Destin commun

Destin commun is a French think tank (laboratoire d'idées) focused on social cohesion, founded in 2017 by Mathieu Lefèvre-Marton. It is the French branch of the international More in Common network, which is present in Germany, Brazil, Spain, Poland, the United States and the United Kingdom. The organisation studies how French citizens perceive polarisation and where their views converge, publishing regular public-opinion surveys and tools for civil-society actors. It typically publishes around six studies a year, which are regularly covered in the French media. Destin commun presents itself as "a laboratory of ideas and action whose ambition is to build a more united society, whose members are convinced that what they share is more important than what divides them." Its work draws on social psychology and on qualitative and quantitative research designed to identify different "value families" within French society. Its studies are framed as a counterpoint to declinist narratives about France, aiming to understand the mechanisms that pull people apart and to help chart a common path. As an association under the French law of 1901, Destin commun is a non-profit and a member of the More in Common network. Its funding comes from a range of foundations and companies, including the Fondation de France, the Fondation Hippocrène, the Agence française de développement, Crédit mutuel, the Fondation Daniel et Nina Carasso and the Fondation d'entreprise Crédit coopératif. Since May 2021 it has been led by Laurence de Nervaux, a former head of philanthropy at the Fondation de France. The think tank's output spans topics such as democracy and democratic capital, climate shocks, pollution, rural France, social and territorial fractures, and national identity and pride. In 2024, ahead of the French legislative elections, it published a report titled "Le Jour d'après : penser le 8 juillet 2024" on the consequences of a possible Rassemblement national victory, and its authors signed an op-ed in Le Monde warning of the risk that far-right power poses to democracy. In 2026 it published a survey on the French relationship to national identity, republican symbols and belonging, finding that eight out of ten French people say they are proud to be French, a study also noted in the review Le Grand Continent. At the end of 2025, founder Mathieu Lefèvre-Marton left the organisation to join Raphaël Glucksmann's team as an adviser on opinion issues ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Destin commun was founded in 2017 by Mathieu Lefèvre-Marton as the French branch of the More in Common group, an international network created in homage to the British MP Jo Cox, who was murdered in June 2016 by a far-right activist. The organisation conducts research based on interviews and polls on social cohesion and on how citizens perceive cultural, political and economic fractures. Its stated purpose is to better understand the mechanisms that distance people from one another, to bring out a common path and to help unite citizens to face present-day challenges. Its studies, inspired by research in psychology and the social sciences, are presented as offering a new look at the French landscape, contrary to the declinist analyses to which the public has become accustomed, and as a starting point for experimenting with projects capable of bringing people together. In 2024, in the context of the French legislative elections, the think tank published a report titled "Le Jour d'après : penser le 8 juillet 2024" devoted to the consequences of a possible Rassemblement national victory. Its authors signed an op-ed in the daily Le Monde on the eve of the vote, underlining the risk that far-right powers represent for democracy. At the end of 2025, the founder of Destin Commun, Mathieu Lefèvre-Marton, left the organisation to join Raphaël Glucksmann's team as an adviser on opinion issues ahead of the 2027 presidential election. In 2026, the organisation published a survey on the French relationship to national identity, to the symbols of the Republic and to the feeling of belonging. It revealed the existence of a deep pride that cuts across traditional cleavages: eight out of ten French people say they are proud to be French. This study was also the subject of a note in the review Le Grand Continent. Destin Commun is an association under the French law of 1901 and a member of the international More in Common network. Among its funders are the Fondation de France, the Fondation Hippocrène, the Agence française de développement, Crédit mutuel, the Fondation Daniel et Nina Carasso and the Fondation d'entreprise Crédit coopératif. Since May 2021, Destin commun has been led by Laurence de Nervaux, a former head of philanthropy at the Fondation de France.

• 2026

  Publication of a survey on national identity and pride, finding eight out of ten French people proud to be French.

• 2025

  Founder Mathieu Lefèvre-Marton leaves to join Raphaël Glucksmann's team as an opinion adviser.

• 2024

  Publication of the report "Le Jour d'après : penser le 8 juillet 2024" and an op-ed in Le Monde ahead of the legislative elections.

• 2021

  Laurence de Nervaux becomes director in May 2021.

• 2017

  Destin commun founded by Mathieu Lefèvre-Marton as the French branch of More in Common.

A non-partisan French think tank that counters declinist narratives and works to strengthen social cohesion, as the French branch of the international More in Common network.

• Public-opinion studies (around six per year)

  Surveys and reports on social cohesion, polarisation and convergence in French society, regularly covered in the French media.

• Le Jour d'après : penser le 8 juillet 2024 (2024)

  Report on the consequences of a possible Rassemblement national victory in the 2024 legislative elections.

• National identity and pride survey (2026)

  Survey on the French relationship to national identity, republican symbols and belonging, finding eight out of ten French people proud to be French.

1. 1Destin commun official websitedestincommun.fr
2. 2Destin commun (Wikidata)wikidata.org
3. 3Destin commun (laboratoire d'idées) — Wikipédiafr.wikipedia.org