Marie-José Cortès, president of the Syndicat des psychiatres des hôpitaux (SPH), a union representing hospital psychiatrists in France, has raised concerns about the current state of mental health care. She stated that it is no longer possible to guarantee proper care for all patients, due to severe resource shortages and systemic challenges. Cortès and other public psychiatry organizations have staged protests at the Ministry of Health, demanding more support and investment in the sector. Cortès, who also serves as the chief physician of the psychiatry department at the François-Quesnay hospital center in Mantes-la-Jolie (Yvelines), highlighted that 30% of psychiatric positions in France are currently vacant. This shortage, she said, makes it impossible for professionals to practice their work in "peaceful and undegraded" conditions. She criticized the government for making "hollow promises" and failing to consult frontline professionals when planning reforms, which she argues undermines the feasibility of proposed measures. One of the government’s goals is to end the use of patient restraint by 2030, a practice where patients are physically restrained to prevent harm to themselves or others. However, Cortès and many psychiatrists oppose this deadline, stating that restraints are sometimes the only option available in crisis situations. She noted that research in other countries shows that reducing restraints is possible when mental health teams are adequately supported and trained. To improve the situation, Cortès emphasized the need for psychiatry to become a more attractive field for professionals. This, she said, requires better financial support, safer working conditions, and improved infrastructure. She argued that without these changes, the quality of mental health care in France will continue to decline, and the well-being of both patients and staff will remain at risk.