Strikes Don't Have to Derail Macron's Plans

When the French government unveiled its plan to make the national railway company more competitive and curtail benefits for some workers, commentators in France feared crippling protests comparable to those in 1995, when Alain Juppe’s government had to backtrack on rail sector reforms. Early signs were that President Emmanuel Macron would escape a similar fate. Polls showed support for his approach and the rail unions were divided in their response.

Public support then started to fade, and the old fears that France will follow a familiar script have returned: Rail workers are now in their second week of striking two out of every five days for three months. But this isn’t 1995 and it’s not too late for Macron to win the public over to his side.