French Catholic Businessman Backs Conservative Think Tank Ahead of 2027

The Institut de l’Espérance is referred to directly by Bolloré himself as an initiative he has “set up with friends” in a context where he claims to be devoting himself more to philanthropic and spiritual activities. This dimension is essential to understanding the think tank’s positioning: unlike other strictly technocratic or economic think tanks, this one openly declares its aim to combine political reflection, Christian values, and cultural engagement.

The leadership team includes figures close to the businessman, such as Jean-Christophe Thiery, who has just been appointed head of reputable publishing house Grasset at Bolloré’s request, Philippe Royer, former president of the Entrepreneurs et Dirigeants Chrétiens movement (EDC), and Chantal Barry, a producer of Christian films, are its founding members. Those people are no traditional conservative people, but rather committed Christian democrats, inspired by the Catholic Church’s social teaching.

The association’s purpose is defined as follows: “a forum for Christian-inspired reflection bringing together people interested in collaborating to advocate, in the service of the common good, common-sense solutions to the challenges of our time, relying on competent, courageous, and determined individuals to promote them.”

The project is explicitly inspired by Christian and conservative values, aiming to fuel intellectual debate in the run-up to political events, with the 2027 presidential election at the forefront. It is therefore less a simple think tank than a tool for long-term influence, combining ideological reflection with the mobilisation of networks.

Bloomberg reports having reviewed the 100 measures being studied by the institute on various issues dear to the Right. The text refers, for example, to new standards designed to reduce immigration—which would eliminate the need for “a low-cost workforce” and thereby help raise wages—and to reserve social housing for French citizens. Another stated objective is to reduce public spending, bringing it down to 49% of GDP compared to the current 57%. A programme aimed at encouraging business start-ups is also mentioned, through the provision of small loans to young people who want to start their own ventures.

The Institut de l’Espérance also aims to implement policies that promote traditional patriotic values: the proposals would recommend the reinstatement of school uniforms and flag-raising ceremonies in schools. On the issue of abortion—a sensitive subject on which Vincent Bolloré, a few months ago, as part of the parliamentary inquiry into his group’s media outlets, made a deeply personal and sensitive confession—the Institute does not envisage rolling back abortion rights but recommends repealing laws prohibiting any speech or action that might lead a woman to abandon an abortion, the so-called “offence of obstruction” (délit d’entrave).

The Institut de l’Espérance cannot be understood in isolation. It forms part of a wider ecosystem of organisations, media outlets and initiatives revolving around Bolloré and other conservative or liberal figures.

Within this landscape, think tanks play a strategic role: they produce ideas, analytical frameworks and policy proposals designed to influence public debate. The Institut de l’Espérance fits into this framework, while placing greater emphasis on a religious and cultural dimension. In France, unlike in other countries, think tanks are viewed as marginal, particularly on the Right. Similar organisations already exist, such as the Institut Thomas More, which takes a liberal-conservative stance and seeks to promote ‘civilisational patriotism,’ but none have the prominence of left-wing institutes, such as the Terra Nova Foundation, which is close to the Socialist Party, or the Institut Montaigne, a centre-left liberal think tank.

The launch of the Institut de l’Espérance comes against a backdrop of realignment within the French Right and a marked rise in the prominence of cultural issues (identity, immigration, religion). The aim is to provide a coherent doctrinal foundation for a conservative movement combining economic liberalism, traditional values, and a critique of multiculturalism.

It is accompanied by initiatives aimed at bringing together the various strands of the Right, as evidenced by events bringing together political, media, and economic figures around common themes: security, identity and the defence of economic freedoms. One can only wish the initiative every success and the future implementation of its programme.