Charlie Hebdo – There is one big element missing from the discussion: unemployment

The deaths of those working at Charlie Hebdo have resulted in a great deal of soul-searching in Europe. Here in Brussels, which had its own moments of anxiety following Charlie Hebdo, there is a focus on what causes radicalization and what can be done to prevent it. A lot of the discussion is on better policing (to detect and act upon threats), and improvements to the prison system (to address the apparent link between serving a prison sentence and emerging radicalized). Greater social acceptance is also being called for, to reduce discrimination against minorities and bring an end to “geographic, social, ethnic apartheid,” to quote the French prime minister.

All of this sounds right. But as an economist living in Brussels and observing the European economy, there is one big element missing from the discussion. In the aftermath of the financial and eurozone crises, unemployment has climbed from 7 percent in 2008 to 11 percent in 2013. These may not sound like large numbers, but they mean that there are an additional 9 million people out of work in the EU (see the EC’s latest report on Employment and Social Developments in Europe). There have been big increases in the number of unemployed people in Spain (3.4 million), Italy (1.4 million), and France (900,000)…

Rising unemployment has particularly affected young people. Always at a disadvantage owing to lack of work experience, young people find it harder to secure employment in a job-poor environment. As a result, youth unemployment has climbed from 15.8 percent in 2008 to 23.5 percent 2013.

Chosen excerpts by Job Market Monitor. Read the whole story at  A labor market perspective on Charlie Hebdo | Brookings Institution.