Paris has lost roughly 150,000 residents since 2015 and is now under 2.05 million.

This is eye-opening. Paris has lost roughly 150,000 residents since 2015 and is now under 2.05 million. High housing costs, smaller households, falling birth rates, vacant units, and short-term rentals drive the decline, pushing families out for more space and lower costs. The latest riots, thousands arrested, shops looted, cars burned, curfews in central Paris, will only accelerate that outflow. Repeated damage to everyday safety and the commercial fabric drives those who can leave to do so. Structural pressures already existed, sustained disorder tips the balance. The outrageous scenes of leftist and migrant mobs devastating Paris and other cities increased the odds of Marie Le Pen winning the presidential elections next May. Can you imagine what the left will do to Paris then? Paris is the most beautiful city in the world. It is a pity to watch violent criminals make it uninhabitable for families. Let’s hope Europe learns from past mistakes and course-corrects. Will it though?

— Michael A. Arouet (@MichaelAArouet) October 21, 2026