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Tradition, fear stand in the way of French reforms

Published Sun, Jun 5, 2016 · 09:50 PM
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Paris

A SEEMINGLY endless parade of violent protests, transport strikes and paralysed infrastructure in recent months has once again given the impression of France as a country that cannot be governed.

But how much does the cliche reflect reality?

"This country often kills itself with its conservatism, with the impossibility of reform," bemoaned Prime Minister Manuel Valls recently after three months of unrest triggered by his government's attempt to reform the labour code.

Tens of thousands of protesters have taken to the streets on numerous occasions, accusing the government of trying to inject a distinctly un-French dose of neo-liberalism into their famously stringent worker protections.

The unions have gone to war with the government, launching strikes and blockades on multiple fronts - from petrol refineries and nuclear power stations to trains and airlines - and refusing to back down from their demand that the entire reform package be scra…

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