Government scraps the youth employment law

Following a two-month crisis and nationwide protests, the French government has caved in to pressure. French Prime minister Dominique de Villepin has announced yesterday that the new law that included the First Employment Contract (CPE) will be rescinded. The replacement of this proposal provides a learning opportunity for the government, according to editorial writer Nicolas Beytout. "We now know for sure that reforms (real ones) are not carried out by going it alone into battle. That it is indispensable to have allies if you want to move society. That it is of no use trying to save time by forgoing consultation, only to lose it all in the ensuing protest. ... To be accepted, [reform] must be experienced as something fair or, at the very least, understood as something necessary; and even when it is painful, it must offer grounds for hope. ... Poorly handled, minor matters can provoke major shocks. All the more reason, therefore, to steer clear of partial reforms."

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