José Bové, French environmentalist activist and small farmers' leader, promised a " fiery return to work after the holidays" to the 200,000 gathered at the anti-globalization festival on the Larzac plateau in early August.
This spring in France was marked by the longest and deepest strike in the national education system since 1968 and a broad mobilisation against government plans to reform pensions. During the summer workers in the cultural sphere - actors, musicians, stage and film technicians - continued their actions which led to the cancelling of some of the most prestigious summer arts festivals, such as Avignon.
At the same time the government suffered another blow - the mishandling of the health crisis. The particularly fierce and lor Liam Mac Uaid
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this summer led to an increase in deaths - mainly of old people - by as many as 11,000 compared to a similar period in preceding years. Govemment ministers were interviewed in shirtsleeves during their holidays saying there was no emergency as hospitals and the fire and ambulance services expressed their concern over the increased death rate. The government has been forced to take a more conciliatory attitude by the unprecedented mobilisation in the spring. They have announced that projected reforms of the social security and health systems would be discussed with their "social partners" (notably trade unions) over 18-months rather than being introduced immediately. Despite this, measures are being introduced that affect people's lives ants' movement the Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem-Terra (MST).
The government also includes a number of prominent figures from