Narcotraffic, inequality, and distrust threaten the Fifth Republic Opinion by Daily Sabah

France is facing more than political turbulence in 2025; a structural rupture is threatening the very fabric of its society, according to a recent opinion by the Turkish newspaper Daily Sabah.

While political scientists have described the country as unstable, the crisis extends far beyond governmental disarray, with narcotraffic emerging as a stark indicator of systemic weakness.

Data from France’s anti-narcotics office (OFSAT) shows cocaine seizures rose nearly 30% in the first ten months of 2025, reaching 70 tonnes compared with 53.3 tonnes the previous year. Cannabis seizures remained steady at 96 tonnes.

OFSAT reports indicate that the narcotraffic ecosystem has shifted from South American cartels to networks originating primarily from North Africa, with a smaller contribution from sub-Saharan Africa. Crucially, these criminal organisations are no longer competing; they are cooperating, creating a mutually reinforcing system that accelerates the flow of illicit goods.

Marseille serves as the primary entry point, funnelling narcotics to Paris and across Western Europe. The underground economy involves roughly 5,000 individuals, and four out of five communes are affected. OFSAT estimates the sector generates approximately 7 billion euros ($8.14 billion) annually.

Daily Sabah argues that these alarming trends are symptomatic of decades of policy failure, particularly the evolution of France’s HLM housing system. Initially designed to provide affordable housing, these estates became segregated zones, concentrating immigrant-origin communities and effectively abandoning them.

Discriminatory policies in education, employment, and housing reinforced a parallel society, leaving these populations with limited legal opportunities and minimal state protection. The banlieues became fertile ground for criminal networks, “not because of any inherent social fragility, but because state institutions withdrew,” Daily Sabah notes.

The rigid assimilation model of France further compounds the problem. While demanding cultural conformity, the Republic has consistently failed to ensure economic inclusion. In this vacuum, gangs have emerged as providers of income, protection, and informal governance. The drug economy has flourished where the state’s presence is weakest, yet expectations remain high.

Public sentiment reflects this systemic breakdown. According to the latest Odoxa poll, 73% of French citizens are dissatisfied with government efforts to maintain security, 80% believe law enforcement cooperates with narcotraffickers, and 57% accuse Parliament and senators of turning a blind eye. An overwhelming 84% say more territories are slipping from state control, and 59% feel personally less safe.

Daily Sabah emphasises that “large segments of French society no longer believe the Republic is capable of protecting them.”

The newspaper situates these challenges within the context of France’s colonial legacy.

Marginalised North African and sub-Saharan communities, historically treated as subjects or cheap labour, face structural inequalities mirrored in present-day society. Segregation, resentment, and organised crime are the long-term harvest of policies that demanded loyalty while rejecting equality.

In conclusion, Daily Sabah warns that France confronts a structural rupture rather than a temporary political crisis. Narcotraffic, distrust of institutions, and social exclusion are not isolated phenomena but the predictable outcome of decades of systemic neglect.

With entrenched inequalities and criminal networks filling the void left by the state, the Fifth Republic risks further instability and societal disintegration, a legacy of past choices whose consequences are now unavoidable.

By Tamilla Hasanova