France's 2025 Census Faces Backlash Over Parental Birthplace Question

Critics argue the new census question risks enabling discrimination, while officials defend it as a tool to address inequalities.

The 2025 French census includes a new optional question about the birthplace of respondents' parents, alongside questions on teleworking and disabilities.
Several unions and associations, including the LDH and CGT, have called for a boycott of the question, citing concerns over potential misuse and the risk of ethnic-based discrimination.
The Insee defends the question as a means to better understand and address inequalities in areas like housing and employment, with data anonymization ensuring privacy.
Supporters, including demographers, argue that such data is essential for identifying and combating systemic discrimination, while critics suggest alternative methods for studying these issues.
The question's addition has reignited debates over the collection of sensitive personal data and its implications for public policy and civil liberties.