France launches second round of reforms

PARIS (AFP) — French President Emmanuel Macron launched round two of his ambitious domestic reform program on Thursday, welcoming business leaders and trade unionists for talks about a highly sensitive overhaul of unemployment benefits.

Fresh from pushing through major changes to French labor law, the 39-year-old centrist has now turned to the next stage of the “transformation” of the French social model which he has promised.

This includes major changes to France’s generous unemployment benefits system, as well as large increases in state-funded training aimed at helping the unemployed back into the workplace.