Sarkozy

Behind the unrest in France, 2007

Steven. — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 11:59:33 +0000

The keyword in current French politics is reform. Both presidential candidates claimed that France needs to modernise to be able to complete on a global level. Surveys showed that most voters identified both Royal and Sarkozy as 'candidats de la rupture' meaning that they represented a break, a break from the traditions of working class militancy and France's revolutionary and socialist past.

France: university strikes and occupations against Sarkozy

jef costello — Thu, 10 May 2007 13:05:57 +0000

The has been a lot of unrest in France and yesterday; at an general meeting (AG) students at Tolbiac in Paris voted to go on strike and occupy the university. Some 700 of the campus's 10,000 students were present at the AG. It is being reported that some 500 students occupied the buildings overnight.

Silent protest held for two victims of French police

jef costello — Sat, 28 Oct 2006 19:48:46 +0000

A silent march was held at ten o’clock on Friday morning and was attended by over 1000 people. The march was led by the families of the two dead boys, marching behind a banner “Zyed et Bouna, morts pour rien” (Zyed et Bouna dead for nothing). Many of the mostly young crowd were wearig t-shirts with either the names of the two boys or “morts pour rien” written on them.

Announcements to be made Monday as the right seek to end crisis

alibi — Sun, 09 Apr 2006 22:49:43 +0000

At 9am CET, after a private conversation between the President and his Prime Minister, a meeting will be held at Chirac's official residence, the Elysée.

Poll: Villepin and Chirac share loss of face as CPE reinforces trade unions

alibi — Sun, 09 Apr 2006 22:19:01 +0000

The survey, by pollsters CSA for Le Parisien/Aujourd'hui en France and i-TELE, says that over 80% of the French now judge that the Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin (86%) and President Jacques Chirac (85%) have been "weakened" by the CPE crisis. Only 9% of the questioned people said that Villepin had been "reinforced", and 4% could not decide.

Chirac speaks as students gather across France

alibi — Fri, 31 Mar 2006 16:41:12 +0000

Update: A full text of the speech has been translated here.

22h32
Force Ouvrier have said that the five main trade unions shall meet again on April 5th, after the day of strikes and protests on April 4th.

Manoeuvring Sarkozy floats compromise over CPE

alibi — Wed, 22 Mar 2006 10:04:34 +0000

Villepins rival for the leadership of the centre-right going into the 2007 Predidential election can now be seen to be manoeuvring into a position of safety, out of the firing line, as this crisis deepens.

The following text is mostly drawn from an article by Le Monde.

Sarkozy blames riots on suburban "delinquents"

alibi — Fri, 17 Mar 2006 16:27:56 +0000

In comments reminiscent of those infamous remarks he made last November, when at the time of suburban rioting he described the mixed underclass youth of the suburbs as "racaille" ("scum"), Sarkozy here again risks appearing to play the race card.

Chirac, Sarkozy and Villepin to present united front

alibi — Mon, 13 Mar 2006 14:34:52 +0000

Domenica de Villepin, Jacques Chirac and Nicolas Sarkozy are from now on like mountaineering comrades. If one is to fall, the two others risk the same fall or, at least, of serious wounds.