An unemployed man in Nantes in western France poured petrol over himself and set it alight in protest of having his benefits claim denied.  Rescuers were unable to save the 43-year old man’s life.

The man sent an email threatening to carry out his self-immolation.  He says he was refused unemployment benefits despite having worked enough hours to qualify for the benefit.

Police tried to contact the man, but could not.  They conducted surveillance on one street leading to the unemployment center but didn’t see the man coming from another direction.

France’s jobless rate is at its highest level in 12 years.  Three million people are unemployed as the new Socialist Government struggles to create jobs.  It’s not the first self-immolation due to unemployment in Europe recently, another man in Malaga, Spain died the same way last month.