Hollande admits failure in battle against unemployment

The battle against unemployment is not won, French President Francois Hollande said on Tuesday, adding that results of his series of reforms need time to bear fruits.

Suffering a sharp decline in public support due to long-running rise in jobless claims, Hollande acknowledged that "the battle is not won. It will be won only when we have, over several months, a continuous fall in unemployment."

Recalling the package of measures he decided to lower unemployment, the Socialist leader reiterated that "it takes time for those reforms to take effect."

Shortly after he took office in 2012, Hollande made lowering joblessness his "sole priority."

During his four-year governing period, he unveiled different labor programs including state-sponsored jobs for youth, lower charges for enterprises to incite recruitment and the latest controversial labor code reform which triggered violent street protests and has shaken the Socialist ruling camp.

Speaking to the local broadcaster Europe 1, Hollande said he would "not give in" to protesters on a reform to soften labor rules which, according to him, would "provide visibility and stability to create jobs."

"I am trying to do what the country should expect from a head of state, that means to do reforms even if they are difficult, even if they are unpopular. I prefer people to have an image of a president who has conducted reforms, even though unpopular, rather than a president who has done nothing," Hollande stressed.

With only 13 percent of favorable opinions, Hollande set reversing joblessness trend a condition to extend his stay at the Elysee Palace. He said he would decide at the end of this year whether to stand for re-election in 2017.

Unemployment rate in France stands currently at 10.2 percent. Endit