The findings come from the study "The French View of Antisemitism and the Situation of French Jews in 2024," which was published in Le Point on Thursday.
Jonathan Arfi, president of CRIF, noted that "young people are increasingly receptive to antisemitic, Islamist, and conspiracy-driven ideologies, which are spreading across social media platforms."
Key highlights from the survey include that 12% of the general French population now believes it would be good for Jews to leave the country, up from 6% in 2020. Among people under 35, this figure rises to 17%. Arfi commented, “This sentiment is violent and a dramatic shift from historical trends.” He also pointed out that young people are particularly influenced by harmful ideologies circulating online.
The survey also found that only 53% of French people aged 18-24 believed Jews were well integrated into French society. However, 68% of respondents reported having positive or very positive relations with Jewish people, compared to 55% who expressed positive views toward Muslims.
Regarding religious attire, most respondents showed indifference to seeing Jewish men in traditional garb or wearing a kippah, with only 5% reporting feelings of discomfort. In contrast, 40% felt uneasy seeing people wearing a keffiyeh, and three-quarters had negative reactions to women in full burqas.
The survey also examined prevailing antisemitic stereotypes. A majority of respondents believed that Jews were more loyal to Israel than France, with additional harmful beliefs including that Jews control powerful lobbies, use the Holocaust for their own benefit, are wealthier than the average French person, and dominate the banking sector.
The survey revealed that 27% of respondents agreed with three to five antisemitic statements, while 46% agreed with six or more—a significant increase from 37% in 2020. Interestingly, 16% of French people blamed Jews for rising antisemitism in the country.
In terms of political views, the 25-34 age group exhibited the highest levels of antisemitism, and those with lower educational levels were more likely to hold such views. Politically, 55% of individuals with antisemitic views supported the left-wing party La France Insoumise (LFI).
Despite these troubling findings, 89% of respondents rejected antisemitism and 85% agreed that Jews are French citizens just like everyone else. The survey also found that 79% believed antisemitism was widespread in France, and 70% felt it was increasing.
Regarding the Israel-Palestine conflict, more respondents viewed Israel positively (21%) than Palestine (18%). While 75% viewed Israelis positively, only 26% had a favorable opinion of the Israeli government. Meanwhile, 51% of French people viewed Israel negatively, with LFI voters overwhelmingly perceiving Israel as aggressive. The survey also found that 75% of respondents believed the war between Israel and Gaza was fueling antisemitism in France.
CRIF will hold its 14th convention on Sunday, with key political figures such as Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau and former Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve in attendance.
