France unemployment climbs to 8.3% in Q2 2026, highest since 2020

France's unemployment rate rose to 8.3% in the second quarter of 2026, up 0.2 percentage points from the previous quarter and marking the highest level since autumn 2020. The INSEE reported that the number of people actively seeking work increased by 62,000, reaching 2.7 million. Youth unemployment (ages 15‑24) jumped to 21.6%, while the 25‑49 age group rose to 7.5% and seniors (50+) to 5.5%. Long‑term unemployment also rose to 2.1%, the highest since the second quarter of 2022.

The increase is partly attributed to the automatic registration of RSA (Revenu de Solidarité Active) beneficiaries and young people aged 15‑29, who together account for about half of the rise. President Emmanuel Macron’s goal of reducing unemployment to 5% by the end of his second term in 2027 now appears increasingly unattainable. The labour‑market deterioration occurs against a backdrop of higher energy prices from the Russia‑Ukraine conflict, the ongoing Iran war, and broader economic slowdown, which have hampered hiring and contributed to the six‑quarter streak of rising unemployment.