Number of Unemployed in France Declines in June

PARIS – 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)