One suicide per hour in France: healthcare professionals call on the government

With someone taking their own life every hour in France, healthcare professionals, researchers, and representatives of non-profit organizations sent an open letter to the government on Thursday, July 9, 2026. They are calling for increased and urgent action from public authorities to prevent suicide.

“In France, every day, one person dies by suicide every hour and 500 people attempt their own lives,” the group points out in its letter. The document highlights a particularly alarming situation among young people:

"Suicide is the second leading cause of death among 15-25 year olds, and the number of suicide attempts among young women has more than doubled in the last five years."

A risk of "the erosion of prevention mechanisms"

The signatories believe that "the State is no longer fulfilling its prevention role," even though "the signs are more than worrying." While welcoming the progress made in recent years by the national strategy—particularly the implementation of the national helpline, 3114—these professionals are openly concerned about a "demobilization of the government."

With approximately 9,000 deaths per year, France has "one of the highest rates in Europe", according to data from Public Health France.

Association resources are declining

According to the authors of the opinion piece, suicide prevention is increasingly being "diluted within a broader approach to mental health," to the detriment of specific, targeted, and coordinated actions. They also denounce a significant decrease in funding: organizations in the sector have seen their financial resources drastically reduced over the past two years.

"Reducing prevention resources today means taking the risk of paying the social, human and economic price," warns the open letter, pointing to the risk of increased mortality and increased pressure on emergency services and psychiatry, which are already overwhelmed.

The signatories are calling for the strict maintenance of funding for the coming years, as well as "genuine and structured consultation" with stakeholders on the ground to co-develop public policies. "Suicide prevention has no shortage of expertise or commitment," they conclude, "but lacks state support commensurate with the challenges."