More than two decades after the implementation of the 35-hour working week law in France, enacted in 2000, the effects of this working-time reduction policy remain at the centre of a complex debate with ambivalent results. The technical analysis notes that, while the measure met important social objectives by allowing greater flexibility and a better balance between work and family life, its macroeconomic impact presents critical nuances. Among its achievements is a reduction in unemployment, which fell from 10.2% in 2000 to 7.9% in 2021. However, the negative effects on the productive fabric are evident: the increase in labour costs for companies, obliged to hire more staff to sustain the same workload, has led to a loss of international competitiveness. This is reflected in the decline of the French presence in the Fortune Global 500 list —from 34 companies in 2000 to 30 in 2021— and a slide in the ranking of global economies, from fifth to seventh place. Likewise, the stagnation of real wages is a decisive factor, given that the nominal increase of 8.8% over 21 years has been widely outstripped by cumulative inflation of 34.6%, raising serious doubts about the long-term sustainability of this measure.
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