Private payroll employment in France fell 0.1% quarter-on-quarter, or 24,300 jobs, to 21 million in the second quarter of 2026, confirming preliminary estimates and following a revised flat reading in the previous period. Compared with a year earlier, private employment was down 0.4% (-80,900 jobs), marking the sixth consecutive quarter of year-on-year decline, though it remained 5.1% (+1 million jobs) above its pre-pandemic level. Temporary employment continued to weaken, falling 1.0% (-6,700 jobs), leaving it below both its year-earlier level (-1.7%) and its pre-pandemic level (-9.9%). Excluding temporary work, employment declined in agriculture (-2.6%), construction (-0.4%) and industry (-0.1%), while market and non-market services were broadly stable. Within market services, accommodation and food services added 4,400 jobs, partly offsetting declines in information and communication and other services.