As France heads into the 2022 presidential election, the fabric of a country that has at times been the envy of Europe is looking tattered. The sands of society are shifting on an almost daily basis, the ‘traditional’ French way of life appears to be on the way out. Things that used to define France appear to have gone: the welfare state is losing steam, industry and agriculture are both suffering.

The far-right claims that the country isn’t French enough and has become too multicultural - and that even debating the place of Islam has become a dangerous no-go zone. France, it seems, is going through “a crise d’identité”.

Crossroads France, created by Antoine Boyer, Sarah-Lou Lepers and Camille Kauffmann and hosted by Barney Spender, explores five different regions of France and five areas of French life to find out more about the country in the 21st century.

Episode 1/5 : The Forgotten

One of the abiding images of France around the world is the strength of the public services: free education and health for all. It is viewed as a system that has evolved into a smooth, fair and fully-functioning tool.

The reality, however, is somewhat different to the myth as multiple reforms since the beginning of the 2000s have driven the welfare state to the brink, accused of inefficiency and out of control public spending.

This sense of abandonment is strong in the “Empty Diagonal”, a section of small-town rural France which feels neglected by the State.

It is the France of the yellow vests and the "forgotten" where hospitals, post offices and other public services are closing down, to the detriment of the people who live there and pay their taxes.

We travel to the Ardennes in the north-east, to a concert by the singer Gauvain Sers who sings ‘Les Oublies’ which became an anthem for the Yellow Vest marches. We dive into the “Empty Diagonal”, where there is a sense of injustice among the people, a feeling they have been cut adrift by the elite in the capital.

Translator & narrator: Barney Spender

Editor: Camille Kauffmann

Studio assistant: Antoine Boyer

Creator in French: Sarah-Lou Lepers.

Original music: Clémence Reliat et Nicolas Vair.

Engineer : Christophe Robert.

Illustrator : Julie Pereira.

Marketing and communication : Laurent Nicolas, Coline Sallois.

Editors-in-chief : Guy Jackson and Michaëla Cancela-Kieffer.

An AFP Audio podcast.

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