France is 'least racist' country in the world, Le Pen claims in interview

• Le Pen denied that racial discrimination exists in France during an interview with 60 Minutes contributor Trevor Phillips.
• A 2025 French government watchdog report found that more than 90% of respondents perceived discrimination in employment.
• France recorded 9,350 racist crimes and offences in 2024, according to the CNCDH.

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen has denied the existence of racial discrimination in France, claiming the country is the “least racist” in the world during a televised exchange about immigration and unemployment.

In the interview, Le Pen argued that France could no longer “import unemployed people” while discussing unemployment among French citizens. When the interviewer suggested that discrimination could help explain higher unemployment among immigrant communities, she dismissed the argument.

“No, that doesn't exist,” Le Pen responded, rejecting the suggestion that racial discrimination exists in France. Asked directly whether there was no discrimination in the country, she reiterated: “No, there is no discrimination in France, sir. It's not true.”

She went further, describing France as the “least racist” country in the world. When the interviewer challenged the assertion by naming the United States, Britain and Canada, Le Pen maintained her position.

Her remarks come amid longstanding debate over racism, discrimination and the treatment of immigrant and minority communities in France, where questions of racial equality remain a significant social and political issue.

The claims contrast with findings from French institutions documenting persistent discrimination in employment, housing and other areas of public life.

A December 2025 report by France's Defender of Rights, produced in partnership with the International Labour Organization (ILO), found that more than nine in 10 people surveyed considered discrimination to exist in employment. The study also found that 35% of respondents had experienced unfavourable or discriminatory treatment over the previous five years on at least one of six grounds, including origin, skin colour and religion.

The findings also highlighted disparities affecting minority communities. Among people who said they had faced discrimination while looking for work, 53% of those perceived as Black, Arab or North African cited their actual or perceived origins as the reason.

France's National Consultative Commission on Human Rights (CNCDH) has also documented the persistence of racist attitudes and discrimination. Its 2024 report, adopted in March 2025, recorded 9,350 racist crimes and offences in 2024, an 11% increase from the previous year. It also estimated that 1.2 million people aged over 14 report experiencing at least one racist incident annually, with 97% not filing a complaint.

Le Pen's remarks come as immigration and national identity remain central themes in French far-right politics. Her National Rally (RN) has long advocated tighter immigration restrictions and policies centred on assimilation, arguing that immigrants should adopt French cultural norms rather than maintain distinct community identities.