Postal sell-off plan is postponed

PLANS for the controversial privatisation of La Poste have been postponed until after the European elections.

The government wants to change the status of La Poste from établissement public to société anonyme – a move that is feared to be a first step to selling off parts of the group.

Nothing will happen now until after the summer although President Nicolas Sarkozy had wanted the first moves to be in place before then, with privatisation next January.

Unions have welcomed the delay, but said they would not rest until the plans were abandoned. The Sud-PTT said the delay gave time to rally opponents to the plan.

Although his aides said Sarkozy decided to postpone the plan because of the financial crisis, the delay until after the election comes because he did not want to give the Left a target during the European campaign.