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Sarkozy versus France

The citizens of France, who have a historic tradition of street protests, took to the streets once again in what trade union leaders claimed was the largest demonstration of French workers in 20 years. On January 29, around a million to two million people participated in mass demonstrations in a dozen cities. While a 24-hour nationwide strike called by public service staff on “Black Thursday” might not have been as effective as the unions hoped it would be, the ocean of protesters swelling the streets was a confluence of members of the ordinary public, trade unionists, students, and public officials. Significantly, the general strike had nearly 70 per cent backing from the people, indicating a widespread disenchantment with the government’s response to the economic crisis. The French public is troubled by rising unemployment, worsening working conditions, and cuts in public services. While the Interior Ministry tried to downplay the significance of the massive protest in the capital, it was clear that the demonstration was the biggest since Nicolas Sarkozy became President in 2007. The primary target of the protesters’ ire was Mr. Sarkozy himself, whose attempts to cut a dashing figure on the international stage have not endeared him to fellow citizens facing the deepening crisis at home.

The tenor of the demonstrations was mostly good-humoured rather than angry, and, remarkably, for a French event, one widespread chant was borrowed from the new American president, Barack Obama — ‘Yes, yes, yes, we can.’ But Mr. Sarkozy and the rest of his government can take little comfort from the demonstrators’ apparently benign mood. There is growing unrest at the perceived unresponsiveness of the French government to the deepening economic crisis. The demonstration on “Black Thursday” also showed a renewed unity among the trade unions, indicating a stiffening resistance to Mr. Sarkozy’s policies. The French President is clearly aware that conditions are only going to worsen, with unemployment predicted to rise above 10 per cent in the coming year. He has recently dropped an unpopular school reform and his tone has recently been much less combative than in earlier months. But the problem Mr. Sarkozy faces is that the French public unlike its counterparts in the United Kingdom and the United States is concerned not just about the financial crisis but appears more worried about the impact of his policies on the entire society. Mr. Sarkozy therefore has a tough road ahead of him and if he does not immediately get down to addressing these thorny issues, the public mood will only get much nastier.

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