France is to spend €2.3bn (£1.8bn) over the next two years to boost youth employment. 

The plan to create 100,000 jobs was announced by Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault.

The jobs, which will be 75% funded by the state, will be for those aged between 16 and 25 with poor qualifications, and will be concentrated in areas of high unemployment. 

The programme, entitled “employment for the future”, aims to create 100,000 new jobs next year and 50,000 in 2014.