riots in France

Yesterday in France could not be called boring. The protests were not massive, but unexpected and spread across the entire country at once. Interior Minister Nicola Sarkozy took control of the situation from the authorities. Meanwhile, trade unions are demanding that parliament repeal the law on the first labor contract by the Easter holidays. With details - Kommersant's own correspondent in France NATALIA GEVORKYAN.

Near Toulouse, about 50 students and workers at the Airbus plant blocked the entrance to the plant. Near León, opponents of the first contract of labor law (CPE) blocked two highways. The entrance to the city of Nantes from the motorway was blocked, students in Limoges blocked traffic in the city center. In Paris, a small group of young people briefly “took” the Gare de l'Est. Driven out by the police, the young people went from the Eastern Station to the Northern Station, as well as to the city center on the Chatelet. Nine universities in the country are closed and 42 are partially blocked. Of more than 4 thousand lyceums, 1.4 thousand are blocked. Against this background, negotiations between the largest trade unions and parliamentarians from the ruling UMP coalition began.

The political background is also interesting. Yesterday, the weeklies, without a word, came out with a portrait of the informal leader of the socialists, Segolene Royal, on the front page. This lady gained 41% of the votes among supporters of her party, leaving far behind, including her own unofficial husband and formal party leader Francois Hollande.

Meanwhile, Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy held a number of telephone conversations on Monday, including with the country's president and chairman of the UMP group in parliament, Bertrand Accoye. This is his plan of action. 15 parliamentarians from the UMP are developing a new draft law on the first employment contract for young people, having previously frozen the one already adopted. The first meeting of parliamentarians with representatives of the two largest and most active trade unions did not add optimism to the fighters against the CPE law: “They only listen and do not explain what they intend to do.” The trade unions themselves switched to the language of ultimatums: Parliament must repeal the law on the first labor contract for young people before April 17 (from this day on, deputies go on Easter holidays), otherwise the trade unions will call for a new mobilization of opponents of the law and the use of all possible methods, including a general strike . This statement is signed by representatives of the country's 12 largest trade unions, including youth ones. The ultimatum was also supported by the socialists. The communists also did not remain indifferent: either the repeal of the CPE law, or the resignation of the government and the holding of a referendum.

UMP parliamentarians intend to hold a number of meetings with trade unions over the next three days. So far they refuse to comment on anything. At the same time, French Minister of Economy Terry Breton, who is called “Monsieur Optimist” behind his back, meets with entrepreneurs who fear the repeal of not only the CPE law, but also the previously adopted and very successfully working similar law for small enterprises (CNE).

Yesterday morning, Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin gave a press conference, apparently in connection with rumors of his resignation. Of course, his answer was “You won’t wait.” He called rumors about his own resignation “innuendo,” emphasizing that he remains in office and is actively involved in overcoming the crisis. “Yes,” said the Prime Minister, “I hastened to adopt the law on CPE, but only because the situation with youth unemployment (more than 20% - Kommersant ) requires a quick solution.”

The rectors of French universities and lyceums are warning the government that there is still an opportunity to save the situation and not fail the next exam session, but in a couple of weeks this opportunity will no longer exist. They propose shortening the Easter or summer holidays by a week, extending the session, if necessary, even until September, taking into account the fact that they will have to study even on Saturdays and Sundays. The rector of the Sorbonne proposed replacing exams with tests in the current situation and giving grades at the end of the year.

Students will not give up for the session