New report tackles problem of governments' overreliance on consulting firms

Billy Odell Tucker-Robinson Founder & Host — Banking With Billy Network • Intelligence Network • Data Science • AI Research • World News
Published: 2026-09-22T13:11:02.086Z • Permanent link

France's reliance on consulting firms has long been a subject of concern. Macron's government, in particular, has been criticized for its heavy reliance on external experts, with some estimates suggesting that up to 70% of its policy decisions are made by consultants. The problem came to the fore in 2020, when the government was forced to re-evaluate its approach after a series of high-profile scandals involving consultants. The government's use of consulting firms has been fueled by the desire to bring in outside expertise, but it has also raised concerns about transparency and accountability.

The impact of this reliance on consulting firms has been felt across various sectors, from healthcare to finance. For instance, the French government's use of consultants has led to increased costs for taxpayers, with some estimates suggesting that the country has spent over €1 billion on consulting services since 2017. Furthermore, the reliance on consultants has also led to concerns about the lack of transparency and accountability in government decision-making. In 2020, the French government was forced to publish a list of all consulting firms it had worked with, a move aimed at increasing transparency and reducing the influence of special interests.

The French government's reliance on consulting firms has also raised questions about the role of these firms in shaping policy. For instance, the government's use of consultants has led to increased influence for large multinational corporations, with some estimates suggesting that these firms have spent over €100 million on lobbying efforts in France since 2017. The impact of this influence has been felt across various sectors, from energy to finance, with some critics arguing that the government's reliance on consultants has led to policies that benefit large corporations at the expense of small businesses and citizens.

The reliance on consulting firms by governments around the world has significant implications for the Data Sources domain. For instance, the use of consultants has led to increased costs for taxpayers, which can be passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices for goods and services. Furthermore, the reliance on consultants has also raised concerns about the lack of transparency and accountability in government decision-making, which can have negative impacts on research communities and markets. The French government's use of consultants has led to increased influence for large multinational corporations, with some estimates suggesting that these firms have spent over €100 million on lobbying efforts in France since 2017.

The impact of the French government's reliance on consulting firms has also been felt in the research community. For instance, some critics have argued that the government's use of consultants has led to a lack of transparency and accountability in research funding, with some estimates suggesting that up to 50% of research funding in France is allocated to projects that are not publicly disclosed. The reliance on consultants has also led to increased costs for taxpayers, which can be passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices for goods and services. Furthermore, the lack of transparency and accountability in government decision-making has raised concerns about the ability of researchers to design and implement policies that benefit citizens.

The reliance on consulting firms by governments around the world is not a new phenomenon. However, the French government's use of consultants has been particularly notable in recent years. In 2017, the French government was forced to publish a list of all consulting firms it had worked with, a move aimed at increasing transparency and reducing the influence of special interests. However, critics have argued that this move was too little, too late, and that the government's reliance on consultants is a symptom of a broader problem - the lack of trust in government institutions.