RTL Today - 36.5% hold EU citizenship: Nearly half of Luxembourg's population are foreign nationals

While Luxembourg stands out in Europe with foreign nationals making up 47.2% of its population, a new report shows that France's share of 8.8% is significantly lower and sits below the European Union average.

A new study from France's National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (Insee) reveals that 47.2% of residents in Luxembourg were foreign nationals, of whom 36.5% held citizenship of another EU country.

In France, 8.8% of the population, or six million people, were foreign nationals in 2024 – a figure below the European Union average.

Published on Tuesday, the study details that of the six million foreign nationals residing in France, the vast majority (5.1 million) were born abroad. The remaining 900,000, predominantly minors, were born on French soil.

This proportion places France in a distinct position within Europe. According to 2024 Eurostat data, foreign nationals account for 9.6% of the EU's total population of 449.3 million. France's share (8.8%) is not only lower than this average but also less than that of all its direct neighbours, including Italy (8.9%), Spain (13.4%), Belgium (13.8%), Germany (14.5%), Switzerland (27.0%), and Luxembourg (47.2%).

The study further highlights that France has a smaller proportion of non-EU foreign nationals compared to its neighbours, at 2.3% of its total population. This contrasts with figures from Italy (2.4%), Germany (5.3%), and Belgium (8.4%).

Insee also notes a significant shift in the demographic composition of foreign nationals over time. In 1968, nearly three in four held the nationality of another European country, while one in four was of African nationality. Since then, the report states, "The nationalities of foreign nationals living in France have diversified."

The study also provides a detailed breakdown of the nationalities held by France's foreign-national population. In 2024, nearly half (46%) held the nationality of an African country, while 35% were nationals of a European country and 13% held Asian nationalities.

Shifting from nationality to place of birth, the report examines the immigrant population – defined in France as people born abroad as foreign nationals. This group numbered 7.7 million in 2024. Of these, 2.6 million have since acquired French citizenship.

The data further reveals a notable trend in naturalisation patterns. Since the late 2000s, the annual number of Europeans acquiring French nationality has fallen significantly. In contrast, acquisition rates are higher for immigrants from Africa (37%) and Asia (35%).