Increase in Whistleblower Complaints to the Ombudsperson for Rights in 2025 – Urgent Need for State Funding

Paris – 28.05.2026: In 2025, the Defender of Rights, Claire Hédon, recorded a dramatic increase in whistleblower reports. Whereas until 2020 around 80 such reports were received annually, last year the figure surpassed 900 for the first time. This development reflects growing confidence in the institution, which since its founding in 2011 has played a central role in protecting whistleblowers.

The increase in reports is part of a broader trend. In total, the Defender of Rights received 165,011 complaints, pieces of information and referrals in 2025, an increase of 17% compared with 2024 and almost 70% compared with 2020. This trend indicates greater public awareness of their rights and the importance of whistleblowing.

In response to this situation, Claire Hédon emphasized the need for greater state support. She requested an increase in financial resources to be able to meet the growing demands and effectively guarantee the protection of whistleblowers. This demand is in line with Hédon’s previous calls, as she has repeatedly pointed out structural deficiencies in the protection of these informants.

The Defender of Rights has repeatedly stressed the importance of whistleblowing for detecting irregularities. She highlighted that whistleblowers are often decisive in revealing cases of corruption and other illegal practices. However, she also noted the challenges they face, including possible professional and personal consequences.

The request for increased resources for the Defender of Rights is not new. In previous years, Hédon had already indicated the need to improve her institution’s endowment to respond to growing demands. She stressed that an effective defense of citizens’ rights is only possible with sufficient means.

The current situation emphasizes the importance of continued support and strengthening of the institutions responsible for protecting citizens’ rights. Given the increase in the number of reports and the associated challenges, adequate funding is essential to respond to demands and ensure effective protection of whistleblowers.

Overall, the developments in 2025 show that awareness of the importance of whistleblowing is growing and that citizens are increasingly willing to report irregularities. Nevertheless, this also implies greater demands on the institutions responsible for protecting these whistleblowers. Therefore, appropriate funding and support are essential to meet growing demands and effectively ensure the protection of citizens’ rights.

The Defender of Rights thus faces the challenge of properly adjusting its resources to respond to increased demands and continue guaranteeing effective protection of whistleblowers.