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Chinese State Media Gloat over France’s General Strike

Xinhua posted on its website an article from The People’s Daily (overseas edition) titled “Why Does France Always Have Mass Strikes?” The article starts, “Widespread strikes, just like delicious wine and luxury products, are one of France’s ‘local specialties.’ [Note: The article refers to strikes in France on March 19, 2009.] So what has caused such a large scale strike? The article states that “it had to start with Sarkozy’s ‘Reform France’ project. As a person who likes to show-off and behave eccentrically, ‘emotional president’ Sarkozy always acts on his own will and in his own way, even in political affairs. After taking office, Sarkozy has started social welfare reform that emphasizes extending working hours, increasing medical fees and decreasing welfare, disregarding opposition from many other sides. … Even at a time of economic crisis with an ever increasing number of jobless workers, Sarkozy insists on his way and continues the reform. Obviously this has angered the French people.” The article concludes that “If conflict from both sides gets worse, one can foresee that in this nation where strikes are a ‘local specialty,’ what awaits Sarkozy will be larger scale strikes, a more difficult situation to handle, and a more perilous political career.”

Source: Xinhua, March 25, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2009-03/25/content_11067019.htm