Official French unemployment rate last posted as 10.2 percent PARIS, April 26 (UPI) -- A record 3.2 million persons in France were unemployed in March with an additional 36,900 out of work in the month, the government said. Radio France Internationale reported the number of unemployed rose for the 23rd consecutive month in March. An official unemployment rate was last posted at the end of 2012. At that point, the unemployment rate was 10.2 percent, below the 1997 peak of 10.8 percent. Every French minister should "engage in the battle for jobs," Socialist President Francois Hollande said while on a visit to China, where he is pursuing business deals for French companies.