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2006-05-20T21:32:00.000-07:00

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2006-03-30T02:20:00.000-08:00

More than million people, from all over France poured on the streets, yesterday, protesting against the controvercial Equal Oppotunity Law. It prompted closing of of many public buildings like Eifell Tower and also disrupted the public transport all over France. Though there have been some instances of violence and arrests, demonstrations have remained mostly peaceful.

The controvercial law, introduced by French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin, will make easy for recruiters to fire anyone below age 26 without citing reasons. Proponents of the law claim that such law will make easy for the toung people to get short term jobs and will help to reduce stagnancy in the job market. However, its critics argue that it will reduce the job security for younger people and will ultimately result in increase in unemployment rates. Both sides have remained firm to their stand and the negatiation attempts so far have been unsuccessful.

Riots had also broken up last year, in the suburbs of Paris and other big cities in France like Marselles and Lyon, on the same problem of unemployment. However, these riots were mainly restricted to poor immigrant communities. France has the biggest unemployment rates among youth in Europe and new law is proposed to curtail it. This law is proving to be a serious crisis for French Prime Minister, who has Presidential apirations. Some experts are also relating these riots to the 1968 riot, when an uprising of students and workers ultimately lead to the collapse of De Gaulle Government.

French have been blamed for being slow on the reforms front. Many of the French economic policies, like farm subsidies and 35-hour week, have been hailed by many as too protectionist. Farm subsidies has been the major issue of confrontation with developing nations during WTO summits. Emerging economies like Eastern Europe, China and India have posed threat to the protectionist French economy. The proposed bill, aimed to alleviate these concerns, is being opposed by most French people. Some analyst argue that this will portray wrong image of France in front of the world.

French have to realise that in the era of globalisation, economies are no longer protected and a part of larger global economy. Economic reforms, which will give flexibility to the work-force and remove the subsidies, are vital to make economic progress in globalised world.

Kaushal Sheth

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