To better understand the development of this crisis, read here first.
The vast majority of University and High School students, unions, and political parties (Leftist and centre-right UDF) were against this new contract. The Prime Miniter passed it by using an article of the Constitution known as the '49-3', ending strong discussions and disagreements with Deputies, and ignoring the opinion of those directly affected by this contract (students -26 y.o.)
Today, 68% of the French population is for the withdrawal of this contract, 66 Universities out of 84 are on strike, and between 250,000 and 500,000 (police and associations estimation) people took the streets on Thursday the 16th. Same day, few hours later, violence took place on various cities resulting on injuries (92 police officers injured just in Paris) and several people were arrested. Some news networks mentioned the fact that extreme right groups and intoxicated people were among the responsibles.
But, why so much noise about the CPE? Why don't young people accept it and perceive it as a new opportunity? The government is trying to sell it to young people as part of the project of equal opportunities, and as an opportunity to end unemployment among young people. But, it is a matter of logic to understand that in order to provide equal opportunities, you must provide equal contracts!! Otherwise, this becomes a paradox from the very beginning.
The truth of the matter is that the government (this and previous) has failed to promote Industry, and greatly succeeded to raise taxes (+30% today, Vs. 2.8% in the period of De Gaulle). With the CPE they think they can boost economy. Many people do not understand why students and unions stand against this contract. One of the arguments is "The CPE is better than unemployment", but by making a comparison with the worst of cases never leads to a positive evolution of things. On the other hand, it leads to social regression.
Other of the arguments that tries to disqualify the anti-CPE movement is that student unions are manipulated by worker unions. This is completly false. Unions support (not manipulate) students, because these students are their children -the future of this country- and because the CPE will affect workers as well (CDIs replaced by CPEs).
You must understand that credit system in France does not work like in the US. Here if you don't have a CDI, you have access to nothing, no home, no auto, no nothing. Who can live and work without projects?
On the other hand, the government has already sold the CPE project to companies with the argument of flexibility. But flexibility of what? To lay off your employees without excuses. Is this normal in a democracy? In France, as a company YOU CAN LAY OFF your employee if your company is in economical distress, or if simply your employee fails to do his job.
The CPE besides setting young people as second-class workers leads to abuses. A good reference to understand what the CPE would bring, is to see what has happened with the CNE. Read in French, or in automatically translated English about this employee that got laid off because she suffered backpain.
After the massive protest that gathered up to 3 million people, it was the turn of the 'counsel of sages' to make the next move in this affair. The counsel of sages is a group of eight people that decides whether a proposed law complies with the constitution or not. The counsel decided that the law was in accordance with the constitution, and that it could be set in place. Read related note in French, or in English.
Jacques Chirac appeared on national TV on Friday the 31st of March. He was supposed to pronounce the last word regarding the CPE. The broadcast was somewhat embarrassing to the government; since it was a delicate subject and the broadcast was of low quality (sound was not synch with images). The broadcasting problem got solved, and the president finally emitted his verdict. The law was going to be promulgated, but he wanted to include some changes. The probation period instead of being two years should be changed to one, and if an employee was to be laid off, a reason should be given. Read related note in French, or in English.
The changes to the law proposed by Chirac, approach the CNE to the rest of contracts (CDI, CDD). CDIs can have probation periods of six months, which can be renewed one time; and no excuse has to be given if the contract is broken during this period. So where is the whole sense of keeping this contract?
Since the very beginning of this crisis, the Prime Minister's rate of approval has been plunging down. Jacques Chirac by personally endorsing the CPE, he did his best to save the reputation of his PM. We must remember that de Villepin is Chirac's candidate for the next presidential elections.
But Chirac's measure is far from settling things down. On Tuesday April the 4th, a bigger protest took place. See the event's images here. This time, the protest gathered more people than the last time. Police says a little bit over one million people took the streets, and unions say more than 3 million. Read note in French, or in English.
Overnight cooked solutions imposed by questionble means are not the way out of this economical and social crisis. This country needs young people at the head of the government, with fresh ideas willing to make a complete country overhaul.
Two things are for sure:
1) Economy is not boosted by sacrificing and entire generation condemning it to a low standard of life. Economy is motivated by lowering taxes, promoting the generation of new Industries, by avoiding irresponsible government expenses and stupid decisions.
2) The biggest winner of this CPE political blunder, is the Socialist Party.
And Dominique de Villepin? Well, he has probably already lost the political race for the presidency against Sarkozy even before postulating for it.
-Visit the website of France 3 (TV) 'special CPE' in French, or in English.
-Visit the website of support to Cyril Ferez, the unionist in coma in French, or in English.
-The protests of Tuesday the 4th of April in numbers:
The city of Rouen has 30,000 inhabitants; 20,000 were protesting. The city of Bordeaux held the biggest protest ever, after the liberation of France during the WWII.
-Check and compare the difference of images shown in the U.S. and those shown in France.
-Follow the development of the events related to the CPE hour by hour in French, or in English.
-Visit the website 'stop the CPE' in French, or in English.
-Visit the website 'CPE Danger' in French, or in English.
-Read the definition of the CPE in the wikipedia in French, or in English.
-See the galeries of pictures and video from the nouvel obs.
End of Contract A victory for democracy, a defeat for totalitarism. After Chirac's declaration, Dominique de Villepin appeared on national TV half an hour later. He officially announced the 'replacement' of the CPE, by other mechanisms. These other mechanisms are sort of 'discrimination positive'(affirmative action in the US), which are aimed to help the unemployed youth. Among the characteristics of this new mechanism are a tax exemption of 200 euros per month for the first year for the employer, and 100 euros for the second year. This will apply if the employee is offered a CDI. Read more about the end of the CPE in French, or in English. Added 11/Apr/06
Jacques Chirac expressed this morning that he wants to replace the CPE by some other 'mechanism'. Chirac playing a word game, is extending his efforts to not mention the word 'abrogation'. By avoiding this word, he does not fully condem de Villepin's presidential aspirations. Dominique de Villepin will speak to the nation today. Added 10/Apr/06
Prime minister's approval rate in free fall since the initial announcement of the CPE. See note in French, or in English. Added 9/Apr/06
Things getting out of hand. Students are now changing their protest methods. They are blocking train stations, highway ramps, closing access to the eifel tower, stopping deliveries to airbus industries and picniquing. Today, as students finished their picnic at la sorbone about ten were runned over by a car driver. Furious students flipped the car over its roof -with the driver inside-, and the police had to arrive to save the driver. One student had to be taken to the hospital, since the driver literally rolled his tires over him. Read full note in French, or in English. Added 7/Apr/06
Jean-Marc Ayrault, chief of the socialist party section at l'assamblee nationale said:
We have two prime ministers and one president (Ironically speaking about Sarkozy's political intentions).
You (de Villepin) are in Matignon, but you don't govern anymore.
You simulate to hold the power, but you don't apply it anymore.
This is what we call a system's crisis.
Read note in French, or in English.
Added 5/Apr/06
American mass media, again tries to disqualify French social movements. They take a violent picture, and amplify the image projected. Let me point that yes violence took place at the end of the protest, but again it was not the students or unionist, but troublemakers. This is not China, and La Place d'Italie is not the Tien-amen square (as a CNN reporter commented). See an example of exaggeration and biased media here. Added 4/Apr/06
Massive manifestation takes place again. Between one and 3 million protesters took the streets of France today. Protest were bigger than last Tuesday. Read note in French, or in English. Added 4/Apr/06
Legally speaking, government ministers can be subject to legal prosecution. Normally, a law that has been passed and approved must be applied. Well, the CPE has been passed, and the minister of social cohesion has asked to please not issue any CPEs until the modifications proposed by Chirac are set in place. This action, performed by the minister can be subject to legal prosecution and he can be subject of up to 10 years in prison and a fine of 150,000 euros. Read note in French, or in English. Added 4/Apr/06
Democracy in action by the people and for the people facing a deaf government and an inflexible prime minister. Up to three million people protested in France to demand the withdrawal of the CPE. Read note in French, or in English. Added 28/Mar/06
If protesters are not the troublemakers, who are the troublemakers? Read an opinion in French here, or in English here. Added 24/Mar/06
American hypocritical media likes to exagerate the events taking place in France. They like showing the image that the country is in flames and at the edge of a civil war, without explaining the full context of the conflict and the conditions where the picture was taken. They select specific images that they promote all over the world, trying to discredit the country forgetting that they (the US) are guilty for the civil war taking place in Iraq. See an example of this here. Added 23/Mar/06
Internal fracture at the government, as Sarkozy and de Villepin (Minister of the Interior and PM respectively) diverge on the CPE. Both strong candidates for the next presidential elections. Read note in French, or in English. Added 22/Mar/06
First seriously injured protester falls in coma.
From AP "An unidentified unionist from the PTT-Sud union lies unconscious and seriously injured on the Nation square in Paris, Saturday, March 18, 2006, during clashes between protesters and riot policemen, following a students and unionists demonstration against the First Job Contract, known as CPE. The unionist was unconscious and in serious condition Monday, March 20, 2006, police and hospital officials said. The PTT-SUD union claimed the 39-year-old man had been violently trampled by a police charge."
Read note in French, or in English.
Added 20/Mar/06
Massive protests on the streets Saturday afternoon against the CPE in 160 cities all over France. Read note in French, or in English. Between 500,000 and 1.5 million (Government and organizer's figures respectively) people manisfested, as Prime Minister's approval reaches an all time low approval rate of 37%. Read note in French,or in English . Violence broke out as before, coming out from isolated groups (far right and anarchists) not forming part of the manifestation. After the manifestation De Villepin announced he will not withdraw the CPE, as students and unions prepare for a bigger manifestation. Added 20/Mar/06
Million urged for French protest. See BBC's note here. Added 18/Mar/06
Protests against the CPE gather between 250,000 and 500,000 on Thursday March the 16th. Hours later certain groups profit to turn to violence. See the note as it appears on the BBC's website here and as it appears on French newspapers (PDF in French) here. Added 17/Mar/06
According to BVA (poll firm) 60% of French consider that the contract of first engagement (CPE) will increase precariousness. People have little or no faith on government's measurements to promove employment. Read note in French, or in English. Added 7/Feb/06
The contract of 'premiere embauche' does not convince students and unions. Read note in French, or in English. Added 22/Jan/06
Prime Minister announces new type of contract. Read original note in French here, or in English here. Added 16/Jan/06