Paris: The incident of a man burned himself to death in western France on Wednesday after losing unemployment benefits indicates Financial Melt Down of Europe and increasing trend of suicides Europe struggles through tough economic times, reports France 24 on Friday.
The case of Djamal Chaab, whose application for jobless benefits had been rejected by the agency earlier in the week, has caused consternation in France. It is the latest in a growing list of job-related suicides to hit the country, which is struggling with low growth and record high unemployment.
According to Gérard Schmit, a professor of psychology at Reims University, suicide by self-immolation is “not part of French culture.” However, suicides at the workplace are common in France, like in other Western countries with a strong media culture.
“This man did not have a job, and it is significant that he chose a place where he went in his search for employment,” Schmit noted.
Personal information about Chaab remains limited. According to reports in the French media, he was an Algerian national with a long-term residency permit and a trained metalworker. His death has heightened fears about France’s weak economy and a troubling trend of self-immolations.