Temp after temp IN HIS New Year message President François Hollande declared a double state of emergency in France: one to fight terrorism, the other to tackle unemployment. The image was a stretch, but the self-criticism apt. In 2012 Mr Hollande was elected on a pledge to curb joblessness and make “youth” his priority. Yet unemployment has since climbed from 9.7% to 10.1%; youth unemployment is more than twice this, and still rising. On January 18th the government will unveil new plans to train young job-seekers and encourage job creation. But it looks likely to be too little, too late.
Neighbouring countries on Europe’s southern fringe have far higher absolute levels of youth unemployment than France. Yet since the start of 2014 a loosening of labor laws has helped to bring down joblessness among the under-25s in both Spain and Italy (see chart). In France, by contrast, over the same period the figure has inched up to 26%—an all-time record. Youth unemployment in France is now over three times the rate in Germany.
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