France’s Jobless Rate Climbs to 7.9% in Q4 2025, Highest Since 2021

Overview

• Insee reports unemployment at 7.9% in the fourth quarter, up 0.2 percentage point on the quarter to 2.5 million people, an increase of 56,000.
• Youth unemployment (15–24) rose sharply to 21.5% in the quarter, while the share of 15–29 year-olds who are NEET reached 12.9%.
• France Travail registrations increased in Q4, though recent administrative changes, including automatic RSA enrollment and a revised sanctions scale, boosted the totals.
• The Labour Ministry describes the shift as a measured cyclical reversal, and Insee notes the 2023 pension reform has expanded the active population, nudging the rate higher.
• Forecasts from Insee and the Banque de France point to stabilization near roughly 7.8% by mid‑2026, a trajectory that further distances Macron’s full‑employment target.