The alarming ranking of French people's favourite celebrities

End-of-year traditions often bring about rankings like the top 50 favorite personalities of the French from the Journal du Dimanche. To create this ranking, a ritual for the past 36 years, the Ifop (on behalf of JDD) surveys a panel of 1,000 French people, asking them to rank 50 celebrities chosen based on current events and the previous year’s results. This year, the list has raised some concerns, with a lack of young personalities, women, and the alarming presence of several far-right political figures. While the newspaper states that “beyond their achievements, these personalities embody positive values with which the French easily identify”, this ranking may reflect a deeper issue beyond choosing one’s favorite singer: a society resistant to novelty, open-mindedness, and societal progress.

Of course, considering the major event that electrified Paris in 2024, the Olympic Games, several athletes appear in the rankings, such as Teddy Riner in 3rd place, Léon Marchand in 5th, Antoine Dupont in 7th, alongside well-established athletes like Zidane further down, Antoine Griezmann, and Kylian Mbappé. However, apart from these uplifting sports presences, the rest of the ranking prompts reflection. First, from the tenth position onward, we find far-right political figures such as Jordan Bardella, followed by his colleague and mentor Marine Le Pen, who is also one of the few women featured in this male-dominated ranking. While long-standing celebrities like Florence Foresti, Sophie Marceau, and Mimi Mathy appear, their presence is less frequent and less prominent compared to their male counterparts. Topping the list is Jean-Jacques Goldman, for the 14th time since the ranking began in 1988. This leads to another observation: in addition to the lack of female figures, the ranking severely lacks novelty.

While we have nothing against Jean-Jacques Goldman and love belting out J’irais où tu iras at karaoke whenever we can, he hasn’t really contributed much to France’s music scene in recent years. Some of his fellow ranking members, while further down the list, also highlight the French public’s difficulty in embracing the new generation of artists. For instance, we see singers who are no longer as relevant, like Francis Cabrel, Michel Sardou, Eddy Mitchell, or Pierre Richard, alongside personalities who, while iconic, are not necessarily current, such as Josiane Balasko, Pierre Richard, or Jean-Luc Reichmann. While nostalgia and respect for historical figures in cinema, music, and entertainment are understandable, this ranking may cross the line between sentimentality and a lack of modernity. Especially given the wealth of young francophone artists who, in recent years, have brought fresh innovation to the country.

But let’s not end on a negative note: other names in this ranking deserve recognition and applause, such as the young Léon Marchand, whose athletic achievements have impressed us along with his maturity and approach to competition. The second place for Omar Sy, who continues to shine after years of success with hits like the series Lupin or lending his voice to Disney’s Soul, is also positive, as is the inclusion of Adèle Exarchopoulos (albeit in 50th place), sublime in L’amour ouf, or Karine Lemarchand, who brightens our Monday nights with L’amour est dans le pré. Let’s hope the end-of-2025 ranking finds a better balance between men and women, rising stars and established icons, and personalities of yesterday, today, and above all, tomorrow.