Concerns over security, healthcare access, and education are dominating the priorities of French voters as they prepare to head to the polls for municipal elections on March 15th and 22nd, 2026, according to a report released Wednesday by the ICI network and Odoxa Institute. The survey, compiled from five consultations conducted between September 2025 and February 2026, reveals a strong desire for concrete action on issues impacting daily life.
A majority – 55% – of respondents cited healthcare as a key concern, equaled by the number prioritizing security and combating incivility. Education followed closely behind, named by 52% of those surveyed. Specific anxieties within these broad categories include disregard for traffic laws (61%), drug trafficking (35%), theft and burglary (35%), and illegal dumping (46%).
Proposed solutions reflect a blend of traditional security measures and community-based initiatives. A significant 71% of respondents support increased video surveillance, even as 57% favor arming municipal police officers. However, there’s also substantial support – 56% – for promoting responsible citizenship and 48% for strengthening intergenerational connections.
Access to healthcare remains a significant challenge for many. Six in ten French citizens expressed dissatisfaction with the availability of medical care in their area. Respondents favored measures to streamline access, including the development of local health centers (59%), attracting specialist doctors (56%) and general practitioners (53%), with some even supporting municipal funding for physician salaries (31%).
Regarding education, while 72% of respondents believe the quality of schools in their communities is good, only 56% are satisfied with the overall standard of public education. A strong majority – 63% – want to witness increased efforts to combat bullying, alongside expanded cultural activities for young people (46%) and improvements to teaching quality (44%). Partnerships between schools and businesses to boost youth employment were also deemed a priority by 63%.
Beyond these core areas, transportation (49%), environmental concerns and pollution (45%), and cleanliness (43%) also ranked highly. While 54% of French citizens do not intend to give up their cars, there is considerable support for expanding public transport (58%) and developing cycling infrastructure (47%), as well as improving the road network (42%). A majority – 61% – are in favor of making public transportation free within their communities.
Environmental issues and climate change are also pressing concerns, with 77% believing their local mayor isn’t doing enough to address them. A substantial 28% indicated they would consider moving to a less vulnerable community. Proposed solutions include increased urban green spaces (67%), limiting construction and concrete development (64%), and educating citizens about sustainable practices (56%).
The surveys, conducted online, involved a total of 68,753 participants across five thematic consultations. The data was weighted to ensure it accurately reflects the national population in terms of gender, age, employment status, commune size, and region of residence. The weighting process aimed to ensure the national representativeness of the opinions presented.
The French electorate will cast their ballots in the municipal elections on March 15th and 22nd, 2026. The results will indicate whether candidates have successfully addressed these key concerns.
