Most French Believe President Hollande Will Miss Job Target

Peugeot workers demonstrate in Paris. The auto firm has recorded huge losses over the last year., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

Most French believe President Hollande will miss job target: poll

Fri Apr 26, 2013 6:3PM GMT
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A new poll has revealed that a great majority of French people believe President Francois Hollande’s government will not be able to reduce record high unemployment during this year.

The survey, conducted by pollster BVA and published Friday, showed that 95 percent did not expect the jobless rate to drop in 2013.

In addition, the poll reported 49 percent of the respondents think the policies imposed by socialist President Francois Hollande’s government are making matters worse.

Earlier on Friday, the country’s national statics institute, INSEE, showed that French households’ confidence in the country’s financial outlook has hit a record low for April.

The French Labor Ministry said on Thursday the country's unemployment rate in March stood at 3.224 million people, making it the highest rate since 1997.

The figures are considered as a major challenge for Hollande, who has pledged to curb the unemployment rate from the current level of more than 10 percent to a single-digit figure by December.

Hollande's popularity, which had already been affected by the poor performance of the economy, is shrinking to record lows.

In March, only 30 percent of the 1,000 people surveyed by the polling company TNS Sofres said they were satisfied with the president, down from the 35 percent recorded the previous month.

Europe plunged into a financial crisis in early 2008. The worsening debt crisis has forced the EU governments to adopt harsh austerity measures and tough economic reforms.