The latest figures from the ONEM shed new light on the unemployment reform driven by federal Employment Minister David Clarinval. Taking into account jobseekers who find work even before reaching the end of their entitlement, the first results are particularly encouraging.
From the outset, the MR has defended a clear principle: unemployment must be temporary protection, not a lasting situation. Limiting benefits over time should make it possible to better support jobseekers back into work and to better value employment.
The new ONEM figures now show an anticipation effect of the reform. Many jobseekers are not waiting until the end of their entitlement to return to work.
In March, 19,839 people who left unemployment spontaneously found a job as an employee. Adding those who found work after the end of their entitlement, 33.2% of all exits from unemployment recorded during the month led to paid employment.
Another major development: in July 2026, the number of fully compensated unemployed people had fallen by 42.8% in one year. For those unemployed for at least two years, the decrease even reaches 79.2%.
This data will still need to be analysed over time, notably to measure the stability of the jobs found. But it already confirms the choice made by David Clarinval and the MR: fostering greater responsibility, putting work back at the centre, and offering real prospects for returning to employment.
The reform has moreover just been largely upheld by the Constitutional Court, with the exception of one provision concerning the transitional period.
For the MR, the course remains the same: making work the best driver of emancipation and ensuring our social model prioritises support for returning to employment.