France’s unemployment rate reached 8.3% of the active population in the second quarter of 2025, its highest level since autumn 2020, with an increase of 62,000 job seekers over the quarter, totaling 2.7 million unemployed. Young people aged 15 to 24 are the most affected with a rate of 21.6%, compared to 7.5% for 25-49 year-olds and 5.5% for those over 50. This marks the sixth consecutive quarter of rising unemployment, representing a year and a half of continuous deterioration. Facing this situation, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu is preparing a deliberately narrow 2027 budget bill, without major tax reform, with the sole objective of avoiding parliamentary censure. With growth stalled at 0% and debt exceeding 117% of GDP, the goal of reducing the deficit to 5% of GDP already appears out of reach for many economists.
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