French democracy is going through a deep crisis marked by a number of recent events. The victory of the Rassemblement National (RN) in the European elections of 2024, followed by the dissolution of the National Assembly and the inability to form a stable majority coalition, have accentuated the structural weaknesses of the political system. There are two opposing interpretations of this situation: the first sees it merely as a temporary shock, while the other sees it as a deeper crisis, rooted in a growing mistrust of the institutions. There are a number of factors behind this malaise: an excessive concentration of executive power, a lack of deliberative culture, and an education system that favours an over-educated elite, breeding a strong resentment among the middle and working classes. Citizens’ movements, such as the Yellow Vests (Gilets Jaunes), express a desire for far reaching democratic reforms. To meet these challenges, this chapter discusses a number of proposed solutions: strengthening citizen participation, introducing deliberative mechanisms such as citizens’ conventions, and rethinking the role of citizens in the decision-making process. These measures aim to restore confidence in institutions and prevent a drift towards authoritarianism.