A French Spring
Popular protests have erupted against efforts to dismantle France’s labor code.
Each week, people around the world take streets of their cities to remind their governments that their voices matter. In this series I want to collect the best images from protests around the world.
BRIEF
The very fist post in this blog was about Labour Protests in France. Back then I couldn't have imagined that the situation will escalate as much as it is right now. Even when I was writing the second post I didn't suspect it to be as it is today.
Two dozen French police officers have been injured, three of them seriously, during the clashes yesterday.
People all across France are protesting against the Labour reforms, which all employers to reduce the salary, number of working hours of their employees.
What’s Happening?
What can you do when everyone hates you? Definitely try not to make them hate you more. The truth is that the French socialist president is in a big trouble. Right-wing parties hate him , and now even his own socialist politicians hate him. However he still says that the Labour reforms, that made everyone hate him at first place, are going to improve the economic situation in France.
“ Hollande’s staggeringly low approval ratings reflect widespread anger over the economic policies he’s pursued since taking office. At a time when France has yet to recover from the effects of the 2008 financial crisis, his administration has been unable to cut into chronically high joblessness.
Earlier this year, the unemployment rate hit 10.6 percent (up from just over 9 percent when Hollande took office), a twenty-year high. Young workers, in particular, have felt the lack of employment opportunities: youth unemployment now sits at over 25 percent.
In response, Hollande has adopted a strategy of labor market liberalization. The key to boosting stagnant economic growth, he argues, is creating a more favorable climate for business.” (Jacobin)
PROTESTERS’ WORDS:
“F**K Hollande*
“ From a rhetorical socialist — to a practical capitalist. A story of Francois Hollande.”
“We need less capitalism, banks, and corporations. We need more love, libraries, and justice.
FACT SHEET:
Youth unemployment in France is reaching 25 percent today.
170,000 workers and students took to streets
24 Policemen were injured, three of them seriously.
What People at Protest Say?
“This is very scary. I see with my own eyes how this is escalating. Two months ago it was a peaceful protest with students holding banners and chanting slogans. Today, it’s policemen bleeding on the ground, bombs exploding under the shattering the windows of apartments. Hollande should cancel the law, until this spins out of control.”
What Can Happen?
I interviewed over two dozen French demonstrators over the past 2 months and they all say one thing — the law will not be passed. It’s either going to be amended to satisfy those who oppose it or will be completely rejected.
It definitely seems that this is not the last photo report from France by Homeland Is Not A Series.
This post wouldn’t be possible without of help of great ‘Instagrammers’ who agreed to share their photos to make this post.
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