Number of Unemployed in France Declines in June

The number of job seekers in France fell in June, statistics showed Tuesday, providing some relief for President Emmanuel Macron as he embarks on a contentious overhaul of the country's labor laws.

The number of Category A job seekers--people registered as fully unemployed--fell 0.3% on the month to 3,471,800, the labor ministry said. In May, when Mr. Macron took office, the number rose 0.6%.

The monthly count of job seekers is closely watched in France, where the unemployment rate is over 9%. Mr. Macron is betting that he can bring down joblessness by loosening labor laws with a series of decrees expected in September. Some labor unions say the overhauls could increase unemployment by making it easier for companies to make layoffs.

Write to William Horobin at william.horobin@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

July 25, 2017 12:31 ET (16:31 GMT)