French leader seeks job growth

PARIS — President François Hollande, seeking to reduce France’s high unemployment rate, has called for a “responsibility pact” with businesses that would reward companies that hire more people with lower taxes and greater flexibility.

“There is but one objective, one priority, one engagement, and that’s employment,” Hollande said in his New Year’s Eve address to the nation.

The idea of the pact “is founded on a simple principle,” he said, “lower employment costs and fewer constraints on business activities.” In return, businesses must step up with more hiring and greater willingness to work with employees to reduce layoffs, he said.

Hollande did not offer any details of his proposal

— From wire reports