Britannia Radio

THE TIMES 28.1.09
France ready for the big match: Sarko v the Street
President faces a day of mass stoppages and marches against his
style, his Government, the slump and capitalism itself


President Sarkozy is enjoying a small revival in his popularity

Charles Bremner

Visitors to France might imagine that they have arrived on the eve of
a big match.

For days, the media have been previewing tomorrow's clash, judging
the teams and forecasting the odds. The event relies on ritual like
any sport, but it is not a game. The fixture could be called The
Street versus Nicolas Sarkozy.

For the first time since he was elected in May 2007, the President is
facing what is billed as a day of mass stoppages and protest marches
against him, his style, his Government, the economic crisis and, more
broadly, the capitalist system.

Mr Sarkozy has faced down public transport, school and hospital
strikes before, but this time he is worried that the usual ritual of
disruption and street marches could herald more general unrest.

The full-dress revolt against Super Sarko has already been dubbed
Black Thursday and the media are looking forward to "une grande
journée de mobilisation".

As usual, the conservative public sector unions are at the heart of
the action, leading a one-day transport, schools and hospital strike
in resistance to the President's reforms. Rail, city transport and
air services will be disrupted (though not the Eurostar cross-Channel
service).

The teachers, rail workers and civil servants are being joined by all
the main trade union federations and a broad coalition of the
disgruntled, ranging from motor industry personnel, to judges, high-
school pupils and ski-lift operators.

The opposition Socialist party, slowly reviving from near collapse,
is taking part and the organisers are banking on private sector
workers, who usually shun such protests, to produce a turnout that
will "force Sarkozy to listen".

Listen to what? The strikers and protesters have no clear demand,
just the desire to vent their wrath and frustration over falling
incomes and job insecurity and Mr Sarkozy's shrinking of the welfare
system and state sector which has been the pride of France since the
1960s.

A minority of hardliners want nothing less than old-fashioned
insurrection and the overthrow of France's semi-capitalist state.
Libération, the leftwing daily, gave pride of place yesterday to
Alain Badiou, a philosopher, who said: "My dream is that Sarkozy will
be chased out of power by the street."

The radicals, whose cause has persisted since the revolution of 1789,
are embodied by a growing Trotskyite movement that includes SUD, a
powerful union that has caused havoc recently on the railways.

Seventy per cent of the country backs the strikes and protests,
despite the chaos that they will cause, according to polls at the
weekend. This reflects France's usual support for anyone who takes on
the le pouvoir – the powers that be. But the hard times are also
breeding sympathy for the old revolutionary cause in a limited way.
People feel that they are bearing the brunt of the crisis while the
bailed-out bankers, many of whom are friends of Mr Sarkozy, are
walking off with their money.

The President is drawing comfort from his recent return to relative
popularity in the country at large. The monthly BVA poll yesterday
reported an approval rating of 47 per cent, only one point down from
December and above the 45 per cent who hold a negative opinion. That
is far above the nadir of the 30s to which he had sunk this time last
year.

But Mr Sarkozy believes that the mood is dangerous. He is worried
that he could face one of those upheavals which have punctuated
French history. In May 1968, for example, students and unions set the
country on fire and nearly overthrew President de Gaulle in the midst
of prosperity. Talking of his fickle people, Mr Sarkozy last month
drew a parallel between himself and Louis XVI, the king who was
guillotined in the revolution. "He was adored but ended with his head
on the block," he said.

Mr Sarkozy is doing his best to sound reasonable. Visiting a
provincial factory on Tuesday, he said that it was normal that people
were protesting. "I understand your difficulties. I understand the
problems of rising costs, of paying for retirement, the kids'
school.. but I have to see things with sang froid and not react to
what is written in the newspaper or the person who is shouting
loudest," he said.

He is right to note that France is in a sullen mood but he is need
not be alarmed. But this does not seem to be a moment for upheaval.
Outside the protected state sector, which accounts for the
overwhelming majority of strikes, people are more worried about
holding on to their jobs than overthrowing Sarko.