As French authorities ramp up efforts to tackle drug trafficking, Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin has sparked fresh controversy by proposing a nationwide ban on cash.
Framed as a blow against the black market, the plan was announced during a Senate hearing on May 22, where Darmanin declared, “How do we stop drugs in our neighborhoods? There is a fairly simple measure: the end of cash will prevent the establishment of drug dealing spots.”
While the stated goal is to disrupt criminal economies, such a proposal carries broader consequences, especially for personal freedom and financial privacy. Cash, by its very nature, allows individuals to make purchases, give gifts, and donate to those in need without leaving a digital footprint.
Eliminating this option would usher in an era where every economic action can be tracked, logged, and potentially analyzed by both state institutions and private corporations.
Despite the increasing popularity of electronic payments, a significant portion of the French population still uses cash regularly. A 2024 report from the European Central Bank shows that 43 percent of transactions in France involve physical currency.
This isn’t simply a matter of habit or nostalgia. For many, using cash is a conscious choice, one that protects their autonomy in a society where surveillance has already crept into much of everyday life.
Proponents of a cashless future often frame it as a logical step toward efficiency and security, but this narrative overlooks what’s at stake: the right to conduct basic transactions without being monitored.
When every coffee purchase, bookshop visit, or charitable donation must pass through a digital system, it creates a detailed ledger of a person’s life. In the wrong hands, this data becomes a tool not just for marketing or financial profiling, but for deeper social control.