Gérald Darmanin considers the gradual end of cash: why?

3.5 billion in turnover . This is the low end of the scale of drug trafficking in France, according to the Senate commission of inquiry into the state of drug trafficking in 2024. The high end, for its part, leans more towards 6 billion. In addition, more than 110 tons of drugs were seized in 2024 by French customs, including almost 21 tons of cocaine. As you will have understood: drug trafficking is not in crisis , and politicians want to tackle the problem head on. At the end of April 2025, a law aimed at "freeing France from the trap of drug trafficking" was definitively adopted by Parliament. A series of measures have therefore been taken to combat this form of crime... But for Gérald Darmanin, we must go even further.

Limit drug trafficking

The Minister of Justice wants to eliminate cash to limit drug trafficking . This is what he stated on Thursday, May 22, in the Senate. Indeed, since cash is difficult to trace, it would make it much easier for criminals to commit fraud. " The end of cash will prevent the creation of drug dealing points ," the politician stated bluntly.

An ambition difficult to achieve

Despite his marked ambition, and despite having assured the day before that his idea was " a fairly simple measure ," Gérald Darmanin said he was " realistic " on RTL this Friday morning, recognizing that it will be difficult to implement this proposal in the short term, although for him, it is one of the most effective solutions to effectively combat drug trafficking. For the politician, it would require " a long discussion with the French people. "

The French are attached to cash

Despite initiatives to dematerialize payments, the French remain largely attached to the use of cash. A survey conducted in 2024 by the Banque de France, relayed by BFMTV , highlights this attachment: more than 60% of respondents consider it important to retain the possibility of paying in cash . This figure underlines the still essential place that banknotes and coins hold in consumer habits. For many, paying in cash remains a guarantee of freedom, confidentiality and budget control. A reality which reminds us that any transition to a cashless society will have to take into account the preferences and needs of a large part of the population.

As our colleagues at BFMTV point out, in some European countries like Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, cash is no longer commonplace, and the majority of transactions are digitized. However, these countries maintain access to banknotes and coins to address risks related to digital outages, natural disasters, and cyberattacks.