France Travail Withdraws Controversial Job Campaign Slogan Amid Backlash

France Travail sparked a public outcry with its recent employment campaign encouraging job seekers to move from Pyrénées-Orientales to Lozère. The campaign's slogan, “Quittez Perpi pour la Lozère!” (Leave Perpignan for Lozère), was widely criticized as offensive and inappropriate. Pyrénées-Orientales suffers from a high unemployment rate of 12.7%, while Lozère boasts a much lower 4.8% rate, prompting France Travail to promote relocation as a solution. However, local officials were quick to denounce the campaign; Bruno Nougayrède, a municipal councilor from Perpignan, called the slogan “hallucinant,” arguing it unfairly painted Perpignan as a place lacking job opportunities rather than highlighting Lozère's benefits. The prefect of Pyrénées-Orientales described the campaign as “very malvenue” and demanded a speedy correction. In response to the backlash, France Travail retracted the slogan and issued an apology. Anne Danycan, the organization's territorial director, acknowledged the misstep, affirming that their role should be to inform about regional job opportunities without disparaging other areas. This episode highlights the sensitivity surrounding regional disparities in France’s labor market and the importance of respectful communication in public employment initiatives.