French President François Hollande’s pledge of a turnaround in French unemployment by the end of this year has failed to convince older job seekers, resulting in one confronting the president – and the media – during his PR tour of the country.
French President François Hollande’s efforts to drum up support for his economic policies and lift the morale of the notoriously gloomy French public were challenged last week by a sceptical older job seeker complaining that the government was doing nothing "concrete" to tackle unemployment.
The verbal confrontation between Nathalie Michaud (pictured, above) – who unintentionally appeared as a representative for France’s 3,538,500 job seekers – and the Socialist president was captured by TV cameras on August 7 in front of the employment centre of La Roche-sur-Yon in Western France.
"I’ve been looking for a job for a year and a half; I have to go back to my parent’s home because I can’t find work… What are you going to do for people like me?" asked the 50-year-old woman.
"That’s why we’re here, to find solutions", replied Hollande, who was clearly surprised by the woman’s angry tone.
"No, but what are we going to do? Right now there is nothing concrete," demanded Michaud to an uncomfortable Hollande, who quickly escaped Michaud – and the jostling media – by darting into the employment centre.
In France, job seekers over 50 account for 30 percent of the long-term unemployed (those out of work for more than one year). Since the 2008 financial crisis, the unemployment rate of people aged 50 and over has almost doubled from 4.7 percent to 7.1 percent.
Read more: Middle-aged French job seeker confronts Hollande - FRANCE - ECONOMY - FRANCE 24
French President François Hollande’s efforts to drum up support for his economic policies and lift the morale of the notoriously gloomy French public were challenged last week by a sceptical older job seeker complaining that the government was doing nothing "concrete" to tackle unemployment.
The verbal confrontation between Nathalie Michaud (pictured, above) – who unintentionally appeared as a representative for France’s 3,538,500 job seekers – and the Socialist president was captured by TV cameras on August 7 in front of the employment centre of La Roche-sur-Yon in Western France.
"I’ve been looking for a job for a year and a half; I have to go back to my parent’s home because I can’t find work… What are you going to do for people like me?" asked the 50-year-old woman.
"That’s why we’re here, to find solutions", replied Hollande, who was clearly surprised by the woman’s angry tone.
"No, but what are we going to do? Right now there is nothing concrete," demanded Michaud to an uncomfortable Hollande, who quickly escaped Michaud – and the jostling media – by darting into the employment centre.
In France, job seekers over 50 account for 30 percent of the long-term unemployed (those out of work for more than one year). Since the 2008 financial crisis, the unemployment rate of people aged 50 and over has almost doubled from 4.7 percent to 7.1 percent.
Read more: Middle-aged French job seeker confronts Hollande - FRANCE - ECONOMY - FRANCE 24
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