French jobless rate ‘falls’ in April

PARIS, May 27 (AFP) – France’s unemployment rate fell to 10.1 percent in April from 10.2 percent in March, French daily Le Parisien reported Friday, without citing sources.  

The report also said the government would announce an improvement in employment trends Friday, just two days ahead of the French referendum on the ratification of the draft EU constitution.  

Statistics office INSEE will release its report on April unemployment on Tuesday.   A spokesman for Employment Minister Jean-Louis Borloo refused to confirm or deny the report.  

“We can neither confirm nor deny these figures quite simply because we don’t have them,” said Frederique Henry, a member of Borloo’s cabinet.  

According to the latest opinion polls, French voters will reject the proposed EU constitution in Sunday’s national referendum.