Fact check: Aree France's working conditions are among Europe's worst?
"In a study carried out at the end of 2021 and published in 2022 (...) France is in 36th position, right at the bottom with Albania, in terms of working conditions," Delgènes told Public Sénat, the official TV channel of the upper house of the French Parliament.
His statements have prompted a flood of reactions on social media.
It comes as the issue of precarious working conditions comes to the fore in France.
Over the past two and a half months, five young workers and trainees aged between 15 and 19 have been killed in workplace accidents, raising questions about the country's labour conditions.
We took a closer look at the data to verify the claims made by Delgènes.
France trails most European counterparts
The claims are based on a 2021 study by Eurofound, a Dublin-based agency that conducts research into living and working conditions in European countries.
Its most recent survey into European working conditions, known as EWCS, dates from 2021. Updated fieldwork from 2024 is expected to be made public later this year.
The research looks at working conditions in 36 European countries, including all 27 European Union member states.
It includes a 'job quality index', which combines data points on aspects such as health, safety, work satisfaction and more to measure the degree to which workers are strained in the workplace.
The results suggest that more workers in France are exposed to 'extremely strained' or 'highly strained' conditions than in most other countries.
Only in Serbia, Montenegro, Slovakia and Poland do more workers have 'extremely strained' or 'highly strained' conditions, according to the findings.
France not in 36th position 'with Albania'
When we also consider those who cited 'moderately strained' conditions, France ranks penultimately, with only Slovakia scoring worse, and Albania faring slightly better.
The research therefore does not place France "right at the bottom, with Albania in terms of working conditions" as Delgènes asserts.
When we look only at workers citing "extremely strained", or the most severe conditions, France ranks 30th, above other EU member states such as Croatia and Cyprus as well as the United Kingdom.
Concerns over health and safety
The data, however, does place France behind most of its European counterparts when it comes to labour conditions.
Data provided by Eurostat, the EU's statistical office, confirms the trend.
According to the latest estimates, only Malta ranks worse than France in terms of the incidence of fatal accidents recorded in the workplace.
These concerns have been augmented recently with the tragic deaths of five young workers in their place of work in the space of just two and a half months. According to estimates, two people die in the workplace in France every day.
The French government is examining a proposal to sanction employers responsible for workplace issues, such as through fines and criminal prosecutions, according to a document recently seen by French media, including Le Monde.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Euronews
10 minutes ago
- Euronews
Von der Leyen and Trump strike EU-US trade deal to avert tariff war
The European Union and the United States have struck a tentative trade deal to avert a potentially devastating tariff war between two of the world's largest economies, capping a race against time before a self-imposed deadline of 1 August. Under the agreed terms, finalised on Sunday by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and US President Donald Trump during a meeting in Scotland, the majority of EU exports bound for the American market will be slapped with a 15% tariff. "I think it's great we made a deal today instead of playing games," Trump said at the end of the meeting. "I think it's the biggest deal ever made." "We have a trade deal between the two largest economies in the world. And it's a big deal. It's a huge deal," von der Leyen said. "It will bring stability, it will bring predictability. That's very important for businesses on both sides of the Atlantic." This is a developing story.
LeMonde
2 hours ago
- LeMonde
Is there a genocide in Gaza? Why legal experts are split
Historians will provide their interpretation at some point in the future. But what about legal experts? When it comes to the question of whether a genocide is underway or has been committed by Israel against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, nearly all of them have an opinion. They have clashed in opinion pieces published in newspapers and scholarly journal articles. The debate had already been simmering for several months, but with a single sentence, President Emmanuel Macron brought it out into the open in the French public debate. On the evening of May 13, during an interview on broadcaster TF1, journalist Gilles Bouleau abruptly asked the head of state: "Does what is currently happening in Gaza constitute genocide?" Clearly prepared and looking solemn, the president answered without hesitation: "It is not for a political leader to use those terms; that is up to historians, in due time." The president neither endorsed nor condemned the use of the word "genocide." However, by deferring responsibility to historians and the passage of time, he appeared to overlook the fact that several legal proceedings are already underway, both before French courts and before relevant international bodies – the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Court (ICC), both based in The Hague, Netherlands. Genocide brought up soon after October 7, 2023 The question of genocide and Gaza is not just a matter for historians to address through archival research. Above all, it is the domain of law experts – prosecutors, investigating judges, and lawyers – who are working directly on complaints, lawsuits, and appeals that have already been filed. For instance, the French National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor's Office, which is responsible for investigating cases of torture, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, requested in May that a probe be opened following a complaint for "complicity in genocide" and "direct incitement to genocide." This complaint had been filed against French-Israeli activists who obstructed the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza in 2023, 2024, and 2025. Only the investigation will determine whether there was complicity, and therefore a genocide, but this process could take several years.
LeMonde
2 hours ago
- LeMonde
EU chief to Zelensky: Keep anti-graft bodies independent
The president of the European Commission urged Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday, July 27, to preserve the independence of anti-corruption organizations, after a row last week over Kyiv's move to curb their powers. Ursula von der Leyen said she had held good talks with the leader of Ukraine, a country she said had "already achieved a lot on its European path." "It must build on these solid foundations and preserve independent anti-corruption bodies, which are cornerstones of Ukraine's rule of law," she added in a post on X. Ukraine sparked a firestorm of criticism on Tuesday after its parliament voted to revoke the autonomy of two anti-corruption agencies. The EU at the time described the move as a "serious step back," with critics saying it would enable the government to meddle in high-profile graft cases. Von der Leyen herself demanded "explanations" from Zelensky, a rare rebuke from Brussels that came as Kyiv is pushing to join the 27-nation EU. The move sparked unprecedented protests in Kyiv, and Zelensky backtracked two days later, announcing new laws to guarantee the independence of the anti-graft bodies. The EU was quick to welcome that action, saying the fight against corruption was "an extremely important priority for us and for Ukraine as well." "Ukraine can count on our support to deliver progress on its European path," said von der Leyen on Sunday in her post on X.
