Only in France could a feeble half-measure be opposed for the wrong reasons, evoke the Apocalypse and the Anglo-Saxon boogeyman, incite rallies and riots, be stubbornly defended for the wrong reasons, then compromised into a feebler quarter-measure, then abandoned altogether.

Pathetic.

CHIRAC BACKS VILLEPIN ON YOUTH JOBS CONTRACT
PARIS, March 14, 2006 (AFP)

CHIRAC MAY BACK DOWN OVER JOB LAW BACKLASH
PARIS March 20, 2006 (Telegraph)

DE VILLEPIN REFUSES TO BACK DOWN
PARIS March 21, 2006 (Telegraph)

CLIMBDOWN AS JOB LAW PROTESTS SWEEP FRANCE
PARIS March 22, 2006 (Telegraph)

JACQUES CHIRAC PROMULGUE LA LOI SUR LE CPE,
MAIS REPOUSSE SON APPLICATION
[Jacques Chirac Promulgates The CPE Law,
But Pushes Back Its Application]
PARIS April 1, 2006 (Le Monde)

THE STREET WINS: CHIRAC ABANDONS YOUTH JOBS PLAN

PARIS April 10, 2006 (AFP) — French President Jacques Chirac scrapped his government's hotly contested youth jobs scheme Monday, handing a major victory to unions and students after one of the country's biggest political crises in decades.

Chirac announced after a high-level meeting that the youth contract, which would have made it easier to fire young workers, would be "replaced" with new measures to help disadvantaged young people into work. ... Under legislation drawn up by the ruling Union for a Popular Movement (UMP), it is to be replaced with a package of measures helping "young people in difficulty" into work, notably via state subsidies to employers. The new measures, to be submitted to parliament later Monday and put to a vote in the coming days, will cost a total of EUR 450 million for the period 2006-2007.

It was hailed as a major victory by French union leaders, who had mobilised millions of people in a sometimes violent two-month street campaign against a measure they said only increased job insecurity. ... Unions and student leaders, who had set the government a deadline of April 17 — Easter Monday — to withdraw the CPE, were expected to declare an end to their protest movement following a meeting later Monday.

Student leader Bruno Juillard said Chirac's announcement was "a decisive victory", but urged protestors to "keep up the pressure" until parliament votes on the legislation superseding the CPE. Another student leader called however for an end to blockades that continued to disrupt almost half of France's 84 universities.

Chirac, 73, and Villepin, 52, his friend and ally, have both seen their approval ratings plunge to 25 percent, and 85 percent of the public believe they have emerged weakened. While Villepin was criticised as stubborn and imperious for his handling of the reform, Chirac was ridiculed for a determination to protect Villepin — on whom commentators say he is increasingly dependent — at all costs. In contrast, more than half of the public believed that Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy, 52, who as head of the UMP took a lead role in negotiating a way out of the crisis, has come out stronger.

It is amazing to us that Jack would gamble the remnant of his political fortune backing Dom's feeble reform, and then faint away. Isn't the object of brinkmanship to venture to the brink?

And this is the second time Jack has bet big on Dom and lost big. This is the same Jack who wants to run a big multipolar super-state.

We think it past time to point out to those media who continue to pad their Jack stories with an obeisant nod to his veteran political savvy, well [Pause.], there is no savvy. None. Nada. Almost 50 years in politics and zippo savvy.

PFFT (What is this?): Dithering 5 | Cave 5 | Jellyfish 5 | Rayonnement français 0

Hey good news abay, now you don't actually have to do anything at your job. Keep slacking off, your boss can't fire you for your gross incompetence. Congrats.

There's much to be criticised, but please send us a link showing that a French worker can't get fired for "gross incompetence". Interestingly, French workers' productivity is about the same than those in the US, if not superior.

Interestingly, French workers' productivity is about the same than those in the US, if not superior.

Well, those that have a job, anyway....

Zoomer old boy, just like much of the "anecdotal evidence" you spew in this forum, it is self evident. "It is zee Tuesday and zee flowers are in bloom here in gay paree. STRIKE!!! After all the muse can't not be bottled up on such a fine day, no?"