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French president declares economic emergency

Hollande stressed urgency of updating France's labor-friendly business model in a fast-moving, increasingly globalised and online economy.

Hollande stressed urgency of updating France's labor-friendly business model in a fast-moving, increasingly globalised and online economy.

Paris

: French President Francois Hollande has declared what he called -"a state of economic emergency-" and says it's time to redefine France's economic and social model.

Hollande laid out a series of proposed economic measures on Monday in an annual speech to business leaders to boost long-stagnant French growth and reduce chronic unemployment.

The first measures he proposed are relatively modest, and he said they would not -"put into question-" the 35-hour workweek. He did not seek to assume any new emergency powers.

Hollande stressed the urgency of updating France's labor-friendly business model in a fast-moving, increasingly globalized and online economy.

The measures included a loosening of some worker-friendly measures to encourage companies to hire, and new training for half a million workers.

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