Abstract. The article analyses the anti-crisis socio-economic and political measures that French national authorities have to do because of the COVID-19 epidemic. This crisis swept the country, caused irretrievable human losses and deep economic shocks. The author concludes that the authorities had to radically change the priorities of their socio-economic course. It is emphasized that, despite the sharply and suddenly changed realities — an unprecedented economic drop and the social challenges that followed it, the authorities managed to implement a political line adequate to the circumstances, avoid a political crisis and preserve the national unity.