The new French president is facing the prospect of a September standoff in the streets over his controversial plans to revamp the labour laws. He has a clear parliamentary majority, so the biggest menace to Macron’s plans comes from the unions and the street. Macron’s predecessor, the Socialist president François Hollande, attempted to simplify the code, but backed down in the face of violent protests. If it’s just the CGT that opposes the labour laws, I don’t believe we will see many protests,” he said. Labour reformsEmmanuel Macron, the French president, says his code du travail reforms will “bring France into the 21st century”.

Source: The Guardian August 26, 2017 19:30 UTC