Paris (AFP)

The number of unemployed (category A) decreased by 120,700 (-3.3%) in 2019 to settle at 3,554 million people in France, the biggest drop in a year since the 2008 crisis, according to figures. published Monday by Pôle emploi.

We have to go back to 2007 for a steeper drop in a calendar year from January to December. That year, the number of job seekers in category A (without activity) had decreased by 10.6%, or 262,000.

In the fourth quarter, the decline was 1.7% (-63,000), a record also since early 2008.

The number of job seekers, with or without activity (A, B and C) fell by 1.6% to 5.740 million (-95,600), or -3% over one year.

For this quarter, the number of job seekers in category A fell sharply, by 2.2%, among those under 25 (-1.4% year-on-year) and by 1.9% among 25-49 years (-4% over one year) in mainland France.

For seniors (50 and over), the decline is more moderate, at -0.9% (-2.1% over one year).

French black point, long-term unemployment is in decline: registrants (A, B and C) for more than a year are down 1.7% (-2.5% over a year), or 2.583 million of people.

Unemployment fell in all regions, except Corsica (+ 1.6%). The sharpest drop was in Center-Val-de-Loire (-3%) in mainland France, and in Guadeloupe (-4.6%) for the French overseas departments.

© 2020 AFP