French jobless rate climbs to highest level in 15 years
France saw a record number of jobless people in April
French unemployment rose to 10.8% in the first quarter of the year - its highest level since 1998, official estimates have shown.
The jobless rate grew from 10.5% in the last quarter of 2012, the official Insee statistics agency said.
The French economy went into a recession after seeing GDP fall by 0.2% in the first quarter.
President Francois Hollande has pledged to boost jobs and growth, but demand has been sapped by the eurozone crisis.
According to Eurostat, the European statistics agency, which uses a slightly different measure, the jobless rate has already reached 11%.
The figures came as the European Central Bank (ECB) prepared to meet later, when it is expected to maintain its benchmark interest rate at 0.5%.
There has been speculation that the central bank will unveil plans to revive lending in the eurozone, especially for small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs).
SMEs provide around three quarters of jobs in the eurozone.
The International Monetary Fund earlier this week warned that France needed to introduce fresh economic reforms or else risk lagging behind some of its European neighbours.
It called on France to lower its labour costs and halt tax increases to boost both growth and its competitiveness.
In its annual assessment, the IMF also forecast France's economy would contract slightly more than it previously thought.
It said GDP would fall 0.2% this year and predicted economic growth of 0.8% in 2014.
François Hollande, the President of France, has vowed to reverse unemployment trends by the end of the year. 
Last Thursday, the  (INSEE) announced the French job market continued to struggle as unemployment rose to 10.8%, the country's highest recorded unemployment rate since 1998. The 0.3% rise in the first quarter of 2013 had increased doubt around French President François Hollande's promise to reverse the trend by the end of 2013. 

According to INSEE data this had been recorded to be the 24th uninterrupted month of unemployment increases, leaving 3.25 million people jobless. France's economy was predicted to marginally retract overall this year and had experienced a minor recession this quarter due to deteriorating economic activity.

The news came as the  (ECB) planned to meet to discuss interest rates. It was assumed that the ECB would reveal plans to encourage lending in the , a significant outcome for small and medium sized business, who employed around three quarters of the eurozone. 

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) had advised France that they may fall behind surrounding European economies if they do not take action and introduce new economic reforms. The IMF has suggested a decrease in labour costs and stopping tax increases could help to improve the country's economic competitiveness and increase growth.


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