France to reduce jobless benefits amid rising debt concerns

French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal has announced a plan to reform the country’s unemployment benefits system, Bloomberg reported on Sunday.

The proposed changes include reducing the maximum duration of welfare from 18 months to 15 months and increasing the required work period to qualify for benefits.

The goal is to encourage more people to enter the workforce and support the benefits system. These reforms come in response to concerns about France’s high debt burden and the need to control budget deficits.

Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire has pledged to bring the budget deficit within the European Union’s limit of 3 per cent of GDP by 2027.

Meanwhile, the upcoming European Parliament elections may see the far-right National Rally Party led by Marine Le Pen gain significant support, with Le Pen criticising President Emmanuel Macron’s labour reforms.