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Students and union members block the access to the MIN (wholesale market) in Nantes, western France. French union and student leaders set an Easter deadline for the government to repeal its youth jobs law or face a repeat of the million-strong protests that have engulfed the nation.

Reuters: French unions set deadline for jobs law repeal

French trade unions on Wednesday set President Jacques Chirac an April 15 deadline to repeal a disputed youth jobs law, scenting victory amid mass protests and the sliding poll ratings of Chirac’s government.

As fears grew about the impact of the dispute on the euro zone’s second-largest economy, students blockaded roads in several cities in a second day of scattered protests after Tuesday’s marches drew at least 1 million onto the streets.

Union chiefs met conservative deputies for discussions after Chirac last week effectively took Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin off the case and promised parliamentary amendments to soften the “easy hire, easy fire” First Job Contract (CPE).

“We asked for the CPE to be repealed as soon as possible,” CFDT union leader Francois Chereque said afterwards.

“They had nothing to say. We didn’t get any response.”

Well, Chirac has to tread very lightly. Since he sold out Prime Minister Villepin last week and agreed to modify the law, any sign of a repeal would precipitate the Prime Minister’s resignation. Then, Chirac would be left with the mess without a stooge.

Villepin must realize that his chances to succeed Chirac are minimus at this point and so his resignation may be imminent – certainly it is inevitable.

Force Ouvriere union chief Rene Valladon said France’s 12 main unions wanted the three-day-old law repealed by April 15.

Students are due to hold protests next Tuesday but unions have so far not called any more strikes. Asked what unions would do if the deadline was not met, Valladon said “nothing was ruled out” and that unions would meet on Monday to plot strategy.

Scrapping the law could be the last nail in the coffin for Villepin’s premiership. His poll ratings have plumbed new depths and his authority in government is already being challenged by rivals, notably ambitious Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy.

But the setting of the deadline of April 15 — the start of France’s Easter vacations — could reflect trade union concerns that the protests could fizzle out over the holiday period.

Villepin told parliament enigmatically that he would “draw the conclusions” of any decisions made on the law, but did not explain what he planned to do. Some local media concluded it was a veiled resignation threat, while others said it was unclear.

Villepin and the CPE emplyment law will be history by the 15th.

Stay tuned……..

Previous:

France CPE Riot Watch: Second Straight Day of CPE Protests

France CPE Riot Watch: Latest CPE Protest Turns Violent

France CPE Riot Watch: Another Nationwide Strike Over CPE Hits France

France CPE Riot Watch: Jacques Chirac Signs First Job Contract CPE into Law

France CPE Riot Watch: Lefties Reject Talks and Vow More CPE Protests

France CPE Riot Watch: Jacques Chirac Capitulates on SOME of Job Law

France CPE Riot Watch: Constitutional Council Upholds CPE Jobs Law

France CPE Riot Watch:Fate of CPE Up to Constitutional Council

France CPE Riot Watch: A Million People March to Protest CPE First Job Contract

France CPE Riot Watch: French Police Subdue Riots

France CPE Riot Watch: First Job Contract Protests Grip French Cities

France Riot Watch: Students Riot in Paris over New Youth Employment Contract

ASSociated Press: Capitol Police Chief Denies Racism Charge

U. S. Capitol Police Chief Terrance Gainer said Wednesday that Rep. Cynthia McKinney turned an officer’s failure to recognize her into a criminal matter when she failed to stop at his request, and then struck him.

“He reached out and grabbed her and she turned around and hit him,” Gainer said on CNN. “Even the high and the haughty should be able to stop and say, ‘I’m a congressman’ and then everybody moves on.”

But, McKinney WON’T let it go. She is a LEFTIE NUTTER…….

For her part, McKinney wasn’t backing down from the argument. She charged anew that racism is behind what she said is a pattern of difficulty in clearing Hill security checkpoints.

Gainer said that racism, however, was not a factor.

“I’ve seen our officers stop white members and black members, Latinos, male and females,” he told CNN. “It’s not an issue about what your race or gender is. It’s an issue about making sure people who come into our building are recognized if they’re not going through the magnetometer, and this officer at that moment didn’t recognize her.”

“It would have been real easy, as most members of Congress do, to say here’s who I am or do you know who I am?” Gainer added.

McKinney should stop the racial nonsense and apologize.

The United States Attorney should issue an assault arrest warrant….. she is NOT above the law.

Stay tuned…..

Michelle Malkin has THE PARTY OF POLICE HATERS 

My new syndicated column is up. You know what I am talking about.

Rep. Tom DeLay on Fox & Friends sums Cynthia McKinney up in five words:

“Everything is racism to her.”

Previous:

Representative Cynthia McKinney Watch: Black Minister Calls for McKinney Prosecution by United States Attorney

Representative Cynthia McKinney Watch: Admits to Misusing Taxpayer Funds

Representative Cynthia McKinney Watch: Capitol Police Ask for ARREST WARRANT

Representative Cynthia McKinney Watch: News Conference Today – “NOTHING New!”

Representative Cynthia McKinney Watch: News Conference Today – “Something New?”

Representative Cynthia McKinney Watch: McKinney a Victim of a Racist Capitol Hill Police Officer

Representative Cynthia McKinney Watch: Going to Jail?

France‘s Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin (R) and Budget Minister Jean-Francois Cope leave the Elysee Palace in Paris after the weekly cabinet meeting April 5, 2006. French unions will meet figures from President Jacques Chirac ‘s ruling right for talks in the afternoon on a contested youth jobs law, bolstered by street protests demanding the new hire-and-fire rules be scrapped.

ASSociated Press: Police, Jobs Law Protesters Clash in Paris

Demonstrators blocked roads, rail lines and mail delivery trucks Wednesday in a second straight day of protests to demand the repeal of a divisive jobs law, while unions vowed they would not compromise in talks withPresident Jacques Chirac’s ruling party on the issue.

So, will the Chirac/Villepin government cave into the students and unions?

Or do they want more photos like this……..

French riot police officers detain students in Lille, northern France, Tuesday April 4, 2006 after a demonstration against the French government’s new labor law. Police said at least 1 million people poured into the streets across France on Tuesday and youths clashed with riot officers in the latest protests against the government’s new jobs law.

This unrest is ruining France’s tourism and business climate…..as is their high youth unemployment.

Buoyed by the success of marches that drew more than 1 million protesters Tuesday, unions were in a position of strength heading into talks that Chirac’s government hoped might offer a way out of the crisis.

“Students must be able to prepare for exams, and high schoolers must go back to school,” Chirac said in a Cabinet meeting Wednesday, according to a spokesman. Some universities have been shut down for weeks, and many high schools have been affected, as well.

Labor leader Bernard Thibault said the repeal of the law, which would make it easier to fire young workers, was “not negotiable.” Unions also met among themselves to discuss further protest action, determined to maintain the intense pressure that has fractured the embattled conservative government.

Villepin and Chirac have bungled youth employment reform and the socialists who wish to control the government (after upcoming elections) are happy to rub their noses in the mire.

Flap handicaps a withdrawl of the CPE and Villepin from public life.

The winner:

France’s Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy (C) walks with police, after police clashed with youths following a nationwide protest demanding the government scrap the First Job Contract (CPE), in Paris April 4, 2006. French transport workers and teachers staged new strikes on Tuesday and students across the country gathered for street protests they hope will kill off the disputed CPE, a youth hire-and-fire law.

The Chirac government will meet this afternoon with the dissident unions.

Stay tuned…..

Previous:

France CPE Riot Watch: Latest CPE Protest Turns Violent

France CPE Riot Watch: Another Nationwide Strike Over CPE Hits France

France CPE Riot Watch: Jacques Chirac Signs First Job Contract CPE into Law

France CPE Riot Watch: Lefties Reject Talks and Vow More CPE Protests

France CPE Riot Watch: Jacques Chirac Capitulates on SOME of Job Law

France CPE Riot Watch: Constitutional Council Upholds CPE Jobs Law

France CPE Riot Watch:Fate of CPE Up to Constitutional Council

France CPE Riot Watch: A Million People March to Protest CPE First Job Contract

France CPE Riot Watch: French Police Subdue Riots

France CPE Riot Watch: First Job Contract Protests Grip French Cities

France Riot Watch: Students Riot in Paris over New Youth Employment Contract