The French government is hoping the pressure of hosting this summer’s Euro 2016 soccer tournament will not cause chaos around the country.
The tournament coincides with a six-month long state of emergency following the Nov. 13 terror attacks in Paris, which killed 130 people. Proposed labor reforms from the government have also led to violent protests on the streets of Paris. A majority of the public transportation system is shut down due to strikes, and one-third of the country’s gas stations have gone dry as all eight oil refineries in France are shut down.
The government wants to make it easier for companies to hire and fire employees, and provide employees the opportunity to work longer hours than the current 35-hour workweek. The reforms would allow people to work up to 48 hours per week, and 12 hours in one day. The idea is to make it easier for companies to grow quickly and respond to market trends.
The proposed reforms have turned all major employee unions against the government.
President Francois Hollande’s approval rating is down to 20 percent, the lowest mark any French president has ever achieved. To avoid a disaster when the world’s eyes are turned toward France next month, the government is slowly giving in to union demands. Prime Minister Manuel Valls announced a pay raise for school teachers Tuesday and pledged to speed up negotiations with the railroad union. The public transportation system is crucial to accommodating 2.5 million fans traveling to and from stadiums during the tournament.
The Euro 2016 soccer tournament kicks off June 10 and runs through July 10. The tournament is the third-largest sporting event in the world — second only to the World Cup of soccer and the Summer Olympics — and more than 1.5 million foreign fans are expected to visit.
“I cannot believe for a second that he [railroad union chief Philippe Martinez] will take France hostage, because the image of France is at stake,” Socialist party leader Jean-Christophe Cambadelis told RTL radio Sunday.
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