French Unemployment Edges Up to 7.4% in Third Quarter

Despite the slight rise, employment among older workers reaches a historic high, while youth unemployment surges.

France's unemployment rate increased by 0.1 percentage points to 7.4% in the third quarter of 2024, affecting 2.3 million people.
The increase in unemployment is most pronounced among young people aged 15 to 24, with a 1.8-point rise to 19.7%.
Employment rates for individuals aged 50-64 have reached their highest levels since 1975, now at 68.8%.
Job losses are anticipated in the industrial sector, with projections of over 150,000 positions potentially disappearing.
The overall unemployment rate remains significantly below the peak of 10.5% seen in mid-2015.