French unions kick off week of protest

[cal04]

Source: PressTV

French Unions and President Nicolas Sarkozy's opponents have started a week of protests by holding a demonstration in Paris against the pension reforms.

Unions and human rights groups used the Paris rally on Saturday to riot in protest at the security measures assumed by Sarkozy's government including the expulsion of thousands of Roma.

President Sarkozy and his cabinet are going to receive yet another blow on Tuesday when the French workers will go on a nationwide strike to protest at the reforms.

"This weekend's demonstrations will be a first indicator of the country's mood during this turbulent return to work for politicians," said the left-leaning Liberation newspaper in an editorial.

Read more: http://www.presstv.ir/detail/141201.html

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[libmom74]

1. I love the French!

Now that's how you react when your government tries to screw people over, we could take a few lessons from the French.

[Lightning Count]

10. 70% of the French people are in favor or expelling the Roma's without valid residency.

So do you love the French or THESE French?

[old mark]

2. If the unions EVER got together like this, the GOP would really lose their minds!

Imagine the "socialism" comments, and the "class war" charges....I would love to see it here - maybe the October march on Washington will set them off. I am hoping for a huge number of people for that event.
rec.


mark

[stray cat]

3. I assume there will be no unemployment or low wages in France as a result?

[Proletariatprincess]

5. Even the unemployed are better off there than working a min. wage job here.

[primavera]

17. It's amazing what one can do...

... when one doesn't allow 80% of the country's wealth to be owned by 2% of the population.

[Proletariatprincess]

4. Bravo to our sisters and brothers in France!

This is why the quality of life is so much better in France than it is in the USA. Too bad that USAers think they have nothing to learn from "old Europe". Solidarity is powerful.

[davidwparker]

6. I love the French. See that, Americans. (Not directed to DU)

[Seedersandleechers]

7. Don't understand

why they elected Sarkozy in the first place. :shrug:

[Name removed]

8. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[pampango]

11. I believe that the French Travellers are French citizens. How can they be deported?

You can't deport someone from his own country.

The Roma, many of whom are not French citizens are a different story, although as citizens of EU countries they may have some freedom of movement in Europe.

[awoke_in_2003]

12. your bigotry is showing. nt

[defendandprotect]

14. Think we need some DU'er to help with some education on Roma/Gypsies ... HELP!!

[lib2DaBone]

9. When Mr. Obama cuts benefits and raises the retirement age....

.. I wonder what the American workers will do?

[defendandprotect]

13. What we always seem to do, wring our hands and stare at one another ... and post!!

[Joe Bacon]

16. Millions of Americans wait for The Rapture

Millions of Americans are brainwashed by preachers into believing Jesus is coming back in a week or 2 to rapture them. They really want things to get worse because they believe that a divine sign that the end times are at hand.

Meanwhile the preachers they send their "sacrificial love gifts" to live high off the hog.

[xchrom]

15. awesome! nt

[Odin2005]

18. I wish we would do the same thing.

But we might miss American Idol or Survivor, can't have that! :eyes:

[Imajika]

19. The same thing as the French?

You mean vote in a right wing government that is current dismantling or proposing to slash as much of the safety net as they can?

You mean the same as the majority of French people who seem to overwhelmingly support deporting Roma, banning headscarves, etc, etc.

The grass is always greener. The French are no better than us, and I certainly wouldn't want to "do the same thing".

Why do so many people on DU have this fantasy that Europe is some enlightened, liberal wonderland? It isn't. In fact, I rather think Europeans often tend to be more xenophobic, racist and often times way more reactionary than we are here in the US.

[Odin2005]

20. At least the French give a damn.

[Imajika]

21. Huh?

So if the American public vote enthusiastically for the GOP/Tea Party in November this will be good because they give a damn?

The point is, things are no better in Europe than they are here. We actually have a Democratic president and Democratic congress at least nominally pushing left of center/progressive ideas. France and much of Europe have the opposite and seem to be voting in even more right wingers and advocating even more regressive & reactionary policies.

The French are busy supporting expelling Roma and banning headscarves for God's sake.

Yet we constantly get threads and stories posted here on DU about how wonderfully enlightened Europeans are? So the opposition ritually wander out in the streets to protest pension "reform"? The majority still vote in a party that is trying to increase the hours people have to work each week, increase the retirement age, implement "austerity", deport Roma, ban headscarves, revoke citizenship for foreign born French that commit an infraction, etc, etc.

As I said, the grass is always greener. This fantasyland notion many here have of an enlightened Europe is pretty much total BS.