French jobless claims hit record high, Hollande under pressure
- 11 years ago
French jobless claims continue to rise. In September it hit a new record.
The number of registered unemployed increased by the highest margin since the depths of the financial crisis in early 2009.
However the Labour Ministry said the figures were distorted by a technical glitch which meant some job seekers were not included in the August numbers.
In September an additional 60,000 people were registered with job centres, bringing the total to 3,295,700 million. That represents a monthly increase of 1.9 percent and was 8.1 percent up on September last year.
The French economy, the second largest in the eurozone, remains weak making it difficult to create jobs on a large scale.
The latest figures are a further blow to President Francois Hollande.
He has staked his economic credentials on securing a drop in unemployment by the end of the year.
Most economists consider this unlikely, but the government is confident it can use state-subsidised jobs schemes to reverse the rising trend.
Hollande’s popularity slumps
Four fifths of French voters believe President Francois Hollande will not win the next presidential election in 2017, a poll showed on Thursday, a fresh blow to the leader of the euro zone’s second-biggest economy.
Raging unemployment, anger with tax hikes and rows within his government and party have pushed the Socialist president’s popularity to its lowest since he was elected in May last year.
In a further blow, 76 percent of those surveyed in the Harris Interactive poll for Le Figaro daily and LCP television said they did not see Hollande as someone who keeps his promises and 68 percent did not consider him competent.
In contrast, 54 percent of those surveyed on October 21-22 said they believed hardline Interior Minister Manuel Valls would beat a right-wing candidate in the 2017 presidential election. Only 16 percent said Hollande could achieve that.
In France, the outgoing president traditionally represents his party in the next election and in past decades most, with the exception of former conservative president Nicolas Sarkozy, won a second mandate.
The number of registered unemployed increased by the highest margin since the depths of the financial crisis in early 2009.
However the Labour Ministry said the figures were distorted by a technical glitch which meant some job seekers were not included in the August numbers.
In September an additional 60,000 people were registered with job centres, bringing the total to 3,295,700 million. That represents a monthly increase of 1.9 percent and was 8.1 percent up on September last year.
The French economy, the second largest in the eurozone, remains weak making it difficult to create jobs on a large scale.
The latest figures are a further blow to President Francois Hollande.
He has staked his economic credentials on securing a drop in unemployment by the end of the year.
Most economists consider this unlikely, but the government is confident it can use state-subsidised jobs schemes to reverse the rising trend.
Hollande’s popularity slumps
Four fifths of French voters believe President Francois Hollande will not win the next presidential election in 2017, a poll showed on Thursday, a fresh blow to the leader of the euro zone’s second-biggest economy.
Raging unemployment, anger with tax hikes and rows within his government and party have pushed the Socialist president’s popularity to its lowest since he was elected in May last year.
In a further blow, 76 percent of those surveyed in the Harris Interactive poll for Le Figaro daily and LCP television said they did not see Hollande as someone who keeps his promises and 68 percent did not consider him competent.
In contrast, 54 percent of those surveyed on October 21-22 said they believed hardline Interior Minister Manuel Valls would beat a right-wing candidate in the 2017 presidential election. Only 16 percent said Hollande could achieve that.
In France, the outgoing president traditionally represents his party in the next election and in past decades most, with the exception of former conservative president Nicolas Sarkozy, won a second mandate.