Briefing

Europe hits a brick wall

Politicians say they are desperate to cure Europe’s unemployment. Really?

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IN 1996 Chancellor Helmut Kohl pledged to halve Germany's unemployment by 2000. The leaders of Sweden's ruling Social Democratic party say they will do the same. Spain's prime minister, Jose Maria Aznar, has promised that 1997 will be “the year for jobs”. Jacques Chirac was elected president in 1995 partly because he offered to do most to cut French unemployment.

This article appeared in the Briefing section of the print edition under the headline “Europe hits a brick wall”

The weakest link

From the April 5th 1997 edition

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