Media Blackout As France Witnesses Biggest Revolution In 200 Years
Submitted by IWB, on June 3rd, 2016
by Sean Adl-Tabatabai
France undergoes biggest revolution in 200 years
As France prepare to host millions of visitors at the Euro 2016 Football Championships, a state of emergency has been extended in the country as it faces its largest protests in recent history.
Hundreds of thousands of citizens have taken to the streets in France, amounting to what some are calling the new French Revolution amid a total media blackout in Western news outlets.
Anonhq.com reports:
The first collaborative protest against the Socialist government since Hollande came to power in 2012, kicked off on 9 March. On March 31, nearly 400,000 people took to the streets, disagreeing with the sweeping changes to labor laws; though organizers put the number at 1.2 million.
On April 9, about 120,000 people marched in Paris and across France for a sixth time, protesting against contested labor reforms. Organizers called for yet another strike on April 28, and a massive protest on May 1, Labor Day. Reports of police officers clashing with protesters, deploying tear gas in several French cities, and protesters burning vehicles, smashing windows flooded the Internet.
In his response, Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said in the city of Lyon:
“I call on the organizers of these demonstrations to condemn with the same firmness that I do the unrest caused by these handful of thugs.”
Demanding a complete withdrawal of the draft reform bill, French workers stepped up protests, rallies and blockades in the third week of May. As per the latest updates, one in three gas stations across the country run dry, causing long queues at normally well-stocked stations. There are blockades at 5 of France’s 8 oil refineries. Nearly 1/5th of nuclear power output is cut by striking staff. Since the nation’s electricity supply has dropped, the government is forced to dig into its emergency reserves.
On May 26, more than 150,000 marched against the government’s plans to make it easier for firms to hire and fire. Reuters reports:
In the southwestern city of Bordeaux, about 100 people targeted a police station, throwing objects and damaging a police car. In Paris and in the western city of Nantes, bank windows were broken and protesters clashed with police. The next big day of protests is planned on June 14 [when French senators begin discussing the reform package], four days after the Euro 2016 soccer tournament opens in France. The CGT warned it could be disrupted if the government refuses to withdraw the draft reform bill.
Although, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls is willing to modify some of the proposals, workers’ unions are unwilling to back down. Particularly angry that the government is enacting a constitutional power to bypass parliament to pass the bill, several unions led by one of the country’s largest unions, the General Confederation of Labor (or the CGT),declared in an open letter:
“This week, the actions, the strikes and the blockades by workers from a number of industries to demand the retraction of this labor bill and to obtain new rights show that our determination remains intact.”
The Controversial Labor Reform:
1. Makes it easier for companies to lay off staff and cut costs in difficult economic times.
2. Allows companies to opt out of national labor protection rules if they reach in-house deals on pay and conditions with the consent of a majority of their staff – and not the trade unions.
3. Allows employers to extend the legal work week from current 35 hours to 48 hours – up to 60 hours with an ‘exceptional authorization’, and reduce overtime from current 25% to not less than 10%.
4. Proposes surtax on short-term contracts aimed at getting employers to hire more people on permanent contracts
5. Introduces a cap – 15 months of pay – on compensation in cases of unfair dismissal.
Plagued by dismal popularity ratings and high unemployment, President Hollande, who staked his whole term in office on improving life for the country’s struggling youth, says the labor reform is vital to tackle joblessness. Labor Minister Myrian El Khomri, too, defends the new labor law dubbed “the bosses law” by its opponents.
“This law corresponds to the situation in our country. We have an unemployment rate of over 10% the same as it was 20 years ago. It has improved over the last month, however that is not satisfactory. Our country created fewer jobs than other European countries [Between 2013 and 2015, 57,000 jobs were created in France, 482,000 in Germany, 651,000 in Spain and 288,000 in Italy.] So for me the text and the goal of this reform is to be able to just improve access to employment.”
However, opponents of the labor reform say it will threaten cherished rights and deepen job insecurity for young people by helping companies fire staff arbitrarily. Henry Samuel and Raziye Akkoc of The Telegraph observed:
The government believes it will create thousands of jobs but the IMF, and the French opposition say the reform doesn’t go nearly far enough to significantly reverse record unemployment, now at 10%, and soaring public debt, due to reach 98% of GDP next year.
What Lies Ahead
This is the first time a Socialist French government has faced a nationwide trade union rebellion in more than 30 years. The left’s opposition to the reforms has been vast, threatening to tear apart Hollande’s own support base.
The Independent Writes:
The proposed reform has compounded the fury of many within the Socialist Party and the further left at what they see as the treacherous, rightward course of the Hollande-Valls government. The protests have been led by the former Socialist leader, and “mother” of the 35-hour week, Martine Aubry, who has resigned from all her official positions within the party. Aubry complains that the rewriting of French employment law in line with “liberal” pro-market dogma is a betrayal of the French “social contract.”
An online petition against the proposed changes has gathered over 1 million signatures, a record in France. According to a recent Le Parisien poll, a majority of French people favor labor reforms, but 70% oppose the government’s way of going about it.
It will be a political suicide for Hollande if he rolls back the labor reform – he has promised he will not run for re-election next year unless he manages to stem the rise in unemployment. But as The Guardian rightly notes, it is not just Hollande’s political survival at stake, though, but the image of France itself.
http://investmentwatchblog.com/media-blackout-as-france-witnesses-biggest-revolution-in-200-years/
Submitted by IWB, on June 3rd, 2016
by Sean Adl-Tabatabai
France undergoes biggest revolution in 200 years
As France prepare to host millions of visitors at the Euro 2016 Football Championships, a state of emergency has been extended in the country as it faces its largest protests in recent history.
Hundreds of thousands of citizens have taken to the streets in France, amounting to what some are calling the new French Revolution amid a total media blackout in Western news outlets.
Anonhq.com reports:
The first collaborative protest against the Socialist government since Hollande came to power in 2012, kicked off on 9 March. On March 31, nearly 400,000 people took to the streets, disagreeing with the sweeping changes to labor laws; though organizers put the number at 1.2 million.
On April 9, about 120,000 people marched in Paris and across France for a sixth time, protesting against contested labor reforms. Organizers called for yet another strike on April 28, and a massive protest on May 1, Labor Day. Reports of police officers clashing with protesters, deploying tear gas in several French cities, and protesters burning vehicles, smashing windows flooded the Internet.
In his response, Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said in the city of Lyon:
“I call on the organizers of these demonstrations to condemn with the same firmness that I do the unrest caused by these handful of thugs.”
Demanding a complete withdrawal of the draft reform bill, French workers stepped up protests, rallies and blockades in the third week of May. As per the latest updates, one in three gas stations across the country run dry, causing long queues at normally well-stocked stations. There are blockades at 5 of France’s 8 oil refineries. Nearly 1/5th of nuclear power output is cut by striking staff. Since the nation’s electricity supply has dropped, the government is forced to dig into its emergency reserves.
On May 26, more than 150,000 marched against the government’s plans to make it easier for firms to hire and fire. Reuters reports:
In the southwestern city of Bordeaux, about 100 people targeted a police station, throwing objects and damaging a police car. In Paris and in the western city of Nantes, bank windows were broken and protesters clashed with police. The next big day of protests is planned on June 14 [when French senators begin discussing the reform package], four days after the Euro 2016 soccer tournament opens in France. The CGT warned it could be disrupted if the government refuses to withdraw the draft reform bill.
Although, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls is willing to modify some of the proposals, workers’ unions are unwilling to back down. Particularly angry that the government is enacting a constitutional power to bypass parliament to pass the bill, several unions led by one of the country’s largest unions, the General Confederation of Labor (or the CGT),declared in an open letter:
“This week, the actions, the strikes and the blockades by workers from a number of industries to demand the retraction of this labor bill and to obtain new rights show that our determination remains intact.”
The Controversial Labor Reform:
1. Makes it easier for companies to lay off staff and cut costs in difficult economic times.
2. Allows companies to opt out of national labor protection rules if they reach in-house deals on pay and conditions with the consent of a majority of their staff – and not the trade unions.
3. Allows employers to extend the legal work week from current 35 hours to 48 hours – up to 60 hours with an ‘exceptional authorization’, and reduce overtime from current 25% to not less than 10%.
4. Proposes surtax on short-term contracts aimed at getting employers to hire more people on permanent contracts
5. Introduces a cap – 15 months of pay – on compensation in cases of unfair dismissal.
Plagued by dismal popularity ratings and high unemployment, President Hollande, who staked his whole term in office on improving life for the country’s struggling youth, says the labor reform is vital to tackle joblessness. Labor Minister Myrian El Khomri, too, defends the new labor law dubbed “the bosses law” by its opponents.
“This law corresponds to the situation in our country. We have an unemployment rate of over 10% the same as it was 20 years ago. It has improved over the last month, however that is not satisfactory. Our country created fewer jobs than other European countries [Between 2013 and 2015, 57,000 jobs were created in France, 482,000 in Germany, 651,000 in Spain and 288,000 in Italy.] So for me the text and the goal of this reform is to be able to just improve access to employment.”
However, opponents of the labor reform say it will threaten cherished rights and deepen job insecurity for young people by helping companies fire staff arbitrarily. Henry Samuel and Raziye Akkoc of The Telegraph observed:
The government believes it will create thousands of jobs but the IMF, and the French opposition say the reform doesn’t go nearly far enough to significantly reverse record unemployment, now at 10%, and soaring public debt, due to reach 98% of GDP next year.
What Lies Ahead
This is the first time a Socialist French government has faced a nationwide trade union rebellion in more than 30 years. The left’s opposition to the reforms has been vast, threatening to tear apart Hollande’s own support base.
The Independent Writes:
The proposed reform has compounded the fury of many within the Socialist Party and the further left at what they see as the treacherous, rightward course of the Hollande-Valls government. The protests have been led by the former Socialist leader, and “mother” of the 35-hour week, Martine Aubry, who has resigned from all her official positions within the party. Aubry complains that the rewriting of French employment law in line with “liberal” pro-market dogma is a betrayal of the French “social contract.”
An online petition against the proposed changes has gathered over 1 million signatures, a record in France. According to a recent Le Parisien poll, a majority of French people favor labor reforms, but 70% oppose the government’s way of going about it.
It will be a political suicide for Hollande if he rolls back the labor reform – he has promised he will not run for re-election next year unless he manages to stem the rise in unemployment. But as The Guardian rightly notes, it is not just Hollande’s political survival at stake, though, but the image of France itself.
http://investmentwatchblog.com/media-blackout-as-france-witnesses-biggest-revolution-in-200-years/
Today at 8:47 am by Rocky
» Zebari regarding targeting the Kormor field: a systematic attack on the economy of Kurdistan
Today at 8:46 am by Rocky
» Saudi Arabia tops, and this is Iraq's rank... a list of major suppliers of crude oil to South Korea
Today at 8:45 am by Rocky
» With a value of 125 million dollars.. Iraq is at the forefront of countries importing Iranian textil
Today at 8:44 am by Rocky
» More than a billion dollars in sales from the Iraqi Central Bank within a week
Today at 8:43 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani stresses the need for the expertise of the International Labor Organization to legislate a
Today at 8:29 am by Rocky
» Including the return of 21 wanted persons.. The Iraq Money Recovery Fund counts its achievements in
Today at 8:27 am by Rocky
» The path to development is the criterion between true patriotism and political clowning.
Today at 8:25 am by Rocky
» The file of the Presidency of Parliament is on the state administration table... this evening
Today at 8:22 am by Rocky
» Director General of the International Labor Organization: Many challenges in the world of work and t
Today at 8:20 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani: The world is witnessing crises that reflect negatively on the Arab and international peop
Today at 8:11 am by Rocky
» Prime Minister: Our government has provided great support for the success of the activities, program
Today at 8:08 am by Rocky
» Al-Asadi: Iraq places the social protection file among its priorities
Today at 8:07 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani: Iraq is one of the first countries in the region to join the International Labor Organiza
Today at 8:05 am by Rocky
» In the presence of Al-Sudani and Barzani, the State Administration Coalition holds an “important” me
Today at 8:03 am by Rocky
» Appreciating the presence of Al-Sudani... Director General of the Arab Labor Organization: Here from
Today at 6:29 am by Rocky
» Prime Minister: Our government has provided great support for the success of the activities, program
Today at 6:28 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani: The world is witnessing crises that reflect negatively on the Arab and international peop
Today at 6:24 am by Rocky
» The Parliamentary Development Institute organizes a workshop on the political role of the representa
Today at 6:22 am by Rocky
» With Arab and international participation. Tomorrow will be the start of the Fourth Baghdad Internat
Today at 6:21 am by Rocky
» OPEC Secretary General: The end of oil is not on the horizon
Today at 6:19 am by Rocky
» Closing a number of unlicensed offices and companies south of Baghdad
Today at 6:16 am by Rocky
» Repercussions of the bombing...intensive government movements to resume work in the “Kormor” field
Today at 6:15 am by Rocky
» In the presence of Al-Sudani...the opening of the Arab Labor Conference in its 50th session in Baghd
Today at 6:14 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani: We are working on drawing future visions regarding the “green and digital” economic secto
Today at 6:13 am by Rocky
» Barzani after the Kormor attack: We are ready to coordinate with Baghdad to put an end to these atta
Today at 6:10 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani directs the formation of an investigative committee into the circumstances of the Kormo fi
Today at 6:08 am by Rocky
» Bismayah is confused about the new electronic portal.. What about the landlord and the subcontracts?
Today at 6:07 am by Rocky
» Kurdistan Government: Loss of 2,500 megawatts of electricity due to targeting the Kormor field
Today at 6:06 am by Rocky
» Crisis in Kurdistan: 12-hour daily power outage and complaints of “confusion”
Today at 6:05 am by Rocky
» The Supreme Anti-Corruption Commission demands Nineveh for the contracts concluded by “Najm Al-Jubou
Today at 6:04 am by Rocky
» Al-Khanjar, Al-Samarrai, and Abu Mazen are hosted by Shaalan Al-Karim to discuss accelerating the se
Today at 6:03 am by Rocky
» Iraq asks the countries of the world to respond to its requests to extradite wanted persons: We have
Today at 6:02 am by Rocky
» “It is coming soon.” The Sudanese advisor sets the date for the referral of the Baghdad metro and th
Today at 6:01 am by Rocky
» Al-Mubarqa: Iraq reserves its full right to respond to the Australian behavior
Today at 6:00 am by Rocky
» Dollar exchange rates on Iraqi stock exchanges... recorded a decline, and this is the list
Today at 5:58 am by Rocky
» Mr. Al-Sadr supports the position of American university students
Today at 5:56 am by Rocky
» Iraqis are ranked 7th in the Arab world on the list of those most seeking immigration to America. He
Today at 5:55 am by Rocky
» The UAE company ADNOC resorts to Iraqi oil. Find out the reasons
Today at 5:53 am by Rocky
» Soon.. 3 new hospitals will open in Baghdad
Today at 5:52 am by Rocky
» Sponsored by Al-Sudani...the opening of the Arab Labor Conference in its fiftieth session in Baghdad
Today at 5:51 am by Rocky
» Al-Shammari chairs a meeting at the controlling headquarters to review the results of the security o
Today at 5:49 am by Rocky
» Arab Labor Organization: We commend Iraq's interest in the Arab Labor Conference
Today at 5:48 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani: The development road project will provide many job opportunities
Today at 5:47 am by Rocky
» utube MM&C 4/26/24 Iraqi Dinar - US Treasury Exchange Rates- Focus - Banking Partnerships - Rate C
Yesterday at 6:11 pm by Rocky
» Sudanese advisor criticizes Kuwaiti analyzes regarding the development road project
Yesterday at 3:21 pm by Rocky
» Al-Mandalawi stresses the need to strengthen economic and trade cooperation between Iraq and Poland
Yesterday at 3:04 pm by Rocky
» Power maneuvers: America provides defensive weapons to Kurdistan in exchange for withholding from Ba
Yesterday at 11:26 am by Rocky
» Kuwait is drilling an oil well near Umm Qasr, towards Iraqi territory
Yesterday at 11:24 am by Rocky
» In the document... the first Iraqi ministry identifies the obstacles to changing the new official wo
Yesterday at 11:22 am by Rocky
» Italian Institute: Iraq is stuck in its own crises, including Baghdad’s efforts to undermine the “au
Yesterday at 11:21 am by Rocky
» The head of the Integrity Commission announces the holding of an international Interpol conference i
Yesterday at 11:18 am by Rocky
» Planning: Iraqi companies are not efficient in conducting the population census
Yesterday at 11:14 am by Rocky
» utube MM&C 4/24/24 Support - USA- Turkey - Timing- Currency Value - Tabled
Yesterday at 9:08 am by Rocky
» MM&C 4/25/24 National Bank of Iraq goes live with Temenos core banking and payments
Yesterday at 9:06 am by Rocky
» A banking official indicates a "danger" to Iraq by depriving more than half of its banks of dollars
Yesterday at 8:55 am by Rocky
» With the participation of the Association of Private Banks, investment opportunities are on the tabl
Yesterday at 8:45 am by Rocky
» Within a month... an Iranian border crossing recorded a noticeable increase in exports of goods to I
Yesterday at 8:44 am by Rocky
» The Association of Private Banks appreciates the efforts of the government and the Central Bank to c
Yesterday at 8:43 am by Rocky
» Al-Maliki's coalition presents a third candidate for the position of governor of Diyala
Yesterday at 7:57 am by Rocky
» Arab gathering: The Kirkuk problem is getting complicated and the Sudanese must intervene
Yesterday at 7:56 am by Rocky
» Next week.. a Kurdish delegation will visit Baghdad to meet with the Minister of Finance
Yesterday at 7:54 am by Rocky
» Under the pretext of salaries... Al-Party refrains from handing over port revenues to Baghdad
Yesterday at 7:53 am by Rocky
» Association of Banks: For the first time, we are witnessing a clear targeting of depriving half of t
Yesterday at 7:51 am by Rocky
» Parliament does not know the reason for the delay in sending the 2024 budget schedules: Voting takes
Yesterday at 7:49 am by Rocky
» Applicants for the 2024 Hajj are demanding that the Central Bank secure the dollar for them through
Yesterday at 6:09 am by Rocky
» Governmental and private banks will showcase their services tomorrow during Financial Inclusion Week
Yesterday at 6:08 am by Rocky
» Iraq's oil exports rise despite OPEC+ cuts
Yesterday at 6:06 am by Rocky
» A study explodes a "surprise"... Iraq is among the countries that export oil to "Israel": How is the
Yesterday at 6:04 am by Rocky
» Al-Araji emphasizes working to strengthen national identity
Yesterday at 6:02 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani visits Saudi Arabia to participate in the World Economic Forum in Riyadh
Yesterday at 6:01 am by Rocky
» Iraq is talking about producing one million additional liters of gasoline
Yesterday at 5:59 am by Rocky
» The Council of Ministers approves the implementation of the Baghdad Metro project
Yesterday at 5:56 am by Rocky
» Minister of Commerce: We formed a joint economic committee with Türkiye
Yesterday at 5:55 am by Rocky
» Resources: Government measures have contributed to improving the water situation in Iraq
Yesterday at 5:53 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Finance: Baghdad will continue to send salaries to the region’s employees until settle
Yesterday at 5:51 am by Rocky
» A parliamentarian describes the corruption of Iraqi ports as “ghouls” and reveals the involvement of
Yesterday at 5:49 am by Rocky
» Obelisk Hour: Basra is the subject of political conflict and ambiguity over the fate of the funds al
Yesterday at 5:48 am by Rocky
» Turkmen leader: An agreement on the local government of Kirkuk is near
Yesterday at 5:45 am by Rocky
» Anbar calls for the operation of its factories despite financial obstacles
Yesterday at 5:44 am by Rocky
» Turki: The crisis of the Presidency of Parliament prompted the Sunnis to amend the Council’s interna
Yesterday at 5:43 am by Rocky
» The Agriculture Committee confirms the existence of Iraqi-Turkish-Iranian discussions on water
Yesterday at 5:42 am by Rocky
» Resources diagnose the challenges facing the water file in Iraq
Yesterday at 5:38 am by Rocky
» Parliament pledges to the Interior Ministry: We will transfer money to buy weapons from citizens
Yesterday at 5:33 am by Rocky
» Al-Issawi is the closest.. Parliament sets the date for deciding the choice of the new president
Yesterday at 5:31 am by Rocky
» Deputy: Iraq's investments have risen and need a comprehensive review of previous years
Yesterday at 5:30 am by Rocky
» Iraqis consume 7 billion eggs annually and import about $900 million
Yesterday at 5:28 am by Rocky
» The Iranian role complicates attempts at open cooperation between Iraq and Turkey. Turkey is trying
Yesterday at 5:26 am by Rocky
» Move in Iran to obtain $242 billion from Iraq in compensation for the eight-year war
Yesterday at 5:25 am by Rocky
» 12 decisions from the Council of Ministers regarding the Baghdad Metro and Najaf-Karbala train proje
Yesterday at 5:23 am by Rocky
» Sudanese Advisor: The path to development has begun... the Baka and the militias “we silence them wi
Yesterday at 5:21 am by Rocky
» Not from Kurdistan.. How did Iraq become a source of oil for “Israeli tanks”?
Yesterday at 5:19 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Agriculture criticizes the Sudanese and Erdogan agreement: Türkiye will control water
Yesterday at 5:16 am by Rocky
» The Iraqi government issues new decisions
Thu Apr 25, 2024 3:35 pm by Rocky
» The story of “reduced oil” to Jordan, from “compulsion” to mutual benefit.. Is there a loss?
Thu Apr 25, 2024 3:33 pm by Rocky
» The Council of Ministers takes 12 decisions for the Baghdad Metro and the Najaf-Karbala train
Thu Apr 25, 2024 3:32 pm by Rocky
» utube MM&C 4/23/24 Iraqi Dinar - IQD Update - Development Road Project - Saviour of Global Banking
Thu Apr 25, 2024 11:18 am by Rocky
» Kidney from pig transplanted into deathly ill New Jersey woman — and begins working almost immediat
Thu Apr 25, 2024 11:15 am by Bama Diva
» The most difficult option.. Warnings of the danger of floating the Iraqi dinar without achieving an
Thu Apr 25, 2024 10:48 am by Rocky