In 2023, France experienced its highest poverty rate since the inception of the national poverty indicator in 1996, with 15.4% of the metropolitan population living below the poverty line. This equates to approximately 9.8 to 10 million people, marking an increase of about 650,000 individuals from 2022. The poverty threshold is defined as 60% of the median monthly income, which corresponds to around €1,200 to €1,288 per person per month. Alongside the rise in poverty, income inequalities have also intensified, with the top 20% of earners having incomes 4.5 times higher than the bottom 20%. The median annual living standard grew by 0.9% in 2023, outpacing inflation, yet this did not prevent the increase in poverty. The surge in poverty and inequality has sparked criticism of the current government, with calls for policy changes including increased contributions from the wealthiest and the lifting of social benefit freezes. Various social and political actors have highlighted the issue as a consequence of the past seven to eight years of governmental policies under President Emmanuel Macron. The data and analysis were provided by the French National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (Insee).