-
Paris hospital dog trial goes from strength to strength
An English setter rescue dog at one of the world’s top cancer hospitals in Paris has been described as “a bubble of oxygen”
-
PHOTOS: Olympic Flame to travel to France on beautiful historic ship
The 127-year-old ship sets sail on Saturday with ‘the most important passenger it has ever carried’
-
Phone scams, gardening, insurance claims: 5 French practical updates
Our roundup of recent practical articles you may have missed
Reduced turnout at work reform protest
The turnout was down today compared to last week as protestors took to the Paris streets to oppose planned changes to work laws.
Based on police figures, some 16,000 people – 55,000 according to unions – marched against President Macron’s reforms of the Code Travail today, compared to 24,000 (60,000) on Tuesday last week.
The banners waved by the protestors had slogans such as “there’s going to be mayhem”, “angry rail workers” or “he who sows poverty reaps anger”, “Macron, puppet of the bosses” and “withdraw the Loi Travail”.
Protests of several thousand people were also organised in some regional cities, such as Nantes, Rennes, Quimper and Toulouse.
Another protest is planned on Saturday, organised by left-wing party La France Insoumise, to follow today’s led by the unions. Leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon has promised to bring down the reform, which he has claimed is a “coup d’état on workers’ rights”.
The strikes are a test of President Macron’s overhaul of work laws, which were part of his election manifesto.
The government has refused to back down so far, saying people voted for change.
Stay informed:
Sign up to our free weekly e-newsletter
Subscribe to access all our online articles and receive our printed monthly newspaper The Connexion at your home. News analysis, features and practical help for English-speakers in France