https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from France in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed More than 800,000 people took to the streets across France on Thursday on the first day of a nationwide strike over President Emmanuel Macron's pension reforms. https://www.thelocal.fr/20191207/the-people-around-me-dont-seem-to-really-care Sat, 07 Dec 2019 20:54:33 +0100 the-people-around-me-dont-seem-to-really-care The International Monetary Fund on Monday warned France that its public debt is "too high for comfort", calling on the nation to tackle the issue by stepping up spending reforms. https://www.thelocal.fr/20190604/imf-urges-france-to-step-up-spending-reforms-to-rein-in-debt Tue, 04 Jun 2019 10:39:17 +0200 imf-urges-france-to-step-up-spending-reforms-to-rein-in-debt Emmanuel Macron has watched his approval ratings plunge as voters wait for his pro-business reforms to pay off -- but for company leaders like Pierre Loustric, that's not a problem. https://www.thelocal.fr/20181021/france-awaits-results-from-macrons-pro-business-push Sun, 21 Oct 2018 14:31:42 +0200 france-awaits-results-from-macrons-pro-business-push French president Emmanuel Macron's sense of humour and frank talking has once again caused uproar after he poked fun at his compatriots describing them as "Gauls who are resistant to change". https://www.thelocal.fr/20180830/gauls-resistant-to-change-macron-in-hot-water-for-insulting-the-french-people Thu, 30 Aug 2018 14:36:48 +0200 gauls-resistant-to-change-macron-in-hot-water-for-insulting-the-french-people France may be famed for its 35-hour working week, but in parliament the marathon debates and 1am votes prompted by President Emmanuel Macron's reform drive have MPs on the brink of burnout. https://www.thelocal.fr/20180606/french-mps-crack-under-pressure-of-macrons-energetic-reform-drive Wed, 06 Jun 2018 13:13:34 +0200 french-mps-crack-under-pressure-of-macrons-energetic-reform-drive Emmanuel Macron’s reforming zeal shows no sign of waning, with a raft of major reforms due to be presented to his cabinet over the next two months. The president clearly doesn't believe the old cliché that France is impossible to reform. https://www.thelocal.fr/20180319/frances-macron-readies-to-unveil-raft-of-new-reforms Mon, 19 Mar 2018 15:56:46 +0100 frances-macron-readies-to-unveil-raft-of-new-reforms France's President Emmanuel Macron expressed confidence on Friday that German Chancellor Angela Merkel's potential coalition partners would not oppose his ambitious plans to reform the European Union. https://www.thelocal.fr/20171014/macron-confident-future-german-government-wont-oppose-eu-reforms Sat, 14 Oct 2017 11:57:29 +0200 macron-confident-future-german-government-wont-oppose-eu-reforms French President Emmanuel Macron launched round two of his ambitious domestic reform programme on Thursday, welcoming business leaders and trade unionists for talks about a highly sensitive overhaul of unemployment benefits. https://www.thelocal.fr/20171012/macron-launches-second-round-of-labour-reforms Thu, 12 Oct 2017 16:42:59 +0200 macron-launches-second-round-of-labour-reforms French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday pleaded his case for ambitious European reforms, appealing to German Chancellor Angela Merkel to join forces with him and enter the debate. https://www.thelocal.fr/20171010/macron-urges-merkel-to-fight-for-eu-reforms Tue, 10 Oct 2017 19:06:09 +0200 macron-urges-merkel-to-fight-for-eu-reforms For the first time in ten years on Tuesday, nine unions representing France’s public service workers are jointly calling on employees to strike against the government's raft of "negative" employment reforms. https://www.thelocal.fr/20171010/france-how-tuesdays-mass-public-sector-strikes-will-affect-you Tue, 10 Oct 2017 10:40:29 +0200 france-how-tuesdays-mass-public-sector-strikes-will-affect-you Thousands of pensioners demonstrated across France on Thursday over increases in their taxes, the latest group to take to the streets over President Emmanuel Macron's economic reforms. https://www.thelocal.fr/20170928/french-pensioners-join-protests-over-macron-reforms Thu, 28 Sep 2017 18:29:19 +0200 french-pensioners-join-protests-over-macron-reforms Tens of thousands of French leftists are expected to answer a call by firebrand Jean-Luc Melenchon to throng the streets of Paris on Saturday in protest over President Emmanuel Macron's sweeping reforms of the labour code. https://www.thelocal.fr/20170923/french-left-to-stage-street-showdown-over-macron-reforms Sat, 23 Sep 2017 13:57:02 +0200 french-left-to-stage-street-showdown-over-macron-reforms President Emmanuel Macron on Friday signed sweeping changes to France's complex labour code into law, sealing a signature reform after four months at the helm. He will do it live on TV. https://www.thelocal.fr/20170922/macron-to-sign-his-signature-labour-reforms Fri, 22 Sep 2017 17:45:16 +0200 macron-to-sign-his-signature-labour-reforms Unions staged new protests Thursday against an overhaul of France's labour laws, hoping to build pressure on President Emmanuel Macron days before his flagship reforms are expected to enter into force. https://www.thelocal.fr/20170921/more-protests-as-france-prepares-to-green-light-macrons-labour-reforms Thu, 21 Sep 2017 18:00:30 +0200 more-protests-as-france-prepares-to-green-light-macrons-labour-reforms The French government will press ahead with President Emmanuel Macron's flagship labour reforms despite the first mass protests against his pro-business agenda, a leading minister said Wednesday. https://www.thelocal.fr/20170913/we-wont-back-down-vows-french-government-after-tens-of-thousands-protest-against-labour-reforms Wed, 13 Sep 2017 15:14:24 +0200 we-wont-back-down-vows-french-government-after-tens-of-thousands-protest-against-labour-reforms The first day of major demonstrations against French President Emmanuel Macron's changes to France's enshrined labour code saw tens of thousands of protesters take to the streets on Tuesday. https://www.thelocal.fr/20170912/france-tens-of-thousands-take-to-the-streets-to-protest-macrons-labour-reforms Tue, 12 Sep 2017 20:24:23 +0200 france-tens-of-thousands-take-to-the-streets-to-protest-macrons-labour-reforms French unions hold a day of strikes and street protests against Emmanuel Macron's flagship labour reforms, a key test as he stakes his presidency on overhauling the sluggish economy. https://www.thelocal.fr/20170912/strikes-and-street-protests-against-macrons-labour-reforms-hit-france Tue, 12 Sep 2017 20:20:29 +0200 strikes-and-street-protests-against-macrons-labour-reforms-hit-france French President Emmanuel Macron has been blasted by politicians and the public alike for describing opponents of his highly controversial labour reforms as "lazy". https://www.thelocal.fr/20170911/macron-blasted-for-labelling-opponents-slackers-as-unions-get-set-to-strike-over-labour-reforms Mon, 11 Sep 2017 14:59:19 +0200 macron-blasted-for-labelling-opponents-slackers-as-unions-get-set-to-strike-over-labour-reforms The French government on Thursday unveiled an overhaul of the country's strict labour laws. These are five key points you need to know. https://www.thelocal.fr/20170901/five-key-ways-macron-wants-to-change-frances-labour-code Fri, 01 Sep 2017 19:20:00 +0200 five-key-ways-macron-wants-to-change-frances-labour-code French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe on Thursday presented labour market reforms which he called "ambitious, balanced and fair" but that met with mixed reaction from trade unions. https://www.thelocal.fr/20170831/french-pm-says-labour-reforms-are-ambitious-balanced-fair Thu, 31 Aug 2017 15:21:19 +0200 french-pm-says-labour-reforms-are-ambitious-balanced-fair