Chirac calls for talks as student protests grow
Updated Fri. Mar. 17 2006 11:26 PM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
French President Jacques Chirac called for urgent talks between government ministers and student union groups Friday as protestors clashed with police over a controversial new labour law.
"The government is ready for dialogue. For my part, I hope it starts as quickly as possible," Chirac said.
His comments came after at least 300 people were arrested across the country during protests over new laws that would make it easier for employers to fire workers under 26.
The violence began last weekend when riot police stormed the Sorbonne University in Paris after at least 200 students barricaded themselves into a classroom.
Police used tear gas to remove the demonstrators, who threw furniture and ladders out of the windows.
Clashes have continued all week, with many of the demonstrations taking place around the Sorbonne.
The worst violence was on Thursday, when police blasted crowds of youth with water cannons and tear gas, while the protestors returned fire with stones and set cars on fire.
At least 50 police officers have been injured in the clashes, officials said.
France's main student union has condemned the riots, which French officials claimed was due to the actions of just a few dissidents.
"There was a demonstration that went smoothly, and then there were a few delinquents who came to pick a fight," Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy told reporters Thursday.
Chirac appealed for calm, but maintained his support for the new work contract, calling it "an important element in the policy of fighting unemployment," and adding it "will create new jobs for young people who are today largely left out of the job market."
On Saturday, French police will likely face the largest protests yet, when student groups and unions plan to stage unified protests.
The government could pay a political price if it is unable to defuse the growing unrest across the country.
The man who is widely seen as Chirac's preferred successor -- Dominique de Villepin -- is also supporting the new proposals, and his presidential ambitions could suffer if the government is unable to contain the growing protests.
The contract de Villepin and Chirac are pushing would allow employers to fire younger workers within the first two years of their employment, without having to provide a reason or explanation.
The French government insists the law will actually stimulate job creation by encouraging employers to hire younger people.
Unemployment among young adults is currently at a dismal 23 per cent, and is twice that amount in low income suburbs, many of which have high immigrant populations.
Those areas were the scene of massive riots last year, and the new contract is one way the government responded to the riots.
However, France's young people cherish current strong labour laws which make it difficult for employers to fire workers and fear the new contract will undermine the strength of those laws.
Villepin said he is willing to discuss the framework of the law and look at ways to improve it, but has not signalled any intention to cave in to demonstrators' demands to back away from the plan.
