
French President Emmanuel Macron is seen before his first long live television interview on prime time at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, October 15, 2017. REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer
October 15, 2017
PARIS (Reuters) – French President Emmanuel Macron said on Sunday he expected his labour market reforms to start having a noticeable impact on unemployment within two years.
“Unemployment is currently falling. You’ll see the full effect of the reforms currently carried out by the government in 1-1/2 to two years,” he said in his first live TV interview since his election in May.
During his presidential campaign, the 39-year old had pledged to bring France’s unemployment rate down to 7 percent, from around 9.5 percent currently.
(Reporting by Michel Rose; editing by Sybille de La Hamaide)