The number of people out of work in France surged in February.<br /><br />The total of job seekers jumped by 31,500, hitting a new record.<br /><br />It was a 0.9 percent increase from the previous month and up by 4.7 percent from February last year. <br /><br />Unemployment at 10.2 percent of the workforce is a big blow to President Francois Hollande’s government during local elections.<br /><br />Local elections go to a second round of voting on Sunday. Hollande’s Socialist party was punished in a first round last Sunday in part over voter frustration over the jobs market.<br /><br />His poll ratings have slumped as he has failed to come good on a promise to cut unemployment by the end of last year.<br /><br />Hollande’s government has said it will stick with economic reforms and spending cuts, including a plan to phase out 30 billion euros in payroll tax on companies in exchange for hiring more.
