French press review 30 May 2016
The French press eyes with concern as the bitter standoff between the hardline CGT union and the government over labour reform spills into a crucial week. President Francois Hollande and his government have ruled out giving in to the CGT's demand to withdraw the bill and the trade union responded by calling for strikes on the national rail network starting on Tuesday and more industrial action on the Paris Metro from Thursday. This while, six of France's eight oil refineries were reportedly still at standstill or running at reduced capacity as of Sunday due to action by union activists.
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As France braces for major disruptions and delays in the public and air transport sectors, the Catholic daily reports that the strike has already taken a heavy toll on the chemicals industry, and that the leader of the chemical workers union is warning they are losing 15 million euros every day in production revenue.
With just one week to the start of France's hosting of the Euro 2016 football competition, the left-leaning publication says it expects a tense and high-risk tournament, marked by terrorist threats in the wake of the Paris and Brussels attacks, plus fears of clashes by hooligans, which the paper says has forced the government to tighten security to an unprecedented scale.
For the evening newspaper, panic has gripped not just the government but also the ruling Socialist-led majority in power. According to Le Monde, allies of ex-Socialist party leader Martine Aubry, in a rush to find a way out, has made an offer to the hardline leftist union Forces Ouvrières not to resort to article 49.3 of the constitution. That's the clause in the basic law which hands the government powers to force legislation through parliamentary.
According to the evening newspaper, there are real risks for the conflict to drag on, probably from the paper's point of view until July when the parliamentary session is due to end.
The Communist daily says it is thrilling to watch a social unrest of such magnitude, especially the flavour of a citizens' uprising coming from nowhere. Though it claims to have no intention to play the rinky-dink historian, the Communist daily says it is not useless to recall that without strikes, blockades and demonstrations, we would still be the era of child labour and Zola's world, Emile Zola being the French novelist, playwright, journalist, and major figure in the political liberalization of France.
"There is nothing to expect from the so-called decisive week awaiting President Hollande," argues the conservative publication. It brands Hollande as a "declared enemy of finance" who is being defied by a "small red army under the orders of CGT leader Philippe Martinez".
According to Le Figaro, what ever happens, Hollande will be the loser, because as it puts it, his "wreckless design to use the euro for political gain has been compromised". That, the paper says "will be an outcome, few will complain about". Yet for the journal, "France has nothing to gain from reluctantly watching such a derisory arm wrestling contest between Socialists and Communists" which it says "doesn't make France younger".
The sports daily cheers on French hope Richard Gasquet who reached his first French Open quarter final on Sunday, after defeating Japan's Kei Nishikori in four sets. L'Equipe sanctifies "conquering and enthusiastic" Gasquet who displayed a "killer instinct" that will come in handy when he faces Andy Murray in the last eight of Roland Garros on Tuesday.
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