French people facing the geopolitical challenges of digitalization

The first edition of the digital sovereignty barometer: 86% of the French consider France too dependent on foreign giants: digital sovereignty emerges as a power issue.

At the Hémicycle Meetings: “Geopolitics of the Digital World: Rearming in New Power Relations,” the School of Economic Warfare unveiled the results of its 1st edition of the digital sovereignty barometer: “The French face the geopolitical challenges of the digital world,” conducted by the Verian Institute. Independence from major technological powers, distrust towards foreign platforms, demand for a national doctrine: the barometer shows that the French no longer perceive the digital realm as a mere technical or economic subject, but as a major strategic issue.

“In a context marked by rising geopolitical tensions, the rise of artificial intelligence, the dominance of major platforms, and increasing dependence on non-European infrastructures and technologies, this barometer reveals a structured, both concerned and pragmatic, opinion about global digital power relations,” explains Christian Harbulot, director of the School of Economic Warfare.

The digital domain shifts from the economic field to the strategic realm

The first lesson from this Barometer: the perspective of the French has changed. The French no longer see the digital realm as a simple lever for innovation or growth, but as a strategic issue of sovereignty and power:

– 36% prioritize the digital realm as a strategic domain for the power of France and Europe; – 64% believe that France weighs more in terms of regulation than technological innovation; – 54% consider that France is on the verge of being outclassed by the United States, China, or India, and as a regulator rather than an innovation leader.

France appears as an intermediary actor: capable of influencing regulations, but dependent on production and innovation. This evolution constitutes a profound shift: the digital realm is now perceived as a space of economic, political, and strategic confrontation, not just a field of activity.

“We have let vital functions of our economies and democracies rely on infrastructures and technologies that we do not sufficiently control. The digital realm is no longer a sector among others: it has become a space of confrontation, at the heart of sovereignty, security, and power,” says Sébastien Crozier, president of the Geopolitics of the Digital World think tank and CFE-CGC Orange.

A critical dependence at the core of concerns

The Barometer reveals a concern, widely shared by the French, about technological dependence:

– 86% believe that France is too dependent on foreign platforms and actors, – 78% think that France does not have sufficient means to enforce its regulations on major platforms, – Only 38% consider that France is adequately protected by European regulations.

The digital realm emerges as both a lever of power and a factor of vulnerability. Dependence on critical technologies is no longer perceived solely as an economic issue. It now concerns essential infrastructures, strategic data, work tools, and ultimately the country’s ability to act.

Regulation, Europe, power: an expectation of a strategic direction

Faced with this finding, the priorities of the French are clear:

– 26% call for an assumed doctrine of power, – 24% prioritize a strengthened European alliance.

At the same time, 35% demand a clear national strategy, comparable to the national defense doctrine, and 27% call for massive investments in strategic technologies.

Regulation, long central in the European approach, now appears insufficient. Without industrial and technological capabilities, the effects of regulation remain limited.

“Digital sovereignty can no longer be thought of merely in terms of standards. It now requires industrial, technological, and infrastructure capabilities capable of supporting true strategic autonomy,” analyzes Christian Harbulot, director of the School of Economic Warfare.

A lucid opinion, which still believes in a rebound

Only 16% of respondents believe that France has lost too much ground to return to the race – a sign that a majority considers that a trajectory of reconquest is still possible. This lesson from the Barometer reflects not so much optimism as the expectation of a coherent, transparent, and assumed strategy. Digital sovereignty is not fading: it rests on the ability to produce, invest, control infrastructure, and capture value. In other words, it is built through the economy.

About the study Study conducted online from March 29 to 31, 2026 Sample of 1,003 French people representative of the population