French business leaders applaud Macron labor reforms

PARIS: French business leaders have applauded President Emmanuel Macron’s overhaul of the labor code, a signature reform that will test his ability to force through change and face down protests.

The 39-year-old centrist sees overhauling France’s rigid labor regulations as key to tackling the unemployment rate, currently 9.5 percent in France, roughly twice the level of Britain or Germany.