This year has seen a new upturn in protest in France. Murray Smith looks at the main elements so far The key turning point was the three days of action in January against privatisation and in defence of public services with strikes by first postal workers, then rail workers then all public sector workers.
This was the biggest movement since the defeats over pensions in the summer of 2003.
Postal workers came out on January against the restructuring of the service leading to job losses and the closure of UICCOLLULILS mainly rural post offices.
The following day rail workers were joined by those in the newly privatised gas and electricity industry, striking against job losses.
The third day of action, which involved both local and national government employees, saw a huge participation of teachers. More than half the Paris demonstration of 50,000 was from this sector.
Here issues of staffing and wage levels are combined with opposition to the Fillon law, which would restructure education in a way that would lower its quality for the vast majority. School students also participated in small numbers on that day.
Then on Feb 5 there was a day of action in defence of the 35 hour week when 500,000 workers took part in demonstrations in 120 towns and cities all over the country.
After that the school student movement really took off with 100,000 demonstrating
www.pourmf. across the country February 10. Fillon was forced to abandon his plan to restructure the baccalaureate, though not other parts of his reactionary project.
Easter holidays are staggered in France because of the skiing season, but despite the fact that two-thirds of the country had already broken up, 50,000 school students and teachers demonstrated in Paris on February 15, just before the end of their term. French workers indicate their opinion of a lengthened working week to replace the current 35 hours
The next day of action has been called for March 10 - the day the Olympic team visit the city. There is every likelihood that the movement will take off again at this point.
It is also worth remembering that this is one of a long line of attempts to introduce similar reforms in education in 1986, 1991, and 1998 where the government was forced to back down.
At the same time while no date has yet been set for the Referendum on the European constitution, effectively the campaign has been going since January with around 130 united front collectives in different localities around the slogan for a "No of the Left".
These involve the Ligue Communiste Revolutionaire (LCR, French Section of the Fourth the Communist Party and SP dissidents as well as members of the CGT, SUD and FU and the campaigning group Attac. group, Lutte Ouvriere, are in favour of a no vote but not involved for the minute in the committees
In a move which took everyone by surprise the National Confederal Committee of the CGT, the union's parliament between Congresses) came out strongly against the constitution.
This was a bitter defeat for General Secretary Bernard Thibaut who has not only been taking the CT away from CP but towards more integration into European TUC. While he didn't dare openly support their pro- constitution position he hoped no position would be taken.
Inside the Socialist Party, where 40 percent opposed the constitution in their referendum not all those dissidents are keeping their heads down.
Party leader Francois Hollande was threatening disciplinary action against those who campaigned openly but has been forced to back down. Meanwhile the polls show things are not secure for the government.
In January 63 per cent were for the constitution with 37 per cent against while the current figures are 58 per cent to 42 percent.
A defeat for the constitution in France would not only be an explosion within the country but a real blow against neo-liberalism across the whole continent.