French Unemployment Rate Falls to Mitterrand-Era Low

(Bloomberg) — French unemployment has been at a 40-year low since the end of last year — excluding the swings during the Covid pandemic. The best reading since the early years of Francois Mitterrand’s time in office gives today’s president, Emmanuel Macron, some evidence his unpopular pro-business reforms and efforts to lure foreign investment are paying dividends for French workers, as he attempts to move on from a political bruising showdown with unions over raising the pensions age. Still, sluggish economic growth and strong inflation mean his aim of further reducing the 7.1% jobless rate to a level considered to be full employment by 2027 may be hard to meet. 

(Bloomberg) — French unemployment has been at a 40-year low since the end of last year — excluding the swings during the Covid pandemic. The best reading since the early years of Francois Mitterrand’s time in office gives today’s president, Emmanuel Macron, some evidence his unpopular pro-business reforms and efforts to lure foreign investment are paying dividends for French workers, as he attempts to move on from a political bruising showdown with unions over raising the pensions age. Still, sluggish economic growth and strong inflation mean his aim of further reducing the 7.1% jobless rate to a level considered to be full employment by 2027 may be hard to meet. 

 

 

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