Unemployment Insurance: With Macron, the State Takes Back Control and Skips the "Negotiations" Box

Never two without three, says the 13th-century adage that an action should be undertaken three times to be successful. But under Macron, three reforms have apparently not been enough to reshape and tighten unemployment insurance compensation rules. The President of the Republic acknowledged this as early as 2016: according to him, it is the State that should manage unemployment insurance, not social actors (employers and unions).

Six months after the entry into force of the latest agreement signed by employers' organizations (Medef, CPME, U2P) and the main unions (CFDT, FO, and the CFTC), with the notable exception of the CGT, a fourth reform of the system is looming. The rules are supposed to apply until 2028. Since this agreement on November 15, 2024, the social partners thought they had regained control of the management of unemployment insurance. That was without taking into account the "framework letter" received on August 9. The document