French jobless total surges in August by most in three years

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Figures have dealt a blow to President Hollande's hopes of turning around the jobs market in the approach to next year's presidential election.

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France's jobless total surged in August by nearly the most in three years, dealing a blow to President François Hollande's hopes of turning around the labour market in the approach to next year's presidential election, reports Reuters.

The number of people registered as out of work in mainland France jumped by 50,200 to 3,556,800, up 1.4 percent from July and down 0.3 percent year-on-year, the Labour Ministry said in its monthly report on joblessness.

The increase was the steepest since September 2013 and brought the total closer to a record 3.59 million reached in February.

Labour minister Myriam El Khomri said the tourism sector in particular had suffered after an Islamist militant drove a truck into a crowd in Nice in July, killing 86 people.

With Hollande trailing in the polls seven months before the election, the increase is another stain on the president's economic record, marred by low growth and high unemployment.

Read more of this report from Reuters.

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