Emmanuel Macron’s promise to achieve “full employment” before his five-year term ends is increasingly remote. The unemployment rate as defined by the International Labor Office (ILO) increased slightly (+0.1 points) in the third quarter to 7.7% of the active population compared to 7.6% in the previous quarter, according to INSEE. This is of course a small increase from one quarter to the next, but since January the increase has become more significant (+0.4 points).
In France, unemployment has reached unprecedented levels since the end of 2021.” The unemployment rate was almost stable at +0.1 points compared to the first quarter. The second quarter was revised slightly up to 7.6% from 7.5%. There is a statistical danger in this survey. During this quarter, conditions were almost stable. But within a year, the trend increased. This trajectory contrasts with the period of decline between the end of 2015 to the end of 2022,” said Vladimir Passeron, head of the employment and income department at INSEE, in a meeting with journalists.
