analysis by region. 10,000 French people took part in the twelve metropolitan regions, including 800 in the Grand Est.
Growing insecurity
According to the research firm, we are beginning “a new era: that of polycrisis”. Indeed, since the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been inflation and a succession of geopolitical, climatic, political, budgetary and economic crises… A context which has caused the feeling of insecurity to skyrocket. “Never have the inhabitants of the Grand Est been confronted with such an accumulation of shocks and transitions,” notes the study. So much so that insecurity “is conjugated in the plural”.
It is economic and social since “63% of employees and workers fear having difficulty making ends meet, 46% of intermediate professions and 51% of executives”. It is linked to an increasingly tense climate. “43% of residents are afraid of being victims of physical attack.” It is also climatic. “50% of those questioned fear increasingly harsh living conditions” when […] 30% consider that their place of life is exposed to natural disasters” and “31% believe that climate change threatens the economic activity of their region. Finally, there is health insecurity. “42% fearing falling ill because of pollution”, while “44% fear having difficulty obtaining treatment due to lack of caregivers or for financial reasons (41%)”.
Faced with this observation, the majority of people living in the Grand Est believe that the country “has lost its economic power and its influence on the international scene and is not keeping its social promise. »
Necessary but thwarted adaptation
The inflationary crisis has not erased income inequalities. No surprise there. On the other hand, it impacts all social categories. Whether an executive, teacher or worker, “most residents of the region are forced to adapt, to make new trade-offs to preserve “what matters””. 82% wait for good deals and promotions before buying (including 77% of executives, 87% of intermediate professions and 80% of workers and employees). In addition, 76% say they are reducing their non-essential spending to maintain their standard of living on so-called essential purchases (this is the case for 64% of executives, 72% of intermediate professions and 77% of workers/employees).
-“The inhabitants, the most modest – for the most part already forced even before the inflationary crisis to put in place “survival” strategies – are bearing the brunt of the rising cost of living.” 58% of people have restricted extracurricular activities or child support classes, 48% say they ask their loved ones for financial help and 32% resort to food aid.
Climate protection and solidarity
Now regarding climate change, “33% of residents of the Grand Est say they take into account the impact of their lifestyle and consumption on natural resources, pollution and greenhouse gas emissions in their way to live.” For 47%, it is sometimes a constraint but the path they try to take on a daily basis. 10% place this life change directly in the “trouble” box, judging that they cannot do it and the remaining 10% consider that “it is not their problem”.
The survey notes that this adaptation is sometimes prevented by a lack of information, solutions and financial resources. “65% of people surveyed say they are hampered by a lack of financial means to adapt their mobility, renovate their home, etc. »
Faced with the numerous insecurities listed above, the “French overwhelmingly choose solidarity” – less than 10% prefer individual responsibility – even if “doubts persist about France’s financial capacity to safeguard it. » Thus 55% are convinced that it is possible to find solutions to maintain the current pension system compared to 35% who believe that France no longer has the means. Regarding the health system, 56% of residents of the Grand Est think they can maintain it while 34% do not see the solutions to achieve this.
A need for tranquility
In this context, the survey wishes to demonstrate that “work still holds an important place” in the lives of the inhabitants of the Grand Est “but its centrality is competed by the search for a new balance”. 85% indicate that their family life must hold an important place for them to feel good in their life, 77% want it to be their social life and 72% believe that the place occupied by work must be important (73% of under 35 active years and the same among those over 35).
Finally, to feel good in life, we learn that in the Grand Est, 83% of residents prefer stability with a permanent contract, 89% rely on the reliability of a few close friends on whom they can count, 79% need the serenity of a calm life, 73% believe they spend just what is necessary and save as much as possible and 73% aim to live peacefully by making long-term plans.
Related News :