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Hollande Faces Further Protests and Splits After Surviving Confidence Vote

© REUTERS / Philippe WojazerFrench President Francois Hollande delivers a speech during a ceremony at the Luxembourg Gardens to mark the abolition of slavery and to pay tribute to the victims of the slave trade, in Paris, May 10, 2016.
French President Francois Hollande delivers a speech during a ceremony at the Luxembourg Gardens to mark the abolition of slavery and to pay tribute to the victims of the slave trade, in Paris, May 10, 2016. - Sputnik International
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Embattled French President Francois Hollande is facing deep divisions within his own party and well as continuing mass protests by students and unions after surviving a no-confidence vote over his reforms to the country's labor laws and bypassing parliament to push them through.

France has been paralyzed by a series of nationwide strikes – particularly by students – against French President Francois Hollande’s proposed reforms to the highly codified French labor laws – known as the Code du Travail – in order to give employers more flexibility.

© REUTERS / Charles PlatiauDeputies collect the result of a no-confidence vote against French government at the National Assembly in Paris, France, May 12, 2016.
Deputies collect the result of a no-confidence vote against French government at the National Assembly in Paris, France, May 12, 2016. - Sputnik International
Deputies collect the result of a no-confidence vote against French government at the National Assembly in Paris, France, May 12, 2016.

The no-confidence motion tabled by opposition conservatives in the lower house of the French Parliament fell 42 votes short of the 288 required for a majority, but Hollande will take no comfort from not having the backing of 24 of his own party, which will further deepen divisions within the socialists.

Holland now has to decide what sanctions he is going to impose on the rebels within his party – including former ministers Benoit Hamon or Aurelie Filippetti.

© REUTERS / Gonzalo FuentesA protester kicks back a teargas grenade during a demonstration against French labour law reform in Paris, France, May 12, 2016.
A protester kicks back a teargas grenade during a demonstration against French labour law reform in Paris, France, May 12, 2016. - Sputnik International
A protester kicks back a teargas grenade during a demonstration against French labour law reform in Paris, France, May 12, 2016.

The labor reforms were largely directed at making companies take on more workers on permanent contracts, rather than temporary ones, to bring down the unemployment rate from ten percent. The proposals would give employers more scope to lay-off workers and cut costs and allow some employees to work far longer than the current 35-hour week. 

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Other reforms include a cap on severance pay for workers dismissed by a company. The current uncertain cost of laying-off workers mean that companies are risk-averse to doing so, leaving them less flexible and – in some cases – less productive. Opponents say the reforms would undermine workers’ rights on pay, overtime and breaks.

Bypassing Parliament

The reforms would normally pass to the upper house of the French Parliament, where the Republicans have a majority, paving the way for a political ping-pong match, but Hollande's Prime Minister Manuel Valls has won cabinet approval to invoke the rarely-used Article 49.3 of the constitution which allows the reform bill to bypass parliament.

This immediately brought cries of condemnation from opponents and triggered riots in Paris, Nantes and Bordeaux. Hollande is set to face further strikes and protests in what is becoming a major standoff between the president and the people.

© REUTERS / Philippe WojazerA man holds a French flag with the message, "No to the El Khomri law" in front of a line of French riot police during a protest against the French labour law proposal during the May Day labour union march in Paris, France, May 1, 2016.
A man holds a French flag with the message, No to the El Khomri law in front of a line of French riot police during a protest against the French labour law proposal during the May Day labour union march in Paris, France, May 1, 2016. - Sputnik International
A man holds a French flag with the message, "No to the El Khomri law" in front of a line of French riot police during a protest against the French labour law proposal during the May Day labour union march in Paris, France, May 1, 2016.

The reforms have been the cause of a series of major protests throughout France, with students playing a major role and strikes by all the main unions. Hollande’s record on the economy is poor, although he argues that it is only by freeing up the Code du Travail that employers will have the flexibility to kick-start it.

Hollande is still considering whether to stand for the presidency in 2017, although, with polls showing that three out of four people oppose his labor reforms, he is unlikely to make it past the first round even if he does decide to stand.

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