French health authorities reported on Friday that at least 2,025 more people died during the week of 22–28 June than in the previous week, as a record-breaking heatwave gripped the country. The 29.1% increase, documented by the public health agency Santé publique France, was concentrated in the Paris region, where deaths rose by 62%. The agency cautioned that the tally is based solely on electronic death certificates, which cover only about 60% of all deaths, and that the final figure will be higher.

Deaths in private homes surged by 91% compared with the preceding week, while fatalities in care homes for the elderly rose by 37% and in hospitals by nearly 20%. People aged 65 and over accounted for the largest share of the increase, though a rise was also visible among those aged 45 to 64. Météo-France confirmed that June 2026 was the hottest June on record, with temperatures exceeding 40°C across more than 40% of the country and the three hottest days ever recorded nationally falling within the heatwave period.

Across Europe, the heatwave’s toll extended well beyond France. Belgian federal health authorities reported 1,222 excess deaths between 18 and 29 June, a 39% increase, with more than half of the victims aged 85 or older. Dutch officials recorded approximately 480 excess deaths, mostly among people over 80, while Spain’s health ministry attributed 1,029 deaths to the extreme heat. According to an analysis by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre, about 410 million people—more than two-thirds of Europe’s population—experienced temperatures above 35°C at least once between 15 and 30 June. Scientists from the World Weather Attribution group said the intensity of the heatwave would have been virtually impossible in June without human-caused climate change.

In France, the political fallout was immediate. The Green party filed a no-confidence motion against the government of Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, alleging inadequate preparation and claiming the death toll could reach 10,000—a figure the government dismissed. Health Minister Stéphanie Rist said the mortality impact was not comparable to the 2003 heatwave, which killed an estimated 15,000 people, but acknowledged that the current data remain incomplete. The director of Paris’s public hospital system described shortages of ice and cooling equipment, and the government announced €100 million for hospital cooling systems. Santé publique France expects to release a more complete assessment within three weeks, as paper death certificates are still being consolidated.