French Government Mandates New Training to Combat Racial Discrimination in Real Estate Agencies

A recent investigation by SOS Racisme has revealed persistent racial discrimination practices within nearly half of France's real estate agencies. Out of 198 surveyed agencies, 48.48% were found to have either directly discriminated or facilitated discrimination in housing based on racial criteria. Specifically, 24.24% of agencies selected tenants based explicitly on origin, while 48 others allowed landlords to apply discriminatory criteria. However, 51.52% of agencies rejected such practices.

Aurore Bergé, the French delegate minister responsible for combating discrimination, responded decisively to these findings by announcing mandatory training for all real estate agents aimed at eradicating such discriminatory behaviors. Bergé stressed that discrimination is illegal and emphasized that the issue requires not only training but also sanctions to ensure compliance. She acknowledged the need for a long-term strategy, highlighting that current training requirements only cover less than half of real estate agents and are currently optional, which is insufficient.

The new training program is set to be formalized through a forthcoming decree, enhancing both the scope and enforcement of anti-discrimination educational efforts. Loïc Cantin, president of the Fnaim (National Federation of Real Estate), condemned the discriminatory practices exposed by the report and affirmed that effective training alongside sanctions is essential to address these serious issues within the profession.

These findings continue a troubling trend identified by SOS Racisme, which has conducted similar investigations in 2019 and 2022, showing little to no improvement in discriminatory practices within the sector. The persistence of such discrimination highlights the ongoing challenges faced by minorities in securing fair housing opportunities in France.

The French government's firm stance on enforcing mandatory training and introducing stricter sanctions marks an important step toward combating racial discrimination in real estate, reflecting broader societal commitments to equality and justice.