The number of temporary workers in France rose 2.9% year-over-year in the third quarter with the addition of 22,200 jobs, to a total of 798,600, according to Insee, the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. However, the third quarter total is down 1.2% from the second quarter.

Overall, France’s economy added 15,000 jobs in the third quarter compared to the second to a total of 25.2 million. The number of private-sector jobs was up by 22,400, but public-sector jobs fell by 7,400.

Despite the positive growth in jobs, President Macron was, yesterday, forced to announce wage increases for the poorest workers and a tax cut for pensioners. The pledge to raise the minimum wage by €100 per month from next year follows a week of protests by the ‘gilets jaunes’ movement and means the government will need to devise budget savings or risk overshooting the EU’s 3% budget deficit limit agreed as part of the Stability and Growth Pact .

Compared to the same period last year, France added a total of 175,100 job in the third quarter. The largest increase was in “professional, scientific and technical activities,” which include temporary workers; it saw an increase of 88,100 jobs year over. “Accommodation and food service activities,” posted the second-highest increase; it added 29,400 jobs.