Published on Jan 4, 2024 at 5:03 p.m. Updated on Jan 4, 2024 at 5:04 p.m.
A reform deemed effective by public opinion? The fact is rare enough to be underlined. After that of pensions, overwhelmingly rejected in the polls, the government can rejoice that the France travail project has won, if not a plebiscite, at least broad satisfaction among the French. This is what emerges from the Elabe survey for “Les Echos” and the Montaigne Institute as the executive pursues its objective of reaching full employment by 2027.
Asked whether some of the measures in this project to reorganize the employment service will make it possible to reduce unemployment, the majority of respondents answered yes. Nearly two thirds of them think so of the compulsory registration of RSA beneficiaries with France Travail (so that they are oriented and followed towards the right structure).
No rejection of fifteen hours at LFI
Strengthening job search controls? Barely less (62%). The same goes for the better coordination sought between the different stakeholders (Pôle emploi now France Travail, local missions, communities, etc.) or the obligation for an RSA beneficiary to carry out fifteen hours of activities per week under penalty to have their allowance suspended (61% and 60% yes respectively).
Incidentally (the measure is not part of the France Travail project as such), the abolition of unemployment benefits in the event of refusal of two permanent contracts is only considered effective by 53% of respondents. “The measure is a little less convincing, but remains widely supported,” underlines Elabe’s opinion consulting director, Vincent Thibault.
All in all, if these measures have the logical support of center-right and right-wing voters, those of Marine Le Pen or Jean-Luc Mélenchon do not reject them en masse, far from it. For example, six out of ten of those who voted in the first round of the presidential election for the RN candidate and a little less than one in two for those who chose the leader of the Insoumis judge that the one relating to the fifteen hours of activities will reduce unemployment.
“The France travail reform is not divisive,” concludes Vincent Thibault, even if beyond these positive results for the government, the French show a certain caution, he believes. In their eyes, the current level of unemployment is due to three main reasons.
One in two respondents point to salaries that are too low and do not encourage people to return to work (+7 points compared to a survey at the beginning of August). For 45% (-11 points), it is the unemployment compensation system which does not encourage enough to do so. A little more than four out of ten (+5 points) point out the burdens weighing on businesses. On each of these reasons, the right-left divide is marked.
“The French have understood that the reasons for unemployment are multiple and that France Travail is not the only reform on the subject,” analyzes Vincent Thibault. Clearly, France travail is a response to the problem, not the whole answer, while negotiations are starting among the social partners on the continued employment of employees over 50 years old.
2024-01-04 16:16:11
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