French roads blocked over labor law; president stands firm

The main leftist unions and student groups are adamant the reform will not help redress France’s jobless rate, which has been stuck at 10 percent overall, and almost 25 percent for young people.

French riot police walk ahead of protesters marching during a demonstration after the French government bypassed parliament and forced through a controversial labour reform bill, on May 17, 2016, in Paris.

Hollande, who commands the lowest poll ratings of any post-war French president, has said he will decide by the end of the year whether to stand for re-election next May.

French President Francois Hollande said Tuesday the delay is because U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is not available on that date.

During the past six months there has been a wave of Palestinian attacks that have killed at least 28 people, while Israeli forces have killed about 200 Palestinians, most of whom authorities say were carrying out attacks with guns or knives.

PARIS (AP) – Tear gas briefly choked a Left Bank neighborhood and truckers blocked highways in Provence and Normandy in new tensions over a French labor bill Tuesday – but the president insisted that he won’t abandon the contested reform.

Police said up to 12,000 people had joined the march in the capital.

Fresh demonstrations against the reforms are spreading across France, with lorry drivers barricading roads in Nantes, Marseille and Le Mans.

“We have been ignored, so we will work even harder to make our voices heard”, said Philippe Martinez, head of the CGT union, at the Paris rally.

But Mr Hollande has argued that the new law is necessary to boost hiring and investment.

“I promise to be extremely vigilant when the next resolution is put forward in October”, he said. “It will take place in the summer”, he told French radio.

“The battle is not won”. “I am fighting the battle every day”.

The government survived the confidence vote since it was called by opposition parties that do not have enough votes to get it through.

However, the draft law must now be debated in the Senate, the upper house of parliament.

The president also promised tougher action against the troublemakers who infiltrate street protests against the reforms and provoke confrontation with police.

“It will not be accepted”, Hollande said, promising more arrests and bans on protesting for others. An Abbas spokesman said the P.A. supported the French and Arab efforts, which were moving the situation “in the right direction”.